Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill have both issued statements in the wake of the Operation Kenova interim report, which called for the Government and Republican leadership to apologize.
Operation Kenova was launched in 2016 to investigate a large number of kidnappings, tortures, and murders linked to an army agent inside the Provisional IRA code-named 'Stakeknife.' Its interim report was published today, Friday, March 8.
The report found, in part, that Stakeknife's "crimes as an agent resulted in more lives being lost than were saved."
The interim report was published just over a week after the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced it had decided not to prosecute 12 individuals reported by Operation Kenova in relation to its investigation into an alleged agent known as Stakeknife.
Speaking after the publication of the interim report on Friday, Jon Boutcher, the former lead on Operation Kenova and the current Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), said: “This report leaves little doubt that the Republican leadership was responsible for numerous dreadful crimes, many of which the Government failed to prevent.
"At the heart of Operation Kenova has always been the families and loved ones of the victims of that brutality. They have been denied the truth of what happened for too long.
"Today is an important step in delivering that truth and finally giving them answers they so desperately deserve.
"The Government and Republican leadership now need to acknowledge their roles in this awful section of history and both should apologise to families."
Responding, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD said on Friday: "The Kenova Inquiry report has been published today. My heartfelt thoughts are with the families of all those whose loved ones were killed, and whose anguish, hurt, and loss continues to be felt deeply today.
“We will never forget those who have died or been injured, and their families. To all those who have suffered such grievous loss I am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict and the hurt and loss endured, without exception.
“The past cannot be changed or undone. Neither can the suffering or the hurt inflicted by all those involved in the conflict including the IRA.
"While the conflict is long over, intergenerational trauma and the search for truth and acknowledgement continues for many families. The hurt and the pain caused must never again be repeated. We must find ways to help people heal.
"Hardly a day or week goes by that there is not an anniversary of a past tragedy. Each such occasion evokes painful memories and as leader of Sinn Féin, I am committed to doing all that I can in healing the wounds of the past and achieving reconciliation.
“Today I represent a new generation who were born into a time of conflict but because of the Good Friday Agreement, are now in a position to build the future in a time of peace.
"Although we are now twenty six years on from our peace agreement, this is something we can never take for granted and a responsibility I take most seriously.”
Michelle O'Neill, the Vice President of Sinn Féin and the First Minister of Northern Ireland, also said on Friday: “My heartfelt thoughts are first and foremost with all those families whose loved ones were killed, and whose anguish, hurt, and loss continues to be felt deeply.
“The injustices and tragedies of the past have left a deep legacy of suffering and trauma in our society. We must never forget those who have died or been injured, and their families.
“I am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict, without exception.
“Regrettably, the past cannot be changed or undone.
“Neither can the suffering, the hurt or the political violence of the conflict be disowned by Republicans, or any other party to the conflict.
“People’s lives from every section of the community were trespassed upon during the conflict by British State forces, republicans, loyalists and unimaginable grief, hurt, pain and suffering was inflicted.
“I will never ask any mother, father, wife, husband, son, daughter, brother or sister to forget the past or to move on.
“While thankfully the conflict is long over, the legacy of our past remains unresolved.
“Intergenerational trauma continues to impact so many families today.
“Today I represent the Good Friday Agreement generation.
“A generation born into conflict, but who are now in a position, because of that Agreement 26 years ago to build the future in a time of peace.
“This is something we can never take for granted. The hurt and the pain caused must never again be repeated.
“We must find ways to help people heal.
“As a republican, and a Sinn Féin leader, and also as First Minister, I am wholeheartedly committed to healing the wounds of the past.
“To building this better future that we all deserve.”
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