Hundreds of British service personnel fought and gave their lives to bring peace and security to Northern Ireland during the Troubles, with 90 per cent of all civilian and military casualties resulting from terrorist actions, according to Armed Forces Minister Al Carns.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Carns, who served 24 years in the military including in Northern Ireland, said the legacy of the conflict still hangs over the nation. He noted that more service personnel died in Northern Ireland than in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, and that many service families have been searching for the truth about their loved ones.
The minister criticised the previous Government's Legacy Act, claiming it shut down the last meaningful chance for families to find out what happened and gave veterans a false promise of immunity that would have been challenged in court. He said the Government is working to repeal and replace the Act, ensuring families can get to the truth without punishing those who served with dignity.
Carns outlined six key protections for Northern Ireland veterans: no veteran will be forced to travel to Northern Ireland as a witness; the Commission must consider the health and wellbeing of elderly witnesses; veterans can seek anonymity; no veteran will be cold-called, with all engagement supported by the MOD; no duplication of cases unless exceptional circumstances; and veterans' voices must be heard in the process.
The minister emphasised that these protections aim to prevent manipulation of the system, rewriting of history, or use of the process to punish veterans. He described the exceptional threats faced by exceptional individuals and said implementing well-thought-through protections is a continuation of his service.
