THE BALLYMURPHY MASSACRE

The Parachute Regiment is the Airborne Infantry element of the British Army. It is considered an elite unit by virtue of its stringent selection process, rigorous training programme and by the requirement of its role to operate with minimal or no support behind enemy lines and against numerically superior forces

Belfast in August 1971

3 days of killings by the Parachute Regiment, operating with minimal or no support behind enemy lines and against numerically superior forces

11 people dead

6 civilians were shot on 9 August:
• Francis Quinn (19), shot by a sniper (who had taken position at the nearby army base) while going to the aid of a wounded man.
• Hugh Mullan (38), a Catholic priest, shot by a sniper while going to the aid of a wounded man.
• Joan Connolly (50), shot as she stood opposite the army base.
• Daniel Teggart (44), shot fourteen times. Most of the bullets allegedly entered his back as he lay injured on the ground.
• Noel Phillips (20), shot as he stood opposite the army base.
• Joseph Murphy (41), shot as he stood opposite the army base
One civilian was shot on 10 August, and another four were shot on 11 August:
• Edward Doherty (28), shot while walking along Whiterock Road.
• John Laverty (20) and Joseph Corr (43) were shot at separate points at the Top of the Whiterock Road. Laverty was shot twice, once in the back and once in the back of the leg. Corr was shot multiple times and died of his injuries on 27 August.
• John McKerr (49), shot by unknown attackers while standing outside the Roman Catholic church, died of his injuries on 20 August.
• Paddy McCarthy (44)</em> got into a confrontation with a group of soldiers. One of them allegedly put an empty gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. McCarthy suffered a heart-attack and died shortly thereafter.


Labour MP Michael Connarty,

said the soldiers involved in Ballymurphy were “carrying out the instructions” of the British government of the day.Someone in authority in the British system cleared the way for the shootings, which were, he said, against the Geneva Convention,

let alone any rules officially in place to govern conduct by the British Army.
British troops kill British citizens

The families of 11 people killed by the Army in west Belfast more than 40 years ago have called for an independent panel to investigate the deaths and examine all documents and papers relating to the deaths.The relatives said the panel should report within 12-18 months, and should be funded by the British and Irish governments.

One example of people demanding Joint Sovreignty

Investigation?

The families said “they have amassed strong evidence that all who died were killed unlawfully and in breach of Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

“The case raises serious questions regarding human rights abuses committed by the British Army and of a culture of impunity in the north of Ireland in which members of the security forces routinely were above the law.”
The Royal Ulster Constabulary

never carried out any investigation into the killings




Families have no confidence into the review of the deaths currently being conducted by the Historical Enquires team (HET).

Earlier this year, a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary said the HET treated killings carried out by the army differently to other cases.It said the HET was illegally investigating deaths involving soldiers with less rigour than cases with no state involvement.

What can we do to support the Ballymurphy families?
1. Distribute this information as widely as possible – in trade unions, political parties, community groups, friends & colleagues. Contact the Irish Democrat for speakers and leaflets.
2. Write to David Cameron, Theresa Villiers and your own MP to demand a full independent, international investigation into the Ballymurphy killings – and encourage others to do so.
David Cameron, 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA e-mail: camerond@parliament.uk or fill in form athttps://email.number10.gov.uk/Contact.aspx
Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Office, 11 Millbank, London SW1P 4PN e-mail: info@nio.gov.uk
Your own MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA http://www.writetothem.com/

UPDATE: 10/5/2021

Ballymurphy Massacre Inquest Key Findings:

There was no justification for any of the killings

The use of force was disproportionate

All of those killed were entirely innocent of wrongdoing

The deceased were all unarmed and posed no threat

All of those killed were failed by investigations. There were substantial Article 2 Right to Life failures and violations by the state

British soldiers hampered the investigations and the inquest through failures to attend, or provide evidence or information in some cases. State evidence in respect to killings could not therefore be tested

Cyphers identifying soldiers responsible for shootings were incomplete or lost

Father Mullan and Frank Quinn were shot while trying to assist the injured in Springfield Park

The submissions by the UVF relied on by the MoD that they were involved in Springfield Park were dismissed

Children were shot and injured

At the Manse there was a disturbing lack of humanity to dying Joan Connolly

Bullets were planted on the body of Daniel Taggert

There was triumphalism and abusive behaviour to the injured in the Henry Taggert

John Laverty and Joe Corr were shot in the back by the British army while trying to crawl to safety

The soldier that shot and killed Eddie Doherty changed his evidence, and gave differing accounts

Abject state failures to investigate the killing of a civilian in the case of John McKerr which meant the Coroner could not conclusively say the British army shot him

REFERENCES

http://www.theparas.co.uk/honours.html
http://www.squidoo.com/ParachuteRegiment
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23254864
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/british-government-trying-to-distance-itself-from-north-s-past-mp-1.1522420?
http://www.irishdemocrat.co.uk/news/ballymurphy-11-massacre-campaign/
http://seachranaidhe1.wordpress.com/category/the-ballymurphy-massacre/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymurphy_Massacre
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/michael-connarty/602
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23978907
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/88564
http://www.strasbourgconsortium.org/index.php?contentId=471&linkId=169&pageId=9
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/the-het-report/
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/the-het-report-part-2/
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/the-het-report-part-3/
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/the-het-report-part-4/
https://eurofree3.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/the-het-report-part-5-and-conclusions/