Friday, October 24, 2014

Gov't blocks Inquiry into Kincora child abuse


Daily-cartoon-20141023
Cartoon: The Independent.


Amnesty International has strongly criticised the UK government’s decision to exclude Kincora Boys’ Home from its inquiry into child abuse in the UK.

In July, Amnesty led the calls for the Belfast children’s home to be included in the Inquiry announced by the Home Secretary to investigate allegations of historic child sex abuse. Allegations have persisted that a paedophile ring at Kincora was linked to British intelligence services, with claims that that police investigations into abuse at Kincora were blocked by MI5.

On Tuesday 22 October, the UK government announced its exclusion from the terms of reference of the UK inquiry and asked a Northern Ireland inquiry to investigate the allegations instead.

Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland Programme Director, said: “Today’s announcement from the government to exclude Kincora from the inquiry is disappointing but, frankly, unsurprising.

“Victims will feel betrayed by this decision, while the public will believe that the conspiracy of silence, which has surrounded Kincora for forty years, continues.



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