BRITISH Prime Minister Keir Starmer has apologised to the families of five unarmed people shot and killed by the British Army in the Springhill Massacre more than 50 years ago.
Catholic priest Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 42, Patrick Butler, 37, John Dougal, 16, David McCafferty, 15, and Margaret Gargan, 13, died during the shooting in west Belfast on July 9, 1972.
The findings of an inquest published recently said that the two soldiers responsible had 'overreacted to a perceived threat and subsequently lost control'.
Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O'Neill welcomed the apology but said Starmer and the British Government must swiftly prioritise victims in its handling of legacy cases.
'Grief and trauma'
Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions today, Mr Starmer said he 'deeply regrets' the findings of the inquest.
"Mr Speaker, the findings of the recent Springhill Inquest into the tragic deaths in July 1972 of Fr Noel Fitzpatrick, Patrick Butler, Margaret Gargan, David McCafferty and John Dougal are sobering," he said.
"While the circumstances in which the events occurred were undoubtedly challenging, it is the duty of the state to hold itself to the highest standard.
"The government accepts and deeply regrets these findings and recognises their gravity.
"On behalf of the government, I want to apologise unreservedly to the families for what happened and for the grief and trauma that they have endured since the tragic deaths of their loved ones."
In April, an inquest explicitly stated that all of those killed were unarmed, with four of them 'posing no risk'.
Fr Fitzpatrick and father-of-six Mr Butler were shot with the same bullet while going to the assistance of others, with witnesses saying one or both were waving white handkerchiefs.
The coroner found that David McCafferty was shot while trying to recover Fr Fitzpatrick's body, while Margaret Gargan was shot in the face while talking to friends with what was likely an aimed shot.
While the coroner said the issue of Mr Dougal was more complex, the inquest said he too was unarmed as he was shot in the back while retreating from the area.
The coroner said the soldier's decision to open fire on the 16-year-old was 'not reasonable'.
"I can say, however, that John Dougal, like the other deceased in this inquest, should not have been shot dead by the army in the circumstances," added the coroner.
'Acknowledgement matters'
Ms O'Neill described the British Prime Minister's apology as an 'important acknowledgement of the suffering endured by these families over many decades'.
"Nothing can undo the pain and loss experienced by those who lost loved ones that day. But acknowledgment matters," she added.
"The Springhill families deserve the truth, and they deserve to have that truth publicly recognised.
"The Springhill families now join the families of Bloody Sunday and Ballymurphy, whose determined campaigns secured official findings and public acknowledgement of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their loved ones.
"These moments matter not only because they recognise individual loss, but because they affirm and expose the actions of the British army against the Springhill community."
Despite the apology, the First Minister said other families were waiting for answers and criticised the British Government's approach to legacy issues.
While the current government is in the process of overhauling its predecessor's controversial Legacy Act, Sinn Féin fears the legislation will prioritise the protection of British soldiers.
"The British Government must now end its cruel and cynical approach to legacy," said Ms O'Neill.
"Families seeking to establish the truth about what happened to their loved ones should not be dragged through protracted and painful legal processes, and particularly so when the evidence is clear.
"The cynical handling of legacy issues from the British Prime Minister, including his prioritisation of the interests of British state forces over victims and families, has undermined confidence in current legacy mechanisms and deepened hurt.
"If he is serious about dealing with legacy, this approach must end."
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See More: Keir Starmer, Springhill Massacre, The Troubles
