TUESDAY'S NEWS

Archbishop Eames on Short resignation
(report courtesy of Rev Gregg Ryan of the Church Times)

Church of Ireland Primate Dr. Eames on Tuesday expressed his deep regret at the resignation of Claire Short.

“I am very saddened by the resignation of Claire Short. No-one has done more for the poor, she was the voice of the voiceless,” he said, stressing that he was speaking in a purely humanitarian context.

Archbishop Eames on the "Stakeknife" revelations
(report courtesy of Rev Gregg Ryan of the Church Times)

Dr. Eames said on Tuesday that he was very disturbed by the Stevens Report and also the revelations at the weekend about the double-agent “Stakeknife”. Referring to the death of a young man in his diocese who had been murdered on a building site because he was mistaken for a Catholic, the Primate said he inferred from media reports that the death could have been prevented.

“In the murky atmosphere of war or any period of violence there are going to be episodes and people who don’t fit into clear cut definitions of right or wrong. The Northern Ireland conflict is no different, but what gets me morally, and very, very strongly, is if a death could have been prevented and those with the ability to do it, didn’t do so.”

“As a human being, I resent that deeply, that a life could have been saved and now its turning out that it wasn’t.”

He said he could only express the hope to the families affected by such tragedies that they would get some strength from God to live out the future and come to terms with what had happened them.

Dr. Eames said he did not think the time was yet right for a truth and reconciliation commission in Northern Ireland because the circumstances were very different to those in South Africa. However, he said he awaited the decision from the DPP on the Stevens’ enquiry findings.

“I have to wait and see what happens to that. But don’t let us wait too long, and please let us have decisions which are not politically influenced,” he added.

(report courtesy of Rev Gregg Ryan of the Church Times)

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