A MEETING of former UDR soliders and families of UDR soliders who were killed during The Troubles have been told "the UK government and those others who recklessly or naively propose the current proposal [on a de facto amnesty for Troubles-related killings] need to catch a grip – and fast".

These comments were made by South East Fermanagh Foundation's (SEFF) Director of Services, Kenny Donaldson.

Mr. Donaldson made the comments during his speech to relatives of UDR soldiers killed as well as UDR veterans and others gathered in the Corick House Hotel, Clogher last Thursday afternoon, October 28.

The group had come together as part of 'Standing by and for Justice – The UDR Family', which was hosted by SEFF, to express their opposition to the highly-controversial plans recently announced by the British government.

Speaking at the meeting of approximately 200 people, Mr. Donaldson said: "We are here because the UK state has failed in its duty of care to its own citizens, to the men and women who wore a uniform, who went out to uphold the state and to serve the community, those who fought a terrorist insurrection, and who prevented this country from descending into a circumstance of all-out civil war.

"We have felt convicted to provide a platform for the UDR family to come together in solidarity to stand against the imposition of an amnesty for Troubles-related crimes.

"197 men and women were murdered or killed over the period of The Troubles, with 67 others murdered or killed who were either retired or had resigned from the regiment."

Mr. Donaldson demanded the British government solve the ongoing issues over the legacy proposals, and called for legislators to "grow a backbone".

Continuing, he said: “We implore the UK government to belatedly grow a backbone, any resolution of legacy [issues] must include a justice pathway retained and actionable on the basis of new and compelling evidence coming to light in a case."

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Mr. Donaldson called for legislation against the glorification of terrorism to be made law, with powers given to the police and the courts system to apply such a law.

In addition, during his speech he called for "an acknowledgements process which confirms the illegitimacy ... of the use of criminal violence in the furtherance of or defence of a political objective, and the removal of the current definition of 'victim' and an end to the equating of a terrorist or perpetrator and the innocent victims they have created".

Mr. Donaldson was one of the speakers alongside Jennifer Jordan (Co. Armagh), William Harron (Co. Tyrone) and Charles Eames, Enniskillen.

Mr. Eames is a nephew of UDR soldier James Eames, 32, who died with a colleague in a car bomb close to Enniskillen in August, 1972. He described the proposed amnesty as “immoral and wrong”.

A case is currently in the justice system in relation to his uncle’s death.

He said for his family, if that hope of justice is “snatched away”, it would be “unacceptable, to say the least”.

He added if the amnesty proposals go through, then “[Prime Minister] Boris Johnson and everyone else should hang their heads in shame”.

“There is no worse crime than taking someone’s life – to allow those people to escape justice is inexcusable, and is unforgivable,” he continued.

Mr. Eames, a former police officer, said he served alongside UDR soldiers, and described how they “put their lives on the line on a daily basis”.

“As a retired police officer, I have a strong sense of justice. I want to see people held to account for their actions, and if that applies to me in the future, it won’t – because I know I have done nothing wrong – but if that applied to me, I would expect to be dealt with accordingly,” he said.

Others who attended the meeting included DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, UUP leader Doug Beattie, and TUV leader Jim Allister.

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