Sir, – Newton Emerson points out the hypocrisy and feigned outrage which marks the recent debate on issuing an amnesty to those who perpetrated acts of violence and murder in Northern Ireland between 1969 and the signing of the Belfast Agreement ("Painful debate lies ahead as North grapples with Troubles amnesty", Opinion & Analysis, July 15th).
Such amnesties, on all sides, exist in practice but we appear to be unable to admit that this is so. If truth is to be the basis of reconciliation, maybe it is time that we started telling it to ourselves. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Newport,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – What amounts to an amnesty for the actions of British forces in Northern Ireland is no surprise. They are simply setting a clever precedent with a view to their actions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. Their armaments industry alone is a fount of worldwide criminality. – Yours, etc,
EUGENE TANNAM,
Dublin 24.