BORIS JOHNSON has apologised on behalf of the British Government for the British Army operation known as the Ballymurphy massacre in which 10 innocent people were killed.
The Ballymurphy Inquests began in November 2018, and examined the deaths which occurred in and around the Ballymurphy area of west Belfast over three days in August 1971, and in which the British Army shot at least 9 completely innocent people dead-- a fact now confirmed after the inquest came to an end earlier this week
Victims included a Catholic priest, who was trying to help the wounded, and a mother of eight.
Mrs Justice Keegan, ruling, could not definitively say who had shot the tenth victim who died at the Ballymurphy Massacre, Mr John McKerr, but determined that he had been completely innocent.
The families of the victims have been campaigning for justice for their loved ones for decades, and there were scenes of relief outside the courthouse on Tuesday as the fight for justice was won.
Now British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologised 'unreservedly' for the atrocity which killed 10 people in the west Belfast neighbourhood.
GettySpeaking in a phone call to Northern Ireland's first minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster, and Deputy first minister and Sinn Féin leader Michelle O'Neill yesterday.
In a statement, Downing Street says Mr Johnson told the Northern Ireland leaders that "the conclusions of the Ballymurphy Inquest ... were deeply sad and that the events of August 1971 were tragic".
The statement claims the PM apologised "unreservedly" on behalf of the UK Government "for the events that took place in Ballymurphy and the huge anguish that the lengthy pursuit of truth has caused the families of those killed".
Mr Johnson, after apologising for the British Army killings of innocent people following the result of an investigation which took 50 years, also promised to "end the cycle of reinvestigations" and deliver a Northern Ireland that focuses on reconciliation and victims.
"He stressed the importance of working hard to keep the gains made through the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and of all parties doing their utmost to help the victims’ families find out what happened to their loved ones, so that future generations are not burdened by the past."
The British Prime Minister also congratulated the leaders on the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccines, the statement added.
