Family of Stephen McConomy supports call on SoS to release Whitters files

Statement on behalf of the McConomy family.

This is an open letter to Karen Bradley (SOS) supporting the call for these files to be open to the families.

  1. File named: CJ4/4402 Paul Whitters: killed by a plastic baton round, April 1981 (1981-83); closed for 75 years. Health & Safety, Personal Information when the applicant is a 3rd Party. Opening Date: 1st January 2059.
  2. File named: CJ4/6316 Plastic baton rounds: claims for compensation for injuries (1984-86); closed for 84 years. Opening date: 1st January 2071.
Stephen Mc Conomy

Our 11 year old brother Stephen Mc McConomy was shot by a plastic bullet fired by Robert Nigel Engelfield from the Royal Anglian Regiment in Derry 16th April 1982. Stephen died 3 days later from his injuries he received when he was shot at point blank range in the back of his head.

Karen I met with you last month 08.03.19 after your hurtful comments in the House of Commons regarding the behaviour of the soldiers in the North and I showed you our last photos we have of our brother, I’m sure you remember what this soldier did to our brother.  

Karen, it is within your remit to release these files to the families so that we can fully understand what happened to our loved ones all those years ago. Our ongoing 37 year search for the truth is being hampered by your government’s decision to close these files until 2059 and 2071. We are at a loss to understand why this is the case. This adds to the pain of our family and all families who are seeking the truth of what happen to our loved ones. I am calling on you today to release these files. The apology you gave to me at our meeting was not sincere, but this act would go some way to addressing the real pain that we are experiencing.   

 

Emmett and Mark McConomy.