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| Idenpendent Commission for the Location of Victim's Remains |
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Archbishop Brady has given his support to an appeal by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains regarding information to assist with their work in locating the remains of the 'disappeared'. If you have any information that can help the Commission contact the disappeared Confidential telephone number on 00800 - 55585500 or write to ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2. The Independent Commission's Appeal for Information. In 1999 the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was set up to receive information in relation to the location of the remains of those colloquially known as "the disappeared" so that they might be returned to their families for Christian burial. These are people who had been killed by paramilitary organisations and buried in secret. There were fourteen in all. To date only five of these remains have been recovered. The first was Eugene Simons who disappeared in 1981. His body was recovered by accident near Dundalk in 1984. On the morning the commission was set up in May 1999, the remains of Eamon Molloy were left in a coffin in Faughart graveyard. A few weeks later, after extensive searching by An Garda Síochána on foot of information given to the commission, the remains of Brian McKinney and John McClory were found in Co Monaghan. In spite of extensive searching during 1999 and 2000 no further remains were discovered until the remains of Mrs Jean McConville were found, by walkers, on Shelling Hill beach on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth. The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains is now appealing for anyone with any information in relation to these cases to contact it. Any information given to the commission will be treated as strictly confidential and may only be used to locate and identify the remains. The commission has set up an international confidential telephone number and Post Office box, details of which will appear soon in newspaper advertisements. The commission emphasises that its work is strictly non-political. Their sole purpose is to return the victims' remains to their families so that they can give them the Christian burial they have so far been denied. To do this the commission has established good working relationships with interlocutors from the INLA and the provisional IRA. Both organisations have given their support this campaign to locate the remains and have provided much information to date on most of the cases. In spite of this, the commission has had only limited success. Experience shows that, in spite of having extensive information, some crucial missing information can lead to large errors in the focus of the searches. This is why it is important to get as much information as possible from as many sources as possible. While the commission is particularly anxious to get information in relation to those cases where it has received no information up to this, it would also like to hear about those cases where it has already received information. This current effort provides a real opportunity to end the harrowing ordeal for the families concerned. With this in mind the commission appeal is to anyone who has any information on any of the cases to contact them now using the confidential telephone line or Post Office box. Archbishop Brady's Letter to Priests in support of the Commission's work 18 December 2006 Re: Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains. Appeal for Information. Dear Father, I have been contacted by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains regarding an appeal for information to assist with their work in locating the remains of the 'disappeared'. Year after year, on Palm Sunday, the families of the 'disappeared' meet in Armagh for a special Mass to pray for the return of the remains of their loved ones. The account of the passion and death of Christ on Palm Sunday tells of Joseph of Arimathea coming to Pilate and asking for the body of Jesus and Pilate granted the request. We are also told that Joseph of Arimathea bought a shroud, took the body of Jesus from the Cross, wrapped the body in the shroud and laid it in the tomb. Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Jesus were watching and noted where he was laid. The families of the disappeared ask for nothing more than this, the return of the bodies of their loved ones so that they can know they have been buried with dignity. I am happy to support the Commission's request that Parishes would include details of the enclosed notice in bulletins, display it on church notice boards and draw attention to it in announcements at Masses. The Commission asks that this would take place on the weekend of 6/7 January to coincide with a publicity campaign they intend to launch then. With good wishes, Yours sincerely, Archbishop of Armagh The disappeared include: Seamus Wright (Belfast) - Disappeared, October 1972 Kevin McKee (Belfast) - Disappeared, October 1972 Colomba McVeigh (Donaghmore) - Disappeared, October 1975 Robert Nairac (England) - Disappeared, May 1977 Robert Megraw (Belfast) - Disappeared, April 1978 Gerard Evans (Belfast) - Disappeared, March 1979 Danny McIllhone (Belfast) - Disappeared, July 1981 Charlie Armstrong (Crossmaglen) - Disappeared, August 1981 Seamus Ruddy(Newry) - Disappeared, May 1985. |
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