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Writing Peace: The National Archives of the UK (TNA)

Minute from Quentin Thomas to John Chilcot Enclosing a Note on Amnesties in the Context of British Colonies and Northern Ireland

Thursday, 13 December 1990

i22806

This memo, from Quentin Thomas to John Chilcot, encloses a letter and a note on amnesties granted by the British Government in the context of negotiations for independence from British rule prepared by E C Hallett, Mr Cooke and Mr Rickard. Thomas also proposes a paper on how amnesty processes might be introduced in the Northern Ireland context.

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FROM: Q J THOMAS, AUS (L)
13 December 1990
AUS/MR/8447

PUS

cc Mr Pilling
Mr Alston

POLITICAL MOVEMENT AND THE PROVISIONALS

As I expect you recall the Secretary of State held a meeting on 11 September to discuss this subject. He agreed that a note should be prepared on what happened in Cyprus/East Africa when British Government allowed amnesties to erstwhile terrorists (paragraph 4(k) of the Private Secretary's note of 14 September).

2. In his minute of 17 October Sir John Blelloch agreed with the proposal in my minute of 19 September that SIL, in consultation with the FCO should carry this forward. In fact following a discussion with Mr Cooke, Mr Rickard and Mr Hallett, Mr Hallett, who until recently was of course in SIL but has now returned to the FCO Research and Analysis Department, prepared the attached note on colonial experience.

3. Further work could of course be carried out on this, whether through SIL or by Mr Marsh, working under Mr Alston's guidance, as part of the package of activity he has in hand on this subject.

4. An obvious next step, for example, might be to work up a paper on how we might operate an amnesty, and whether we should do so, in the Northern Ireland context specifically (perhaps with a glance also at its implications for prisoners in Great Britain.) At some point such work would presumably need to involve either Mr Wilson and/or Criminal Justice Branch and/or Prison Department.

5. Obviously I and SIL would be ready to assist in carrying any of this work further forward, but, unless and until further instructed, can I take it that this remit has been discharged?

[QST]

Q J THOMA
13 December 1990
Ext OAB 6469