The Belfast Project, Arrests, and Archival Worse Case Scenarios

You didn’t think that we had seen the last of the drama—legal and otherwise—from the Belfast Project, did you? If you’ve perused any major news source this past week, you probably heard that Gerry Adams was arrested—and has been since released— because of information from the oral history project. There have been a lot of developments stemming from the Belfast Project in Northern Ireland these past few months as well as one very recent development this side of the Atlantic. (I’m using footnotes in this blog post instead of hyperlinks because the sources for this are all online and, should dead links occur, I’d like for there to be a way to find the information.)

Background

If you want a refresher on the background of the Belfast Project—an oral history collection of interviews with paramilitaries from both sides of a period of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles—this post is not the place for you. I suggest you check out my article from the American Archivist

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or my previous blog posts for the Issues & Advocacy blog

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or the SNAP blog.

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Gerry Adams was arrested but not charged

While the Sinn Fein politician was questioned extensively regarding Jean McConville’s murder, he was released without being charged. That’s not to say that he won’t be charged. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have handed the file off to the Public Prosecution Services (PPS) to determine whether or not to press charges.

Ivor Bell was charged

Adams wasn’t the first person brought in for questioning about the Project. Ivor Bell, a seventy-seven year old man who was a senior leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting McConville’s murder as well as with membership of the IRA.

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Part of the case against Bell alleges he was interviewee “Z” in the Project.

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Others have been brought in for questioning, but haven’t been charged.

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A lot of people aren’t pleased for a variety of reasons

This displeasure goes far beyond the loyalist protesters who appeared outside the police station when Adams was set to be released.

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There has been some considerable bashing of the Belfast Project and its participants from the Sinn Fein corner. With a statement on its website stating, “the so-called Boston Oral History project is an entirely bogus, shoddy and self-serving effort by those involved,”

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as well as party member and former mayor of Derry Kevin Campbell referring to it as a “touting

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programme” on Twitter.

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Sinn Fein party members also seem to be criticizing the PSNI for Adams’ arrest, with many, including Northern Ireland’s First Minister Peter Robinson, viewing the comments as a threat to withdraw support from the policing force if further action is taken against Adams.

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There is concern that such threats may make the public question the PSNI and PPS’s ability to do their jobs.

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Meanwhile, others in Northern Ireland have been asking why there haven’t been more arrests.

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The McConville Family is still looking for answers and justice

Two of McConville’s ten children have been very vocal. Michael McConville has publicly stated his fear of reprisal if he should name those involved with his mother’s murder;

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however, his sister, Helen McKendry is not of the same mindset, saying, “What can they do to me that they haven’t done, only come and shoot me and how would the world view that?”

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Michael is calling for an independent investigation into his mother’s murder,

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while Helen announced she was approached by a law firm interested in pursuing a civil case against Sinn Fein.

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Boston College is giving those interviews back

Boston College announced this week that it will return the interviews to participants who wanted them back.

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This announcement comes on the heels of a letter from the Boston College History Department to the editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education making it clear that the History Department had no ties to the Belfast Project.

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I think it’s pretty safe to say that if this situation isn’t considered a worst case scenario, it’s pretty close. Alleged participants and third parties discussed in interviews are being questioned; an already tense political situation is getting tenser; and the oral history collection that would have been amazing for future researchers is being dismantled. Sure, we can armchair archivist and point fingers at what should have been done and how certain things could be avoided, but that doesn’t do anyone any good. As a profession, we need to talk about the Belfast Project and what can be done to prevent this kind of fallout for any future collection that is politically “hot.” It may not be a comfortable conversation and reaching consensus will probably be a challenge, but it needs to happen.

Christine Anne George is the Archivist & Faculty Services Librarian at the Charles B. Sears Law Library at SUNY Buffalo.