asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the action he has taken as a result of the death of Lt. Aongus Murphy while serving with UNIFIL and the subsequent release of those apprehended shortly thereafter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Death of Irish Soldier.
18.
Following the death of Lieutenant Murphy, I took immediate steps to ensure that our concerns at this tragic incident and our expectation that those responsible be brought to justice were conveyed to the United Nations authorities. In the course of these contacts we emphasised the great importance Ireland attaches to UNIFIL having the full co-operation and support of all the relevant parties in the discharge of its mandate. It was made clear that we look to the Secretary General who, under the Security Council has general responsibility for the administration of the force, to take all steps necessary to provide for the highest possible level of security for the force.
Moreover, our concerns about the killing of Lieutenant Murphy and about the general situation of the force were raised at the meeting which the Minister for Defence and myself had with UN Under Secretary General Marrack Goulding who visited Dublin at the initiative of the Secretary General on 30 August 1986. They were also discussed at the meeting which I had with the Secretary General during my recent visit to the UN General Assembly.
In addition, on my instructions, our serious preoccupations in this matter were conveyed to the Lebanese Government, as well as the other governments involved in the region. In these contacts we once again highlighted our concerns about the killing of Lt. Murphy and emphasised the need for UNIFIL to have the full support and co-operation of all concerned in carrying out its mission.
As regards the two suspects apprehended by UNIFIL troops following the murder of Lieutenant Murphy, the position is that both were handed over to the Lebanese gendarmerie because UNIFIL, under its mandate, does not have powers to detain or prosecute suspected offenders. The gendarmerie subsequently transferred the suspects into the custody of local representatives of the Amal movement. As the Deputy will appreciate a major part of the problem in southern Lebanon is the absence of an effective central State authority. In these circumstances de facto control, including with regard to law and order, rests with local elements, among which, in the UNIFIL area, Amal is predominant.
In addition to our contacts with the United Nations and with the Lebanese and other governments concerned, we have taken steps to ensure that the Amal leadership is fully aware of all our concerns at the circumstances surrounding the death of Lieutenant Murphy and of our expectation that those who carried out the killing will be brought to justice.