THE brother of a schoolgirl shot and killed during the Troubles is calling for an independent investigation ahead of the 44th anniversary of her death.
Majella O'Hare was 12 years old when she was shot in the back by a soldier as she walked to church in south Armagh on August 14, 1976.
The Ministry of Defence apologised for the killing in 2011, saying it was "unlikely" there had been a gunman in the area as the soldier had claimed.
Her brother Michael O'Hare said he is fighting for "justice for Majella" and is being supported in his bid by Amnesty International UK.
A letter has been sent to the Legacy Investigation Branch of the PSNI asking the chief constable to ensure a "prompt and independent investigation".
The schoolgirl was with a group of friends in the village of Whitecross and had just walked past an army patrol when shots were fired from a machine gun.
Two of the bullets hit her in the back.
She was airlifted to hospital accompanied by her father and Alice Campbell, a neighbour and nurse who gave her medical attention, but had died by the time she arrived.
Mr O'Hare said that if it was not for the actions of the soldier, his sister would still be with them.
"We live with the pain that we will never know the potential of her life. The apology acknowledged the wrongdoing, but neither this nor the historical enquiries report which prompted it provided us with the full truth of what happened. It didn't give us the justice and accountability we are entitled to," he said.
"I hope this will now come and give my family and I the peace we seek."
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland campaign manager, said the killing "should be a matter of national shame for the UK".
"It is utterly appalling that the family have been left without justice for nearly 44 years. The loss had a devastating impact on her family and the grossly inadequate investigation at the time only added to the trauma," she said.
“The apology from the Ministry of Defence should have been swiftly followed by action and accountability. No one, including members of the armed forces, is above the law.”
Amnesty International said an investigation was carried out by the Royal Military Police during which the soldier claimed he fired in response to an IRA sniper attack.
He was charged with manslaughter in 1977 but the judge, sitting with no jury, acquitted him.
A report from the Historical Enquiries Team outlined the failures of the inquiry, and noted the absence of an independent investigation.
Ms Taggart also urged the UK Government to honour the Stormont House Agreement "and deliver mechanisms capable of vindicating the rights of victims".
