Victims warn against 'confrontational' Troubles truth commission

A truth commission to examine the bloody legacy of the Troubles in the North must not follow South Africa’s ’confrontational’ model, victims’ groups said today.

A coalition of organisations representing more than 1,000 victims said any independent truth recovery process must be tailored to the specific needs of families affected by the 35-year conflict.

Groups from across Ireland travelled to Stormont to outline their proposals for a commission.

An official panel chaired by former Church of Ireland primate Robin Eames and ex-Policing Board vice-chair Denis Bradley is currently looking at ways of dealing with the past.

The coalition, which represents mainly nationalist victims of the conflict, urged the Eames-Bradley Consultative Group on the Past to adopt a commission to help families who are still searching for answers about the deaths of their loved ones.

However it warned against employing the model used in South Africa, where public hearings were staged to investigate past crimes.

“We are not calling for a South African-style confrontational truth and reconciliation commission with public hearings with alleged perpetrators getting up in rooms in front of hundreds of victims saying I did x, y and z,” said Paul O’Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre, one of the groups on the coalition.

“We are not calling for that, we are calling for a process that is tailor-made to our circumstances, we are talking about largely private hearings, we are talking about an organisation that can mediate that process of truth recovery from those who have it to those who need it and deserve it: the families who have lost loved ones right across the board.

“Please make no linkage between the South African truth commission and what we are saying here.”

The Eames Bradley panel is understood to be examining the possibility of granting an amnesty for those prepared to admit their involvement in Troubles killings through any truth process.

Mr O’Connor said he was opposed to the idea of a full amnesty.

However, he said those willing to contribute should be given immunity in regard to any evidence they gave to the commission.

Other groups included in the coalition at Stormont today were Relatives for Justice, Justice for the Forgotten, the Ardoyne Commemoration Project, An Fhirinne and Firinne Fermanagh.

“The focus of such a commission should be on truth and acknowledgement rather than prosecutions,” said Margaret Urwin from Dublin-Based Justice for the Forgotten.

“The criminal justice system has frustrated rather than facilitated access to the truth. All combatant groups, British, republican and loyalist should co-operate in good faith and have a moral duty to do so.”

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams commended the work undertaken by the groups and said his party would now closely study their recommendations.

“I do think this is a valuable contribution,” he said.

“We accept that dealing with legacy issues is an onerous task.

“However, it is critically important that the past is dealt with and a mechanism found which treats all victims equally and allows families of victims an avenue to acknowledgement, apology and truth. We are keen to assist such a process.

“We believe the formation of this mechanism is the duty and responsibility of all political parties and wider civic society. Political posturing and political self-interest cannot be allowed to be an obstacle to moving this situation forward. All of us have a responsibility to create the circumstances through which the needs of all victims are met.”

The Consultative Group on the Past sparked controversy last week when it emerged it was also considering the suggestion that the British Government could admit to fighting a war against the IRA.