VICTIMS OF TERROR WILL BE HEARD
Victims of terror will be heard, vows Minister
Political Correspondent Noel McAdam reports on the Government's struggle to develop a comprehensive victims' policy five years after Omagh
A CO-ORDINATED attempt to tackle the needs of victims of the Troubles is set to get under way next month.
Direct Rule Minister Angela Smith is to start a series of visits to victims' groups across Northern Ireland.
But there are also many victims who are not aligned to the various groups and the Government wants to hear from them also.
The victims' liaison unit of the NIO wants to contact individuals and families whose stories may yet have to be fully heard and needs met.
It is working with a separate unit attached to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister in attempting to develop "the next generation" of victims' policies - although there is no agreement that amounts to a tacit admission of relative failure so far.
It is seven years since Mo Mowlam set up the commission, headed by Sir Ken Bloomfield, which produced the We Will Remember Them report.
Most of its recommendations have to some extent been acted on, although the Government does accept much more needs to be done.
Ms Smith also accepts there are difficult areas of deep concern to victims.
"I need to find out more about them and how victims would like to see them addressed," she said in the Victims/Survivors Newsletter.
The Joint Declaration by the two Governments in May firmly put victims back on the public agenda, a tacit admission that the issue had fallen on the back-burner.
It pledged the two Governments to explore "further practical steps" to recognise and address victims' suffering.
"I don't underestimate the challenges we face," Ms Smith said. "It will be part of my job to ensure that victims' voices are heard."
Political Correspondent Noel McAdam reports on the Government's struggle to develop a comprehensive victims' policy five years after Omagh
A CO-ORDINATED attempt to tackle the needs of victims of the Troubles is set to get under way next month.
Direct Rule Minister Angela Smith is to start a series of visits to victims' groups across Northern Ireland.
But there are also many victims who are not aligned to the various groups and the Government wants to hear from them also.
The victims' liaison unit of the NIO wants to contact individuals and families whose stories may yet have to be fully heard and needs met.
It is working with a separate unit attached to the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister in attempting to develop "the next generation" of victims' policies - although there is no agreement that amounts to a tacit admission of relative failure so far.
It is seven years since Mo Mowlam set up the commission, headed by Sir Ken Bloomfield, which produced the We Will Remember Them report.
Most of its recommendations have to some extent been acted on, although the Government does accept much more needs to be done.
Ms Smith also accepts there are difficult areas of deep concern to victims.
"I need to find out more about them and how victims would like to see them addressed," she said in the Victims/Survivors Newsletter.
The Joint Declaration by the two Governments in May firmly put victims back on the public agenda, a tacit admission that the issue had fallen on the back-burner.
It pledged the two Governments to explore "further practical steps" to recognise and address victims' suffering.
"I don't underestimate the challenges we face," Ms Smith said. "It will be part of my job to ensure that victims' voices are heard."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0908
Published Date: 15-Aug-03
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