PAST GROUP COMES UNDER FIRE OVER TALKS ON AMNESTY
Past group comes under fire over talks on amnesty
BY CONOR SHARKEY
UNIONISTS hit out at the Consultative Group on the Past over its controversial suggestion to grant an amnesty to paramilitaries during a heated meeting in Omagh on Thursday night.
The meeting, co-chaired by Lord Robin Eames and former priest Denis Bradley, was held in Omagh College and is the last in a series held across Northern Ireland by the group, which was set up to look at how best to deal with the legacy of 'the Troubles. They will produce a report on their findings later this year.
Around 80 people attended Thursday's meeting to discuss a variety of topics, including the independence of the group and its suggestions over the possibility of an amnesty for those involved in the conflict.
Opening the meeting, Dennis Bradley said that when setting up the group, careful consideration had been given to the possibility that they could simply be re-opening old wounds.
Mr Bradley also said that while the group was very aware of just how vivid the pain of the past 40 years still is for many people, he believed the time had come where people could give some closure to the memories of the Troubles."
Addressing the panel, DUP councillor Clive McFarland said he wasn't even sure if he welcomed the group to Omagh.
Commenting on a suggestion that the Consultative Group may consider asking the British Government to admit it fought a war against the IRA, Mr McFarland added: "You can't decide on the legacy if you can't define it. It is clear to anyone that there was no war in any definition. There was a war on terrorism and a war on democracy but there was no war. Calling it a war only aids those trying to rewrite history," he said.
Mr McFarland added that he believed the group was in an impossible position and that by making the wrong decisions when putting together their report, they could undermine what actually happened during the Troubles.
Project co-ordinator of the West Tyrone Voice Dr Hazlett Lynch said the legacy of the Troubles lay with the victims and "those who have been butchered by IRA terrorists''.
He added that the constant raising of issues such as an amnesty for terrorists was tantamount to "picking at a scab", and that the greatest insult at present to the people of Northern Ireland was that the Martin McGuinness was now sitting in government.
"I am appalled that we are being controlled by the Provos That has to change. We want the truth but it must lead to justice.
"Sinn Fein are trying to tell us that there is a moral equality between terrorists and the victims. That I find repugnant," he said.
It was however the DUP's Tom Buchanan who was most scathing of Mr Bradley and his team's role.
He described as "an insult", any suggestion of a truce for paramilitaries.
"Take a reality check. The people of Northern Ireland will not accept an amnesty and the suggestion should leave you hanging your heads in shame. It is an insult. Think on what the victims have suffered. Waken up to reality and listen to the views arid the voices of the people who have suffered," said Mr Buchanan.
However, it was left to Lawrence Rushe, the husband of Omagh bomb victim Libbi Rushe, to take the politics out of Thursday's meeting and address the issue being sought by 'the Consultative Group.
In an emotional address, he told Mr Bradley that the evening was in no way about party politics.
"Let's talk about the horror of Omagh. "Are we supposed to apologise for this atrocity? No one here will give absolution to those who killed the 31 people who walked these peaceful streets. They are murderers, cowards. This was not a war. How dare they kill my wife and how dare you talk about reconciliation," he said.
Other submissions were put forward by well known figures such as former UUP councillor, Wilfred Breen and FOCUS spokesman Conor Kees.
However, following an evening of debate, discussion and high emotion it was left to the co-chair to bring proceedings to a close.
Mr Bradley asked simply, "Can we make things a bit better? We'll see. But I have a major bias and that is that I'm hopeful."
BY CONOR SHARKEY
UNIONISTS hit out at the Consultative Group on the Past over its controversial suggestion to grant an amnesty to paramilitaries during a heated meeting in Omagh on Thursday night.
The meeting, co-chaired by Lord Robin Eames and former priest Denis Bradley, was held in Omagh College and is the last in a series held across Northern Ireland by the group, which was set up to look at how best to deal with the legacy of 'the Troubles. They will produce a report on their findings later this year.
Around 80 people attended Thursday's meeting to discuss a variety of topics, including the independence of the group and its suggestions over the possibility of an amnesty for those involved in the conflict.
Opening the meeting, Dennis Bradley said that when setting up the group, careful consideration had been given to the possibility that they could simply be re-opening old wounds.
Mr Bradley also said that while the group was very aware of just how vivid the pain of the past 40 years still is for many people, he believed the time had come where people could give some closure to the memories of the Troubles."
Addressing the panel, DUP councillor Clive McFarland said he wasn't even sure if he welcomed the group to Omagh.
Commenting on a suggestion that the Consultative Group may consider asking the British Government to admit it fought a war against the IRA, Mr McFarland added: "You can't decide on the legacy if you can't define it. It is clear to anyone that there was no war in any definition. There was a war on terrorism and a war on democracy but there was no war. Calling it a war only aids those trying to rewrite history," he said.
Mr McFarland added that he believed the group was in an impossible position and that by making the wrong decisions when putting together their report, they could undermine what actually happened during the Troubles.
Project co-ordinator of the West Tyrone Voice Dr Hazlett Lynch said the legacy of the Troubles lay with the victims and "those who have been butchered by IRA terrorists''.
He added that the constant raising of issues such as an amnesty for terrorists was tantamount to "picking at a scab", and that the greatest insult at present to the people of Northern Ireland was that the Martin McGuinness was now sitting in government.
"I am appalled that we are being controlled by the Provos That has to change. We want the truth but it must lead to justice.
"Sinn Fein are trying to tell us that there is a moral equality between terrorists and the victims. That I find repugnant," he said.
It was however the DUP's Tom Buchanan who was most scathing of Mr Bradley and his team's role.
He described as "an insult", any suggestion of a truce for paramilitaries.
"Take a reality check. The people of Northern Ireland will not accept an amnesty and the suggestion should leave you hanging your heads in shame. It is an insult. Think on what the victims have suffered. Waken up to reality and listen to the views arid the voices of the people who have suffered," said Mr Buchanan.
However, it was left to Lawrence Rushe, the husband of Omagh bomb victim Libbi Rushe, to take the politics out of Thursday's meeting and address the issue being sought by 'the Consultative Group.
In an emotional address, he told Mr Bradley that the evening was in no way about party politics.
"Let's talk about the horror of Omagh. "Are we supposed to apologise for this atrocity? No one here will give absolution to those who killed the 31 people who walked these peaceful streets. They are murderers, cowards. This was not a war. How dare they kill my wife and how dare you talk about reconciliation," he said.
Other submissions were put forward by well known figures such as former UUP councillor, Wilfred Breen and FOCUS spokesman Conor Kees.
However, following an evening of debate, discussion and high emotion it was left to the co-chair to bring proceedings to a close.
Mr Bradley asked simply, "Can we make things a bit better? We'll see. But I have a major bias and that is that I'm hopeful."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/062
Published Date: 21-Jan-08
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