Terror victims won't settle for the illusion of peace
AT the present time the political parties appear more intent on attacking one another than working together to help victims.
I wish that some of these people would come with me to the homes of the people who are still suffering and tell them that it is all in the past. We are being told that anything that related to the past in connection with republicanism is now behind us. A blind eye is turned to criminality, past crimes are buried and justice is sacrificed in order to preserve stability. Nothing that could upset the apple cart will be tolerated, as the system appears more eager to tend to the 'fragile flower' of political arrangements than tackle the poisonous weeds of organised criminality.
Recent rulings have ensured that no one will be prosecuted in relation to the Castlereagh Provo spy ring, or the Northern Bank robbery.
Similarly, in south Armagh we see a blind eye turned to the criminal activity of republicans. To date, not so much as a garden shed has been seized from senior republicans who have pocketed millions. Instead we believe that a deal is being done that will see them escape scot-free.
Let me remind the people of Northern Ireland that these men are involved in multi-million pound scams which cost us each hundreds of pounds every year.
In one scam involving a bureau de change three-quarters of a billion pounds was generated for these crime lords. Let us also remind people that the victims are still forced to live under fear, watching the men who murdered their loved ones now steal from them. Many of the godfathers of the republican movement have amassed personal fortunes over the last four decades. This is blood money, the proceeds of crime and many of our loved ones gave their lives to combat it. Many lost their lives in the fight against this crime and we now see that the government is willing to allow such crime to pay.
A clear message must be sent out that crime does not pay and that justice will be done. It is often said that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Sadly, evil has been given a helping hand by the government here. But victims will not sit idly by; we intend to continue the fight for justice, as far as we are concerned, if the government does not act, we will.
We have paid too high a price for peace to settle for the illusion of peace.
I personally have seen too many people buried and visited too many homes whose loved ones were murdered because they believed justice was worth pursuing. We will not allow their memories to be soiled for some romantic idea by republicans or unionists who can benefit a few pounds for coffee mornings. Justice must be done.
William Frazer,
Director, FAIR
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Weather for Belfast
Wednesday 15 February 2012
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