'Families not getting justice with HET cuts'
THE families of people who lost their lives in the Troubles are being treated like second-class citizens thanks to a decision to cut jobs within the Historical Enquiries Team
That was the claim by DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson last night as it emerged that 75 of the body's 190 staff are to be made redundant.
The HET was set up to re-examine unsolved murders from the Troubles, and are axing jobs due to budget restrictions.
The News Letter understands that the current 8.3 million funding allocation for this financial year is to be reduced to 5.9 million next year.
The Commission for Victims and Survivors said the victims would be shocked to hear the latest news.
"We hear weekly from people who have become deeply frustrated at the length of time HET takes to complete its investigations. This news will only make it worse," commissioner Mike Nesbitt said.
But HET director Dave Cox reassured families that, despite the requirement to scale back operations, the work of the team would continue.
"There is a commitment from all parties that the HET will continue to deliver this crucial work for families. In the current economic environment difficult decisions have to be made and the HET, as with other agencies, is facing financial pressures for the coming year," he said.
"In view of that we have a responsibility to keep our team advised of the situation."
He said the HET, set up three years ago, has worked with hundreds of families to date and will continue to deliver a service to them which is both professional and cost-effective.
However, Mr Donaldson said it was apparent there was a "hierarchy of victims in Northern Ireland", and claimed that thanks to these cost-cutting measures, people who had lost relatives in the conflict were not getting the justice they were entitled to.
He said that the fact that millions of pounds was being spent on investigations like the Saville Inquiry was "clear evidence" of that.
"The families of those who were murdered are entitled to ask the question why they are being treated as second- class citizens," he said.
"These families are entitled to equality and justice and at the moment they are getting neither as the government has placed a price on this."
He added that the reduction of staff within the HET would "inevitably mean fewer cases are investigated, and fewer families finding out what happened to their loved ones".
Markethill-based victims' rights campaigner Willie Frazer has said he intends to lobby the First Minister over the matter.
"Justice is the most important issue here and they are telling us that they can't find the money to investigate the backlog of murders, yet they can spend money on independent inquiries," said Mr Frazer who heads up FAIR.
"In south Armagh there have been hundreds of murders not solved and we are told we must move on.
"It is not good enough."
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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