Anger at Sinn Fein veto blocking ‘victims’ day’ gesture

The SEFF spokesman said the Assembly Commission has refused the victims’ group’s request for Parliament Buildings to be lit up in red to mark European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism on Thursday (March 11).

“This is a disgraceful decision and once again illustrates that terrorism remains able to thwart victims’ lives,” he said.

“How on earth can victims/survivors ever have confidence or respect in the governance of this place? A building can’t even be lit for them.

“This decision will cause immense hurt and anger across the victims and survivors community”.

Mr Donaldson added: “Due to the Covid pandemic, victims and survivors have been denied the opportunity to come together this year to officially mark the day in our seat of governance – Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

“The refusal by elected representatives to reach consensus in affording the simplest of gestures, a symbolic acknowledgement and show of respect to those most hurt within this society is beyond words. We have reached a new low”.

DUP MLA Mervyn Storey described the Sinn Fein position as “disgraceful and narrow-minded,” and added: “Sinn Fein don’t seem content that the PIRA wrecked homes and families by maiming and murdering, they now want to hurt those same victims by acting as though they don’t exist.”

The North Antrim MLA went on to say: “Victims come from all faiths and none and deserve to be respected. For Sinn Fein to veto this act of respect and acknowledgement of suffering in inhumane, ill-mannered and downright ignorant.

“This is inexplicable and Mary Lou. Michelle or whoever is in charge of Sinn Fein these days should get their act together and reverse this decision by Monday morning.”

The Sinn Fein objection has also been slammed by TUV leader Jim Allister as “a calculated insult not just to victims of the IRA but victims of loyalist terrorists”.

He said: “One of the speakers at Thursday’s online event, Edward O’Neill, lost his father and was himself seriously injured in a UVF bomb in Dublin”.

Mr Allister added: “Having failed to deliver on a pension for victims Stormont has now failed to deliver so much as a simple lighting of the building for one day.

“The simple act of acknowledging, at no cost to the public, the hurt and sacrifice of countless victims in Northern Ireland and further afield, was too much to ask.”

However, Sinn Fein MLA Sinead Ennis said: “Sinn Féin has proposed an inclusive lighting policy reflective of the wide diversity of our society, which would be open to health and charity campaigns which have sadly fallen outside the current criteria.”

Ms Ennis added: “The assembly building is currently lit up on four occasions a year. Other requests are processed in line with an Assembly Commission criteria agreed 20 years ago. That criteria is outdated and outmoded.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor