Dismay and disappointment at assembly decision not to illuminate Parliament Buildings for Victims of Terrorism Day

There is something terribly disturbing and upsetting about the decision of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission not to mark the European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism by illuminating Parliament Buildings.

Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) is at a loss to understand the rationale for the move.

It merely serves to reinforces the sense of isolation and the belief that the plight of innocent victims is being relegated if not forgotten.

This decision is disgraceful. We are told that the request to light up Parliament Buildings was taken because it was contrary to Assembly Commission rules.

This is about remembering innocent victims of terrorism and acknowledging what they experienced and, for survivors of terrorist actions, what they continue to suffer. #The people who suffered at the hands of gunmen and bombers are from both sides of the community and the failure to make this small gesture to them reflects badly on those who made the decision.

If the rules are that inflexible, then they must be changed in order to do what is right. And to those who think the decision is the correct one, I would say to them that they need to think again.

MLAs Doug Beattie of the UUP, Keith Buchanan of the DUP and Jim Allister of the TUV quite rightly criticised the decision. Their dismay and disappointment were evident.

The ruling is all the more incomprehensible given that last year, there wasn’t an issue in illuminating the building red to mark the day.

The Assembly Commission must explain itself. Why was this stance taken? Who backed it and why? And how does this action reflect the universal position of political parties that there should be a victim-centred approach, or is that just lip service?

This action will cause great hurt. It demonstrates gross insensitivity and lack of respect. For the thousands of decent people who bear the scars of over thirty years of violence, this is a highly offensive act.

How we deal with the vulnerable and disadvantaged tells you a lot about society and in this instance, the Assembly Commission has failed the test in spectacular fashion.

The remembrance event will go ahead this evening to a full house at Stormont.

It will not be lost on the attendance that those in charge have managed to turn Parliament Buildings into a ‘cold house’ for the relatives and victims of terrorism and for that, they should be ashamed of themselves.

Axel Schmidt, Advocacy Manager, Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW)