Churches promote false narrative in legacy debate

In recent days three of the main denominational Churches have come out in opposition to the Legacy and Reconciliation Bill as currently configured.

Belatedly they are being vocal in their concern for how the process of reconciliation has been short-changed within this society, but they need and must go further.

Reconciliation is not achievable without first there being accountability of the past (which is in itself a core tenet of justice) and there also must be acknowledgement from perpetrators that their actions were wrong and wholly unjustified - there was always an alternative to murdering your neighbour.

Only when this solid foundation is in place is there a real prospect for the process of forgiveness to be considered by a victim and the potential for reconciliation to be embedded.

The Churches have been complicit with the political system in misrepresenting the building blocks needed to achieve reconciliation within our society, both from an individual perspective but also for the broader community.

What is more concerning are the remarks from the Churches concerning the Stormont House legacy proposals, the joint statement from the heads of the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Churches was particularly concerning in this regard; there was a false narrative projected that the majority of victim/survivor groups were supportive of the structures proposed through SHA.

Let them again hear it, loud and clear - the IVU constituency (which incorporates 24-member groups and a combined membership of over 12,500 directly impacted moral innocent victims) do not support that blueprint and nor do a plethora of other organisations.

Some within the Churches, a previous Victims Commissioner and others have tried to dismiss this opposition; but it existed then and it exists now.

There can be no retreat to an HIU style of investigation which holds the state’s feet to the fire but which doesn’t penetrate terrorism and its command structures, nor require substantive movement from the Irish state - none of this is tolerable.

There is a false unity against the current Bill but casting it aside and replacing it with the SHA blueprint is not and will not be acceptable.

IVU has put forward its proposals and it is for the UK Government to try to find a way through these issues which could result in our constituency (the largest constituency of victims/survivors) able to buy into a new response on legacy.

We have made it clear to the UK Government and the Secretary of State just last week that we do not support the current Bill (and that remains our position post the latest amendments advised by the Government)

We insist that refusing to deal with the scourge of terrorism glorification (which is systemic across our society) is no longer an option, a whole new generation born beyond the Belfast Agreement are engaging in terrorism idolatry and this cannot be allowed to take further root or we face a particularly bleak future.

Kenny Donaldson, Spokesman for Innocent Victims United