Letter: Will the victims of Irish republican violence ever receive justice or does legacy not apply to them?
A letter from George Millar:
Does legacy only apply to the victims of state security forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles?
Daily, weekly, monthly in 2025 our news headlines have been dominated by the pursuit of the security forces by groups attempting to rewrite the narrative on our violent past.
Almost 1,100 members of the security forces paid the ultimate price with their lives along with thousands who suffered life-long injuries.
For the families of the 3,500 people who died over three decades there is the desire to search for the truth surrounding the deaths of their loved ones.
The perception in Northern Ireland is that legacy is only a vehicle for nationalists and Irish republicans to rewrite the narrative on the Troubles, labelling the unionist and British community as the perpetrators of our violent past.
Why is it that nationalists and Irish republicans ignore the fact that the IRA and other republican groups were responsible for over 60% of the violence in Northern Ireland?
I don’t hear the political voices of Irish nationalism and republicanism on the island of Ireland condemning the violence pursued by the IRA. Is it the case that Irish republicans have suppressed any criticism of their campaign of violence?
By using the words ‘There was no alternative to violence’ we have legitimised the terrorism we were subjected to by republican and loyalist paramilitaries.
Instead of building a new future for all our communities on the Island of Ireland are we going to subject future generations to further violence.
George Millar, Newtownards