The clamour for a Northern Ireland equivalent
of the South African 'Truth and Reconciliation' commission
continues to grow, and contributors to a recent B.B.C. Northern
Ireland 'Sunday Sequence' programme joined in the call.
It's understandable that there should be strong feelings
that such a truth and justice or truth and reconciliation
should be set up in Northern Ireland. The felling of hurt
is still acute in this Province, and those on the receiving
end of the effects of violence still suffer terribly from
the experience. People who have lost loved ones, or, like
a former R.U.C. officer who spoke on the programme, find it
hard to understand why someone should have singled them out
for attempted murder.
But would a 'Truth and Reconciliation' commission prove to
have a level playing field, or would it be manipulated by
republicans to turn it into a forum for spotlighting alleged
injustices by the security forces.
That has happened to a large extent in South Africa where
there has been more concentration on the excesses of the security
forces than on the murders and atrocities carried out by the
ANC - the burn 'necklaces' for example.
The large majority of murders in Northern Ireland were carried
out by republicans and statistics prove this. Yet, this has
often not come across and an outsider could get the impression
that there have been as many murders by loyalists and unlawful
killings by the security forces.
Republicans are masters at the art of manipulating the media,
and in the 30 years of the Troubles they succeeded in persuading
overseas media, and many UK sources as well, that nationalists
have been the victims of state and loyalist persecution and
intimidation.
Not nearly enough attention has been focused by the media
on the 1,940 murders by republicans, the extensive ethnic
cleansing of Protestants in large parts of the Province, and
the fact that the I.R.A. campaign was the main source of division
in Northern Ireland.
Many, many Protestants victims of the Troubles have not had
their case heard, and some of the worst atrocities have been
ignored. How often does the media spotlight the Darkley Gospel
Hall atrocity, the slaying of the Protestant 'Good Samaritan'
worker from the Shankill who went into the Falls to repair
bomb damage and was murdered for his efforts, or the dreadful
killing of a young teenage soldier by the I.R.A. after the
terrified boy had been trapped by a crowd of republican women
in the Falls?
These are just a few of the awful crimes committed by the
republicans. If a 'Truth and Reconciliation' commission or
forum is set up in Northern Ireland, then it must investigate
ALL murders and atrocities, and give everyone an opportunity
of spotlighting the crime inflicted on them.
The thought persists that republicans are less than forthcoming
when it comes to admitting their crimes. Loyalist gunmen as
proved by Peter Taylor's recent B.B.C.2 programme showed,
are more ready to admit their crimes and seek to atone for
them. The I.R.A. gunmen and bombers are not inclined to be
so willing to admit their crimes and seek to expunge them.
There has been a massive campaign to spotlight Bloody Sunday
in Londonderry and to publicise every aspect of this. But
what about Bloody Friday in Belfast in 1972 when 26 'no warning'
bombs were exploded and when poor innocent victims were torn
apart and their remains scraped off the pavements.
Who master-minded this awful atrocity? Who were the I.R.A.
commanders who gave the go-ahead? What do they feel today
about the result of their crime? Are they filled with remorse?
If so, to the extent of seeking forgiveness from the families
of their victims?
The same applies to the murders of the innocent at La Mon
House, Teebane, Kingsmill and Shankill bombing. Are they contrite?
Will a 'Peace and Reconciliation' commission deal with these
and all other crimes?
Those are questions which must be faced up to and confronted
before any decision is taken. Anything less than a total exploration
of all the crimes and the planning which has gone into them
during the past 30 years would fall far short of the requirements.
Above all, it is vital that any such commission or forum
is not used or manipulated by any political group or allowed
to become a means of 'getting at' the R.U.C. and the Army
and seeking to discredit them.
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