Memorandum submitted by Trevor Ringland,
One Small Step Campaign
1. There is a need for the people of Northern
Ireland to deal with their past. This should be done in a way
which will:
(a) help people deal with the past to enable
them to move forward; and
(b) to remind us of our history to ensure
it does not happen again.
2. TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION
Truth is always a difficult concept to achieve,
ie Bloody Sunday Enquiry.
Reconciliation—different people are at
different levels when it comes to reconciliation especially as
the past is still present, ie the paramilitaries are still in
existence.
A general view is that a Truth and Reconciliation
Forum would be difficult to establish for a variety of reasons.
3. A story telling forum is a simple concept
providing an opportunity for people to tell their story. It is
their story, their perception of what happened and nothing more.
See attached—re May Street Event—the feedback from
all who attended was positive.
Ownership of the process can be given to the
community on the basis of a set of principles to ensure the cross-community
nature of same and provide a degree of structure. It can be local
and national, involving low profile incidents as well as high
profile ones.
— Contributions to healing and understanding.
Each community needs to hear the other and needs to be heard by
the other.
It could be "kick started" by specifically
organised events throughout Northern Ireland.
I would suggest a group of say, four people,
are tasked to determine the basis under which a Story Telling
Forum could operate. At time period of four weeks should be given
to them to report. Accreditation could be given to the events
ensuring its status in the Community.
13 January 2005
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