Memorandum submitted by Families Acting
for Innocent Relatives
It is with deep regret and disgust that we as
a victims group have to write a letter like this.
While we have visited a number of countries
to see how they deal with their victims of terrorism and have
found that they are treated like Royalty compared to the innocent
victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland.
Because of the recent approach by Government
funders FAIR and at least 14 other victim groups have taken a
step backwards in relation to cross community activities. When
victims step back so does their community.
We had been attending events, which perpetrators
were also attending and our members have started to allow their
children to go on cross community events in which children of
perpetrators also attended, a big step forward for our members.
Unfortunately this does not seem good enough for funders and policy
makers and especially Government.
The genuine victims want to move on and have
started to move on but they are not prepared to pay lip service
and tell lies so that it fits into the policy of someone sitting
in an office that has not had to hold a loved one in their arms
when dying or lift body parts of friends from the roads and fields
of South Armagh.
Organisations like FAIR continue to grow irrespective
of funding, people look towards us as a beacon as to what is going
on.
We know there is people out there who are prepared
to pay lip service and tell lies so that the Government hear what
they want to hear.
Speaking on behalf of genuine victims all we
want is recognition to what took place, equality and justice.
Be under no illusion that if we can stand against
terrorism for over 30 years and we continue to do so, we will
take our stand against policy makers and the funders who are supposed
to help us instead of hindering us.
We would also be very interested if someone
could explain to us why so much money was put into republican/nationalist
groups in South Armagh when the true victims have got very little.
It is better to work together than against each
other, but it is groups like ourselves who know best what is needed
for the true victims of terrorism and with or without your funding
we will continue along the path that we feel helps the victims
best.
All we want is equality.
12 January 2005
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