Memorandum submitted by the Healing Through
Remembering Project
1. INTRODUCTION
This submission outlines the work and perspective
of the Healing Through Remembering (HTR) Project with regards
to the issue of dealing with the past. HTR is an extensive cross-community
project made up of a range of individual members holding different
political perspectives. They have come together over the last
five years to focus on the issue of how the past can be dealt
with in and about Northern Ireland.
The project carried out a wide public consultation
process on the issue and published its findings in June 2002.
In this report a set of recommendations were made. The recommendations
are outlined in this submission, as well as the current work of
the project which aims at implementing the recommendations. We
believe the recommendations and focus of HTR provides a framework
for building reconciliation and dealing with the past in an integrated,
consensual and effective manner.
2. BACKGROUND
In February 1999 Victim Support Northern Ireland
(VSNI) and the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement
of Offenders (NIACRO) jointly invited Dr Alex Boraine to visit
Northern Ireland. Dr Boraine, at the time Deputy Chair of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, met a number
of groups and individuals to discuss the experience of—and
the lessons learnt from—South Africa and to consider any
bearing they may have on the conflict in and about Northern Ireland.
The essence of these discussions was captured in a report entitled
All Truth is Bitter launched in March 2000.
All Truth is Bitter recommended that it would
be a useful exercise to hold wide-ranging discussion to explore
and debate ways of examining the past and remembering so as to
build a better future. To this end—and on the initiative
of the individuals and organisations who first invited Dr Boraine
to Northern Ireland—a number of individuals were invited
to form a Board. After much discussion, in June 2001 a group of
individuals formally agreed to become the Healing Through Remembering
Project Board. The Project was formally launched on 8 October
2001.
The vision of the project was:
An acknowledgement of the events connected with
the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, and in so doing, individually
and collectively to have contributed to an understanding of, and
the healing of, the wounds of society.
The specific mission of the project was:
. . . to identify and document possible mechanisms
and realisable options for healing through remembering for those
people affected by the conflict in and about Northern Ireland.
Building on a range of previous and current local, national and
international initiatives, including discussions with experts,
the Project will undertake a range of in-depth discussions with
organisations, communities and politicians and individuals on
the issues of truth-telling and healing.
CONSULTATION PROCESS
The key task of the Healing Through Remembering
project was to undertake a consultation process on how Northern
Ireland, and those affected both in and out of Northern Ireland,
could remember and deal with the past, and in so doing move towards
healing. The purpose of the consultation was to produce a document
outlining a range of options for dealing with the past and truth
recovery, to be submitted to the British and Irish Governments
and Office of First and Deputy First Minister, and the public.
To undertake the consultation the Board agreed on the following
primary question for the consultation:
How should people remember the events connected
with the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, and in so doing,
individually and collectively to the healing of the wounds of
society?
So far as possible the project endeavoured to
ensure that as many voices as possible were heard through the
consultation process. To this end the project was interested in
attracting as wide a range of views from the general public, as
well as from organisations and individuals with a specific concern
with dealing with the past. All were invited to make a submission
to the project either in writing, or through the project website.
The call for submissions was advertised in all
the major newspapers. Organisations were also personally invited
by letter to make a submission. All were also offered an opportunity
to meet the project staff or have a facilitation session on the
issues at hand. This opportunity was taken up by fourteen organisations.
A number of seminars and background interviews were also undertaken
during the life of the project. In summary:
— A call for submissions was placed
in 56 local newspapers.
— Over 400 organisations were personally
invited by letter to make a submission.
— 5,000 project leaflets were distributed.
— The project website was visited 1,940
times recording 39,934 hits.
THE RESPONSE
In total, 108 submissions were received by the
project from individuals and organisations. The individual respondents
included victims, ex-service personnel, ex-prisoners, students,
academics and service-providers. The organisational respondents
included victims' groups, NGOs, religious organisations, security
forces, artists and performers. The bulk of the submissions were
from Northern Ireland, with some coming from England and the Republic
of Ireland, and one from the United States of America. All submissions
received were individually summarised by a member of the project
consultancy team. These summaries were then collated under the
themes that arose from the submissions and written up.
SUMMARY OF
SUBMISSIONS
Drawn together, the 108 submissions provided
a varied range of opinions and insights into remembering processes
that may help to address the legacy of the conflict in and about
Northern Ireland. While there was general support for remembrance,
contributors also expressed many concerns over the practicalities,
and whether remembering would increase division and violence,
or bring healing.
Those who made submissions proposed 14 different
forms of remembering process:
— Storytelling and oral history;
— Museums, exhibitions and art;
— Public and collective commemorations.
— Truth recovery processes;
— Other forms of legal processes;
— Community and intercommunity interactions;
— Support for individuals and victims;
— Research and social policy development;
— Centre for remembrance;
— Education and training;
— Supporting current remembering processes;
— Self-examination of institutions
and apologies.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Many of the submissions endorsed the value of
remembering and spoke of the importance of finding ways to move
society forward. At the same time, others expressed their concerns
about the potential pitfalls of remembering. Clearly, the idea
of remembering also evoked an emotive response, suggesting that
much hurt and unresolved pain is still present. Because of this
the Board felt that they had a responsibility not only to reflect
back what was said, but also to help chart a way forward. The
Board came to the view that it was a sufficiently diverse and
a large enough group to make a meaningful and unified comment
on the various recommendations received. The members of the Board,
as members of the wider community, felt they had a moral responsibility
to be more than simply a passive reflection of a list of opinions
raised in submissions. Therefore a series of potential future
options are set out, which seek to remain faithful to the views
expressed in the submissions.
The Board made six detailed recommendations.
They form together a collection of mechanisms and strategies to
promote healing through remembering. They are presented here in
no particular order of importance and will need to be interrelated
in their implementation, as they are complementary. Furthermore,
each option is still some way off, and in order to succeed will
require ongoing discussion and inclusive participation to succeed.
Recommendation One: The experience of the project
has strongly impressed upon the Board how much remembering and
commemoration work, is and has been, going on across our society,
some of it well known, some unknown. This work must be supported
and would benefit from being collated and co-ordinated through
the establishment of a network of remembering projects.
Recommended: A network that will link together
the diverse forms of commemoration and remembering work, learn
from past and present initiatives, facilitate information exchange,
and improve access and activity between those involved in commemoration
and remembering work and society at large.
Recommendation Two: Storytelling and the archiving
of stories about the conflict and its impact are important Their
importance lies not just in being a testimony to, and affirmation
of, our individual and collective experiences, but because it
is through such a process we come to know others and ourselves.
Storytelling can be an important part of healing including the
opportunity for acknowledgement. To work effectively this process
requires broad community support transcending historical divisions
so as to give voice to those individuals and communities who have
suffered as a result of the conflict.
Recommended: A storytelling process known as
"Testimony". Stories and narratives will be collected
from all who wish to tell of their experiences of the conflict
in and about Northern Ireland. These stories—collected by
those already undertaking this type of work and by community groups
through a flexible but standard method—would form part of
an archive housing the stories of the past and serving as a vehicle
to learn lessons for the future.
Recommendation Three: We need temporal aids
to remembering. We need time to pause, to think and to reflect.
As such, the Board was persuaded of the need for a Day of Reflection
to remember all those who have been affected by the conflict in
and about Northern Ireland. Reflecting on the past in a respectful
and dignified manner can help us remember our hurts and in so
doing remind us of the need to avoid repeating the mistakes of
the past and learn new lessons for the future.
Recommended: An annual "Day of Reflection".
The day will serve as a universal gesture of reconciliation, reflection,
acknowledgement and recognition of the suffering of so many arising
from the conflict in and about Northern Ireland.
Recommendation Four: We need structural aids
to remembering. A permanent living memorial museum offers an important
and tangible vehicle, where living active memories of events of
the conflict can be accessed by society, including children and
visitors. The living memorial museum would not only serve as a
memorial to the those injured and bereaved in the conflicts of
the past through housing a garden of reflection, plaques and other
commemorative items: it would also serve as a location for knowledge
dissemination, future learning and hope. The Museum could form
part of a collective grieving and reflection process, at the same
time being a memorial that can evolve, and is not static.
Recommended: A permanent living memorial museum.
The Living Memorial Museum will serve as a dynamic memorial to
all those affected by the conflict and keep the memories of the
past alive. It will provide a diverse chronicle of the history
of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, increase public
awareness of the impact of the conflict, disseminate information
and provide educational opportunities ensuring lessons are learnt
for the future.
Recommendation Five: It is only on the basis
of truth that reconciliation can take place. A formal truth recovery
process should be given careful consideration. An important first
step is acknowledgement Acknowledgment by all, of our acts of
commission and/or omission during the conflicts of the past, needs
to be forthcoming. Acknowledgement by all of what they did and
what they did not do to prevent further loss of life is the first
and essential step toward any collective and beneficial remembering
process or processes. This would lay the foundation for further
exploring the feasibility of a truth recovery process. Finding
the truth concerning past events is part of our corporate remembering.
It is our strong impression that more than acknowledgement is
needed, but the idea needs much more focused investigation.
Recommended: That all organisations and institutions
that have been engaged in the conflict, including the British
and Irish States, political parties and Loyalist and Republican
paramilitaries honestly and publicly acknowledge responsibility
for past political violence due to their acts of omission and
commission. This could be the first and necessary step towards
potentially of a larger process of truth recovery. If acknowledgement
is forthcoming inclusive and in-depth consideration should be
given to the establishment of an appropriate and unique truth
recovery process. In order for this to develop a team compromised
of local and international experise should be established—using
a fair and transparent method—to explore the specific feasibility
of such a process.
Recommendation Six: In order to ensure the implementation
of the Healing Through Remembering recommendations a body to oversee
this work is needed. It should also assess where the progress
of each recommendation can be supported, as well as monitor and
evaluate the implementation of each recommendation. Such a body
could also provide a basis for learning and developing ideas derived
from the initial consultations and from other schemes, local,
national and international. It can also become a beacon and a
point of contact for individuals and groups elsewhere in the world
who are searching for ways of dealing with their own past
Recommended: A Healing Through Remembering Initiative
managed by a representative Committee that will be a visible expression
of society's commitment to move forward while remembering and
learning from our violent past. The Healing Through Remembering
Initiative will have primary responsibility for ensuring the implementation
of the recommendations of the Health Through Remembering Report
and monitoring process, thus ensuring a future where our children
can cherish the past and be freed to transform our society for
the better.
3. CURRENT ACTIVITIES
3.1 Healing Through Remembering Initiative
The Healing Through Remembering Initiative (HTRI)
is pursuing each of the recommendations of the HTR Report outlined
above. A separate sub group has been formed to deal with each
recommendation, modelled on the original HTR project in terms
of diverse membership and operation. The overall management of
the project is co-ordinated by the HTRI Board of Directors which
includes the Chair of each sub group. This ensures the sub groups
can work freely and with independence while linked to each other
in all their activities. The current activities of each sub group
are summarised as follows:
3.2 Storytelling Sub Group
This sub group has commissioned a broad audit
of storytelling projects relating to the conflict in and about
Northern Ireland. This work is being carried out by two researchers,
one with international academic interest in societal remembering
and one with experience of local storytelling initiatives. The
research will lead to the publication of an interim report and
a directory of storytelling initiatives in April 2005 followed
by a conference based on the findings in May 2005.
3.3 Day of Reflection Sub Group
An initial database of international days of
remembrance/reflection has been developed and this sub group has
now commissioned further research into a number of specific international
days of remembrance/reflection. The research involves using local
contacts in each country to ascertain the actual practices and
events on the day; those who take part; those who do not take
part; the motivation for the day; the process to establish the
day and the events; any efforts to make the day "reflective"
rather than just "remembering"; and obstacles to developing
a genuinely inclusive day. In addition to this work, a database
is also being created in-house which uses the "Lost Lives"
book to log the deaths on every day for each year during the conflict.
This enables the individuals who died on any given date to be
quickly identified when considering the suitability of a particular
date for a day for reflection. So far, in the five months considered
over the years of conflict, no single day has been found when
there was no conflict-related death. Furthermore, in light of
local initiatives by a number of Sinn Feín Mayors to hold
"Days of Reflection", representatives of the sub group
are also meeting with those involved in hosting the "Days
of Reflection" and those sceptical of the events. The sub
group is also planning a range of regional discussions on the
concept of a "Day of Reflection" in 2005.
3.4 Living Memorial Museum Sub Group
The sub group has commissioned an extensive
audit of current artefacts relating to the conflict which are
held in existing archives and personal collections. In addition,
in order to raise awareness of the potential of a living memorial
museum, and to begin the debate as to what this would entail,
this sub group will be running an architectural competition for
architecture and design students in Great Britain, Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland. Students will be asked to produce
a design for a living memorial museum. A similar scheme for school
children is being considered which would involve describing or
drawing key items for such a museum. Furthermore, the sub group
are currently debating how to address the difficulties that exist
in representing experiences and policies relating to the conflict
(egs housing issues; experience of the fire service) in such a
museum. The first stage in this debate is the collation of international
resources, books and conference papers relating to the formation
of museums about relevant issues (eg Holocaust museums, District
Six Museum in South Africa).
3.5 AcknowledgementlTruth Recovery Sub Group
To take stock of the current position of key
organisations, institutions and parties relating to acknowledgement
of their role in the conflict, through commission or omission,
this sub group has commissioned an audit of institutional positions
in this regard. This will involve meeting key individuals from
a number of organisations to discern their current policy on acknowledgement,
their understanding of the term and the enablers and obstacles
they see to truth recovery. While this research is being carried
out the sub group will also hold discussions with individuals
from a wide range of organisations to exchange views. In addition,
a series of seminars will be held focusing on truth recovery and
acknowledgement processes in different countries. A number of
international speakers (eg Peru, Guatemala, South Africa, East
Timor) will be used. The aim of these seminars is to facilitate
a more in-depth analysis of different approaches. An important
element of these seminars will be an addressing of "transferability"
potential, or lack of, in the key elements to use in our situation.
3.6 Network Sub Group
This subgroup will undertake a study of the
assumption that commemoration (co-remembering), ie remembering
with those you consider to be "other", is in fact positive
and healing. They aim to consider what are the necessary preconditions
to effective co-remembering. They are currently preparing the
research brief for this task. In addition to this, the sub group
will address the various meanings attached to core terms (eg remembering,
healing) used in the debate and approach to dealing with the past.
They recognise that the variety of definitions of key terms held
by different groups and individuals can hinder the discussions
on and understanding of any proposed models.
4. CONCLUSION
There is no single treatment for the healing
process. Processes of remembering, reflecting, informing and educating
must be sustained for another generation at least All have a part
to play in dealing with the memories of the past This will be
a painful and difficult task, however it should not paralyse us
and prevent us from moving on, but encourage us to avoid further
damage, seek solutions and create a better future. The recommendations
presented here, and the work begun by HTR, should not replace
what is already in place and what is developing in other sectors.
It is our belief that the initial HTR recommendations taken as
a whole can usefully complement current initiatives that should
continue to be supported and developed. Each of the six recommendations
and the work of the sub groups are presented separately above.
In practice, all our recommendations, and the
work we are currently undertaking, are related. They should be
seen as an ensemble rather than as isolated activities. The realisation
of the recommendations will take time, and each option can only
be developed following inclusive discussion and when the time
is right for that option. That said we believe the areas the HTR
Initiative focuses on provides a framework for how best to deal
with the past
The work of the HTR project will stand or fall
on the commitment of those who are willing to take it forward.
While the Healing Through Remembering Board and the members are
committed to this, the process is much larger than they alone
can offer. To ensure its implementation the British and Irish
Governments, and local political leadership, will need to endorse
the original Report and provide a conducive environment for realising
the recommendations. Communities, community groups, individuals
and organisations need to do the same and engage in the work of
the project as many are currently doing, whilst continuing to
develop their own work.
We believe it is essential that steps are taken
across the board, in addition to ones we are pursuing, to develop
a network of commemoration and remembering projects; a storytelling
initiative; a day of reflection; a living memorial museum; and
that acknowledgement, especially by those actively involved in
the conflict, institutions and the governments, of their role
in the conflict is forthcoming (this should provide the foundation
for further exploration of truth recovery mechanisms) if the past
is to be effectively dealt with.
To translate the HTR recommendations into dynamic
and unique practices and methods for dealing with the past in
a spirit of tolerance and respect will require a willingness to
take risks. Our society as a whole will need to grasp the opportunity
of remembering in a constructive way, to enable us to move into
a new future built on a shared acknowledgement of our conflicted
past.
30 December 2004
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