“I have witnessed many horrific incidents down the years, brought about by terrorists, striking and killing innocent victims.”
The Alliance Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh has tipped the balance in a failed DUP motion on “innocent victims” of the Troubles amid “mob” pressure at the Justice Minister’s home. The biggest party on the council had demanded an apology from Justice Minister Naomi Long (Alliance) for what the DUP said was blurring the lines between “victims and victim makers”. A recorded vote was called in the council chamber (Oct 28) with an even split of 18 on each side of the motion, this required Mayor Amanda Grehan to cast the deciding vote, which was along Alliance party lines against the proposal.
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Bringing forward the motion, Killultagh DUP councillor, Thomas Beckett said:” Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is deeply alarmed that the definition of victims in the Victims and Survivors (NI) Order (2006) does not distinguish between those who perpetrated wrongdoing during the Troubles and the innocent victims they harmed, injured, killed or bereaved.” He added: “The council condemns the Alliance Party’s decision to intentionally blur this line by removing the word ‘innocent’ from the description of a victim in a recent Assembly motion addressing the legacy of the past and resolves to write to the Justice Minister requesting that she personally apologise for suggesting that victim makers could also be considered victims.”
The LCCC chamber heard an emotive debate with many councillors recalling personal tragic experiences during the Troubles of friends and relatives killed by “bombs and bullets”. A mob protest of 40 masked people outside Minister Long’s home earlier this month was condemned across the chamber. It is believed the protest related to the housing of sex offenders in residential areas.
Councillor Beckett said: “Firstly, I would like to condemn the recent behaviour at the home of the Justice Minister when masked men held a protest outside her home, I am sure all in the chamber would agree with me, I thought it was absolutely disgraceful. “Unfortunately, this happened all too often, especially during the Troubles when masked men carried out cowardly attacks on members of the public, innocently going about their daily lives.” He added: “I have witnessed many horrific incidents down the years, brought about by terrorists, striking and killing innocent victims. “This is why I find the Minister’s decision and the comments disgraceful in supporting taking out the word innocent.”
The council debate was prompted after a recent DUP motion in the Assembly (September) demanded the Irish government be held to account for suspected Irish state involvement in the Troubles. An amendment to that motion, supported by Alliance, Sinn Fein and the SDLP replaced the term ‘innocent victims’ to just ‘victims’, a move that is seen to allow some paramilitaries to be considered as victims. The Alliance position was defended by the Justice Minister Naomi Long.
In the Lagan Valley Island chamber, Lisburn North SDLP councillor Pat Catney, said: “Too often these debates are more about political point scoring and reopening old wounds, than dealing with the past that genuinely supports reconciliation and healing.” Castlereagh South Sinn Féin councillor, Ryan Carlin, said: “Without getting into every single atrocity and every single thing that has happened in the past, I would prefer to look forward to the future and try to deal with these things in a more generous and understanding manner.”
The chamber heard that the former Northern Ireland Memorial Fund (NIMF), which provided money for those suffering from chronic pain and disability caused during the Troubles was “wound up” due to Stormont pressure to support “perpetrators”.
The review of what happened to the NIMF has now led to call for Minister Long to clarify her position on victims.
Lisburn North UUP councillor, Nicholas Trimble, said: “Back in 1998, there was a charity set up called the NI Memorial Fund, which sought to provide help to the victims of the Troubles. Two of the key directors were my mother (Lady Daphne Trimble) and Pat Hume and they both spearheaded it with a lot of effort…they helped thousands of people. “One thing they did not use was the term ‘innocent victim’…but one red line for them was that perpetrators would not get anything. What happened in the 2000s was significant pressure from OFDFM (Office of the First and Deputy First Minister) to open it up to those who were perpetrators; they resisted quite a bit…until OFDFM threatened to withhold their funding. They realised it was an uphill battle they acquiesced and wound up.”
He added, “I do support this motion. It is at its heart having a go at what the Justice Minister said, and I ask myself is that justified to have a go? I cannot say what her intention was, which angered a lot of people. “I think the door ought to be open for the Justice Minister to clarify her position on this.”
Alliance has said their Minister’s words have been used against her for “cheap political gain”. Downshire East Alliance Alderman Aaron McIntyre said: “It is deeply disappointing that some parties have chosen to wilfully misrepresent Naomi Long’s words for cheap political gain. “This distortion not only undermines honest debate, but it also causes real hurt to victims and survivors whose suffering deserves respect, not exploitation.” “The Alliance Party’s record speaks for itself. We have consistently advocated for a comprehensive, victim-centred approach to dealing with the past. Northern Ireland will only move forward when all parties commit to reconciliation, recovery, and responsibility. Our focus must be on truth, support, and healing for all victims and survivors.”
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