Troubles group 'hopelessly divided' says DUP
The panel set up to deal with the North’s troubled past is hopelessly divided, the DUP claimed today.
Granting an amnesty to perpetrators, and reclassifying the conflict as a war, split the Consultative Group on the Past, MLA David Simpson told the Assembly.
Headed by former Policing Board vice-chairman Denis Bradley and ex-Church of Ireland Primate Robin Eames, the body was appointed by the British government to advise on dealing with over 3,000 unsolved deaths.
Mr Simpson (DUP, Upper Bann) said: “One part of the group was briefing against another part of the group.
“In effect one part of the Eames/Bradley group sought to use the press to get its view of the Troubles and any potential amnesty into the public domain as a means of spiking internal opposition to the suggestion.
“As such there are serious question marks over the ability of this group to actually deliver because it is divided and because those divisions are being played out in the press over the issue of victims.”
During a consultation period, which ended in January, the group met with over 100 organisations from across the North.
Members have discussed a South African-style truth commission and possibly defining the Troubles as a war.
Stormont MLAs are debating a motion from David Burnside (UUP, South Antrim) calling on outgoing First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley (DUP, North Antrim), and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein, Mid Ulster) to lend full support and co-operation to Eames/Bradley.
