Last week's public meeting in Enniskillen, organised by the Consultative Group On the Past tasked to listen to ideas on how the hurt and wrongs of The 'Troubles' can best be addressed, threw up more questions than answers.
The Group, which was set up by the Northern Ireland Office, is due to come up with a report on its findings by this summer. It is co-chaired by the former Church of Ireland Prelate, Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, the former vice-chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
It was Mr Bradley who chaired the Enniskillen meeting, which was attended by representatives from two victims' groups, Fírinne and the South-East Fermanagh Foundation, and by politicians, among them the DUP Assembly member, Arlene Foster.
There was little in common between the two victims' support groups. Alan Madill, from the Foundation, accused Mr Bradley's group of, 'raking over the ashes of the past': "This current commission is once again re-opening old wounds, renewing memories that time had taken the sharp edges off, and causing a lot of hurt amongst victims and survivors who have been getting on with life as best they can, despite what they have been through".
He defined his organisation as 'a victim support group supporting and assisting innocent victims of paramilitary violence'. He described one proposal for an amnesty as 'rubbish'.
He went on: "The past cannot be rewritten. The brutality and mayhem over the years cannot be airbrushed from history as some would like, and the idea that giving cruel and sadistic terrorists a clean record is abhorrent and anathema to most people.
"What we need is fewer reports and enquiries and more direct action to assist victims. The NIO has been paying lip service to the innocent victims, and that is all this Commission will do as well. The problems that exist are far too many and far too complex to be dealt with on a 'one size fits all basis'.
"What is needed is sufficient funding going to groups who are dealing with the innocent victims and survivors and less emphasis on those who carried out the crimes."
Councillor Bernice Swift, the project manager for Fírinne, which acts for families bereaved as a result of State collusion, said her group regarded all deceased, from both sides of the conflict as, 'victims'.
"We are all victims of the 'political conflict' and, if we are serious about dealing with the legacy of the past, painful as it may be, there must be an examination of the historical and political context in which our conflict happened. Therefore we must examine the causes, nature and consequences of the 'political conflict'".
She said State policies ensured that Nationalists/Republicans were treated as second class citizens whereas the security forces were protected by the State, hence, their roles and actions must unequivocally be acknowledged, and, likewise, the consequences of 'their terrible actions on peoples of Fermanagh'.
Ms Swift ruled out Courts as a forum were justice could be seen to be done, due to the lack of access, legally, to investigations pre-2002.
" Fírinne seek a Truth Commission. The issue of amnesty would be for a Truth Commission to determine, and the principles of that must be underpinned by independence and be 'victim-centred'. Suffice to say that, in Fermanagh amnesty was already given to State forces. Special Branch ensured that any investigation into murders did not result in prosecutions.
Afterwards, Ms Swift was asked if the creation of the Consultative Group on the Past was a good thing.
"Yes", we welcome debate on dealing with the legacy of the past. However, this group has been an NIO initiative which will report back to the Secretary of State and the British Government who are not neutral in this process. However, it fails the first test for any such body in that it is patently not independent nor has it any victims' representatives on it. We will await the outcome of the group's findings before reaching judgement'.
But, she said her group were impressed with Denis Bradley's candid approach to dealing with the past. She revealed that Fírinne had previously organised and met with the group and had provided extensive information on the experience and needs of victims of State violence. As for reaction to herself and Fírinne from the audience, she described it as 'hostile' and detected an unwillingness to recognise Fírinne victims.
"I feel there was abject failure from the Unionist audience to accept or admit any wrong-doing on the part of the RUC/UDR/British State forces, and complete deniability for those of us present who are victims of State violence. We must address the uncomfortable issues to build relationships. We should not leave an unresolved past to our future generations".
