Making Peace with the Past : Options for Truth Recovery In Northern Ireland McEvoy, K. (2006). Making Peace with the Past : Options for Truth Recovery In Northern Ireland. Healing Through Remembering. Document Version: Early version, also known as pre-print Queen's University Belfast - Research Portal: Link to publication record in Queen's University Belfast Research Portal General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Queen's University Belfast Research Portal is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The Research Portal is Queen's institutional repository that provides access to Queen's research output. Every effort has been made to ensure that content in the Research Portal does not infringe any person's rights, or applicable UK laws. If you discover content in the Research Portal that you believe breaches copyright or violates any law, please contact [email protected]. Download date:02. Oct. 2021 Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland Healing Through Remembering Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland HEALING THROUGH REMEMBERING MAKING PEACE WITH THE PAST OPTIONS FOR TRUTH RECOVERY REGARDING THE CONFLICT IN AND ABOUT NORTHERN IRELAND Healing Through Remembering PRODUCED AND PUBLISHED BY HEALING THROUGH REMEMBERING WRITTEN BY PROF. KIERAN McEVOY OCTOBER 2006 ISBN 1 905882 07 6 (10 DIGIT) ISBN 978 1 905882 07 6 (13 DIGIT) The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect the personal views of all members of Healing Through Remembering. To be ordered directly from Healing Through Remembering Alexander House, 17a Ormeau Avenue, Belfast Tel: +44 28 9023 8844 Email: [email protected] Reports can also be downloaded from www.healingthroughremembering.org Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland This report was developed by the following members of the Healing Through Remembering Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement Sub Group Sarah Alldred Marie Breen Smyth Emily Brough Pat Conway Séamas Heaney Gareth Higgins Avila Kilmurray Patricia Lundy Stephen Martin Roy McClelland Kieran McEvoy Jackie McMullan Raymond Murray Paul O’Connor David W. Porter Dawn Purvis Andrew Rawding Joe Rice Mike Ritchie Tom Roberts Mark Thompson Irwin Turbitt Alan Wardle Written by Kieran McEvoy Core Consultant and Facilitator Brandon Hamber Project Co-ordinator Kate Turner Support Staff Lainey Dunne Elaine Armstrong Sara Templer Overseen and supported by the Board of Healing Through Remembering Marie Breen Smyth Sean Coll Claire Hackett Maureen Hetherington Alan McBride Roy McClelland Jackie McMullan Dawn Purvis Geraldine Smyth Oliver Wilkinson Healing Through Remembering Acknowledgements Healing Through Remembering would like to thank a number of people who have been extremely helpful in the writing and production of this document. First the members of the Healing Through Remembering Sub Group on Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement have been deeply involved from the genesis and in developing the options. Many of them have also made available their own writings and other resources on the subject. They have provided detailed and constructive commentary on the numerous drafts, as well as various forms of moral and physical sustenance when they were most needed. They have been immensely supportive and good humoured. This process is proof-positive that people of good will from very different political perspectives do not necessarily have to agree with one another in order to work coherently on a difficult and sensitive topic related to the conflict in and about Northern Ireland. We are also deeply appreciative of the work and contribution of Kieran McEvoy. He took on the task of researching the international and local aspects, and of writing up this report. This proved to be a much more substantial piece of work than any of us had envisaged. Our thanks go to Kieran for the thorough and professional way in which he tackled this work - his meticulous research, coherent writing skill, clear grasp of concepts and good grace in accepting redrafting from the Sub Group members. His assiduous approach has produced what we believe is a significant document. HTR would also like to thank the staff and consultants - Brandon Hamber, Kate Turner, Lainey Dunne, Sara Templer and Elaine Armstrong - who helped bring this document to fruition. They have worked tremendously hard in commenting themselves, editing the document, as well as shepherding the comments of others and facilitating the Sub Group meetings. The Healing Through Remembering Board, too, have provided useful insights and feedback at key moments. Kirsten McConnachie provided excellent research assistance in the early stages and valuable comments and feedback as various drafts emerged. Sue Williams facilitated a residential Sub Group meeting at which the document was initiated and she also worked on the Executive Summary. Barbara English proofread and edited the document transcripts. Healing Through Remembering also received excellent feedback from Maggie Beirne, Brice Dickson, Priscilla Hayner, Lorna McGregor and Marny Requa. We appreciate their input. Prof. Roy McClelland, Chair, Healing Through Remembering i Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland Preface The Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement Sub Group is part of the Healing Through Remembering Project. It comprises individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland. This document was produced after almost two years of research, reflection and debate about truth recovery. While there is a range of opinions within the Sub Group on how best to deal with the issue of truth recovery, we are all agreed on the need for a debate as to how to deal with the issue. We share the view that a lack of information, understanding or acknowledgement has left many people with burning questions concerning truth and justice in relation to past events. The risk of not addressing these questions is that they will continue to cause pain and to destabilise the present. While there is no easy way to deal with these issues, we believe that a mature and honest discussion could contribute to the development of a sustainable peace. This document is meant to be an aid to such conversation, and is intended as a tool for deepening and furthering the discussion. Any consideration on how to deal with the past must recognise the particular circumstances of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland. We believe there has been a disproportional media focus on the option of a truth commission, and in particular on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Truth recovery is a wide process and can involve many different mechanisms. We therefore offer in this document a number of options for truth recovery, of which a truth commission is one. Although we recognise the limits of international comparison, we are also of the opinion that lessons can be drawn from other societies. Hence this document explores examples from all over the world. That said, no model can simply be imported and there is a need for options appropriate to our own particular circumstances. We hope this document will move us some way towards a solution appropriate to the local context. The options outlined are examples of approaches that might be taken and are not meant to be a definitive list. Any consideration of options should be inclusive and open. Any process of truth recovery has to consider the needs of those who suffered most, but must also be a society-wide consideration. Some feel that the best way to address the past is to “do nothing” and “move on”. Their voices must be heard alongside those who propose specific models. The process around the issue of truth recovery is not an easy one. This document is the outcome of a process which often proved difficult even within the Sub Group, since we come from a wide range of backgrounds, experience and opinions. We are convinced of the value of the research, reflection and debate. We hope this document will facilitate reflection, discussion and debate across society. We encourage all to read the document and to reflect on truth recovery. We believe that respecting diversity of opinion is an essential part of addressing the legacy of the conflict in and about Northern Ireland. We offer this document as a practical and symbolic expression of our willingness to acknowledge the deep hurt that many people have suffered and our desire to achieve a more secure and tenable future. We hope it can be a contribution to “making peace with the past”. Sarah Alldred, Marie Breen Smyth, Emily Brough, Pat Conway, Séamas Heaney, Gareth Higgins, Avila Kilmurray, Patricia Lundy, Stephen Martin, Roy McClelland, Kieran McEvoy, Jackie McMullan, Raymond Murray, Paul O’Connor, David Porter, Dawn Purvis, Andrew Rawding, Joe Rice, Mike Ritchie, Tom Roberts, Mark Thompson, Irwin Turbitt, Alan Wardle Belfast September 2006 ii Healing Through Remembering iii Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................................................i