Letter from Professor Jean Orr CBE Chair of WAVE Trauma Centre on victims and survivors post the Haass Talks. For immediate publication.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
When the Haass talks on contentious issues in Northern Ireland ended at the turn of the year it was said that while flags and parades did not respond to treatment, there was progress on the Past.
Someone should explain to victims and survivors exactly what constitutes ‘progress’ because they have seen very few signs of it.
It is true that there is a comprehensive and much needed review of the Victims and Survivors Service but that was underway well before the talks ended.
What was new in the Haass/O’Sullivan document was a recommendation that the Victims’ Commissioner, Kathryn Stone, should look at special measures to help severely injured victims who have been unable to work for the greater part of their lives and therefore have little or no occupational pension.
The idea of a pension for the severely injured was first proposed by the Injured Group of the WAVE Trauma Centre and was taken up by the Victims‘ Commissioner.
It was good to see that it found its way into the draft agreement document.
It was a strong indication that Dr Haass and Professor O’Sullivan listened to victims and they are to be thanked for that.
But what’s happening with it?
Similarly it is not clear what the status is of other aspects of the draft agreement.
There were some interesting ideas on how to get victims closer to the truth of what happened to them where there is little or no realistic prospect of a successful prosecution.
Crucially, for the first time, the severely injured are specifically mentioned though still well to the back of the queue when it comes to information retrieval.
The kind of limited immunity short of the Attorney General’s proposal for official slate wiping has worked to a significant extent for the families of the Disappeared despite what some groups claim.
Also the proposal for a comprehensive archive of first person accounts is recognition of the importance of individuals being able to tell their stories the way they want to tell them.
And bringing together the work of the Historical Enquiries Team and the Police Ombudsman’s Office where that relates to the Past makes sense.
But the point is that it made sense five years ago when Eames/Bradley proposed it.
No one is suggesting that everything that victims and survivors need or want was covered in Eames/Bradley or in the Haass proposals.
But as long nothing moves, as long as all we ever have are ‘proposals’ victims and survivors will be condemned to continue to do what they have had to learn to do best: get on with it, support each other and live with the Past.
Professor Jean Orr CBE
Chair WAVE Trauma Centre
5 Chichester Park South
Belfast BT15 5DW