Young
Unionists

Over the last few days there have been many statements from all of the sectors, the politicians, the community partnerships and the victims groups. By far the majority have said it was morally wrong  for Lord Eames and Dennis Bradley to offer a payment of £12,000 to each of the families who have seen one of their relatives killed. It shouldn’t all be about money, instead the truth and recognition would be worth far more to the families.

Whilst I accept that £12,000 may seem desirable to some, I see it as nothing but an attempt to close a chapter and forget part of Northern Ireland’s tragic past where so many innocent people lost their lives. Twelve thousand pounds may buy a car, may even pay off a few debts but it doesn’t come close to putting a value on someone’s life.

However there is an even more sinister plot to this unfortunate story, for while there may be some worthy recipients it has been revealed that the terrorists who caused the grief throughout Northern Ireland will also be remunerated for their crimes. When they were putting on their balaclavas and murdering innocent people- many just because of their religion- they were not doing it for any great cause; it was simply out of raw hatred and bigotry. Therefore to think that the families of these terrorists who died will get the £12,000 payment on par with the real victims is disgusting and ultimately unacceptable.

The Shankhill bomber- Thomas Begley, the IRA terrorists killed during their failed raid in Loughgall, and the LVF leader Billy Wright are just a few of the people whose immediate family stand to receive quite a tidy financial payment thanks to their ‘victim’ status. This is like Barak Obama getting on a plane to the Middle East and giving out money to the families of the suicide bombers of 9/11, of course we know this would never happen, but then why should it happen here? Those terrorists who participated in campaigns of violence here knew what they were getting into, and it is not for me to speak ill of the dead but I can only assume they are paying for their crimes in another world.

The DUP should be more worried about what’s in their constituent’s best interests than they are about constantly worrying about rocking the boat with their partners in Sinn Fein. Ian Paisley was swept to power by playing on Unionism’s most raw emotions, he bled every vote he could out of that card and when the DUP eventually came to power he treated victims as an unnecessary burden. The Ulster Unionists attempted to raise the issue in the Assembly without turning it into some kind of political football, but thanks to the DUP/SF domination game up at Stormont any attempts that the UUP made of regulating of who could and could not be called a victim were quickly thrown out.

Peter Robinson and Jeffrey Donaldson should not be standing up in front of the media denouncing the recommendations in the Eames/Bradley Report when they know in their heart of hearts that they had a perfect chance to exclude terrorists from ever benefiting from a victim status again. To their shame they didn’t do that, they know they let the real victims down, and they should realise that they haven’t forgotten that.