Eames-Bradley Proposals Slammed

As the official publication of a widely leaked report on how NI should tackle the legacy of The Troubles looms today, an Ulster Unionist Assembly member and former terrorist victim, has condemned proposals by Robin Eames and Denis Bradley's 'Consultative Group on the Past' that the family of each and every victim of the Troubles should receive a payment of £12,000 from the Government, regardless of circumstances or 'guilt'.

Mid-Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong, a former RUC Reservist who was wounded on duty in March 1976 said yesterday: "I cannot believe that Dr Robin Eames believes that terrorist and their families who supported the destruction of British security services deserve recognition.

"I know that their tears are the same, it is the loss of a loved one, but the difference is the police and the Army were protecting lives, and all terrorist groups were out to kill destroy and wipe-out all those protecting the law abiding people of Northern Ireland.

"This is an absolutely crazy recommendation and it is nothing less than a gratuitous insult to victims and will be condemned by anyone with a sense of right and wrong," he said.

Alliance party Leader David Ford also commented on the issue and said that "the outrage rightly felt at plans for a £12,000 payment to all victims of the Troubles", on its own, "could sink the report" which took 18 months of consultation across the Province to formulate.

"Many will feel that the £12,000 payout plan has damaged the consultative group's report beyond repair.

"Rather than comforting victims news of this payment has outraged many. You simply cannot put a price on justice. I notice that opposition to this proposal has come from all sections of the community including relations of police officers and of IRA members," he said.

"It is being said that there should be no hierarchy of victims. In fact, there is no hierarchy of suffering, but there is a hierarchy of circumstance," he said.

Stormont Junior Minister, DUP MP, Jeffrey Donaldson - himself a former UDR soldier - commented: "It would be wrong to go into detail before the report is officially published," but explained that a number of issues are causing serious concern.

"As things stand there is no chance of this report getting off the ground in terms of being implemented."

The report includes the £40 million deal to compensate the next of kin of anyone killed as a result of the Troubles - civilians, security force members or terrorist killer.

This proposal to equate a paramilitary murderer with an innocent victim or police or Army officer has sparked the greatest controversy - even before official publication.

See: Troubles Legacy Group Tackles Victims' Compensation

(BMcC/JM)