Allister welcomes Victims Commissioner to Brussels
03 October 2006
DUP MEP Jim Allister held talks with Interim Victims Commissioner, Mrs Bertha McDougall, in Brussels today during a visit by her to the EU Institutions.
Mr Allister said, "I was pleased to see the Commissioner in Brussels promoting the interests of victims. As the voice of the victims it is important that she be heard here, as elsewhere. Funding, of course, is a key issue. Such limited funding which there has been for victims from the PEACE Programme is fast reducing as the total PEACE fund shrinks to a mere 26M pa from 2007. Core funding from Government is the answer, with long term commitment to making a difference for those who suffered the most during the relentless terrorist campaign. I had a very useful discussion with the Commissioner on the various funding options.
Europe has a special, though limited fund, for victims. Naturally, we explored how this could be exploited and, also, how the lead taken in Northern Ireland in having a Victims Commissioner could be used as a template elsewhere in Europe. Clearly, there are parallels between the suffering in Northern Ireland and the ETA-inflicted terrorism in Spain.
It is also important that a legitimate distinction is maintained between innocent victims and those who would claim victimhood from their own involvement in violent insurrection. To me there is no commonality between the family of a policeman murdered in the line of duty and the terrorist lawfully killed by the security forces or imprisoned for his crimes. Some would wish to equate their status. This must not happen."
