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Purvis dismisses Truth Commission
Saturday, 27 September 2008
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The political leader of loyalism Dawn Purvis says the chances of a Truth Commission in Northern Ireland “are pretty remote” – and that Sinn Fein has “weighed up and measured” the likely response.
She was reacting to comments from Gerry Adams that the success of any truth process will depend on “full co-operation by all relevant parties”.
“As far as I can tell there is no desire for a Truth Commission within loyalism,” Stormont MLA and Progressive Unionist Party leader Ms Purvis commented.
“They see the head of steam building round the proposal for a Truth Commission as more republican revisionism and a method for legitimising the IRA’s role in the conflict, and why would loyalists want to do that.”
The political debate on the issue of a commission is building with the Eames-Bradley report expected within a couple of months.
The Consultative Group on the Past that they co-chair is expected to make detailed recommendations by November.
“If Adams thinks that the Government would in any way fully co-operate (in a Truth Commission) he’s living in cloud-cuckoo land,” Ms Purvis commented.
“Why would they take part in anything that could, or might possibly, damage their standing in the war against terror?” she asked.
The Stormont politician believes Gerry Adams has already calculated the likely responses.
“Sinn Fein have weighed up and measured the responses that they are going to get to any call for a Truth Commission and that is outright opposition from unionism?Therefore Sinn Fein know that the chances of having a Truth Commission in Northern Ireland are pretty remote.
“So why not call for one anyway and be seen to be doing the right thing for ‘your own community’,” the PUP leader commented.
She also has questions for the IRA.
“Given their reluctance to meet with the Consultative Group on the Past, given their inability or incapacity to help the families of the disappeared, what is the likelihood of the IRA or Gerry Adams fully co-operating?” she asked.
The recommendations from the Eames-Bradley Consultative Group will be delivered to the Secretary of State and will then have to be considered in a wider political and community debate.
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I believe in the concept of a Truth Commission, however, in reality as Dawn Purvis says given the IRA's past experience e.g.. "families of the disappeared", I don't think Gerry Adams and co would be fully committed to the Truth Commission. He is playing political word games. It wouldn't be in the interests of the present day Sinn Féin. Who portray themselves as the soft, poor me, face of republicanism, to be seen by their new young voters( who never experienced the raw face of the IRA) the atrocities they committed over the last 30 years.
Posted by Lenny Deans | 28.09.08, 23:00 GMT