Eames/Bradley proposal gets a negative response
January 27, 2009
There has been a general negative reaction to the Eames/ Bradley proposal which was indicated at the weekend and which proposed a one-off payment of £12,000 to the families of those killed during the troubles, irrespective of the circumstances of their deaths.
A spokesperson for Relatives for Justice said that no price nor premium could be put on truth and justice and that families did not want such financial compensation but rather the truth of what happened.
Willie Frazer of FAIR described the proposal as “blood money”, saying it was immoral and impractical that two men with a religious background should place their names to such a course of action.
“Our hands have not and will not be stained by the blood of our loved ones and we will not be taking their blood money”.
The Ulster Unionist Party reacted with “anger and disbelief” at the proposal stating that there could never be equivalence drawn “between those who set out to murder and maim or were part of terrorist organisations, and those who suffered at their hands.”
Spokesman Kenny Donaldson said that innocent victims were being re-traumatised “by the very thought that their loved ones lives could be treated on a par with the fascists who murdered them”.
But Eugene Reavey said he would wait until the position was announced on Wednesday next before giving his full reaction. But he said that the thirty year fight for justice, truth and closure regarding the death of his three brothers in 1976 could not be addressed by such measures.
If the £12,000 compensation package is multiplied by the estimated 3,500 people who were killed throughout the troubles, this comes to £42m. It was pointed out by many that this amounts to a small fraction of the legal bill for ongoing inquiries. In fact, the total sum awarded to the families of those killed on Bloody Sunday will amount to £156,000, while the Saville Inquiry into their deaths is almost £300,000,000. So far, no ultimate conclusion has been reached in these cases and the verdict into Bloody Sunday has been postponed for another year.
