The Troubles and truth recovery process - Letter published in Irish Independent and Irish Times on January 24th, 2023

The Troubles and truth recovery process - Response to statements made by Archbishop Eamon Martin and other Church leaders in Northern Ireland at the InterChurch Service in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023, to mark the Centenary of the first meeting of the Irish Council of Churches . (see other entries below)

 Sir, – The suggestion by Archbishop Eamon Martin that Ireland’s religious denominations could assist in setting up a Troubles truth recovery process is very welcome (News, January 23rd).

As he says, “Peace, reconciliation and forgiveness on this island will only be progressed by bringing to light the truths that remain hidden and festering about our troubled past, and by engaging in respectful conversations across our communities about what we mean by a shared future”.

In advocating a truth recovery process based on a mediation process under judicial oversight by both British and Irish governments, we are proposing an alternative for victims and survivors, for former combatants and for society at large to the criminal justice system. We believe that such a process can also supplement the work of the courts and lead to further information being uncovered in cases already processed that will deepen our understanding of the Troubles and what is needed to achieve reconciliation.

Achieving an outcome to a trial and declaring the case “closed”, whatever the result, is a totally inadequate means of dealing with what happened and the consequences for all concerned. The individuals affected and society at large are left with a vacuum that is often filled with superficial and inappropriate social media forums.

Despite their travails, the churches still provide an unrivalled social network and facilities to discuss the issues involved in a non-judgmental way.

It is very appropriate that Archbishop Martin chose an inter-community service at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast to mark the centenary of the first meeting of the Irish Council of Churches for this initiative. And let us not forget that it was outside another church, St Patrick’s in May 2015, when Martin McGuinness met Prince Charles that the Sinn Féin leader called on politicians to show leadership in achieving reconciliation.

The fact that the leaders of so many churches, including Archbishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland primate; the Presbyterian moderator, the Right Rev Dr John Kirkpatrick; and the Methodist president, the Rev David Nixon, were present, and that there were so many positive responses to Archbishop Martin’s proposal from other senior religious leaders is a hopeful sign that this badly needed initiative may succeed where others have failed.– Yours, etc,

HARRY DONAGHY, Northern Chair;

JOHN GREEN, Southern Chair;

PADRAIG YEATES, Secretary,

Truth Recovery Process,