Mr. Raymond McCord:

I will make a statement on behalf of the Truth and Justice Movement. Our cross-community victims' group has achieved political unity among all the major political parties in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. They have all signed our document, pledging support and rejecting the amnesty proposals of the British Government. On top of that, at a meeting in Westminster attended by every major party from the House of Commons and House of Lords, except the Conservatives, we were able again to have unity in that every party supported us and signed our document rejecting the amnesty proposals. History was made in Belfast City Hall last August, with all the major political parties from both sides of the Border signing our document, which is the only document in the history of the island of Ireland to be signed by all the major parties.

Our small group of cross-community victims has been able to get all those political parties to agree on one major issue, that is, rejecting the amnesty proposals of the British Government. We held a cross-community victims' event in Queen's University Belfast in November 2021 which was also supported by the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, NIPSA, which is officially supporting us, and Fr. Sean McManus of the Irish National Caucus, INC, Washington. The president of NIPSA, Brian Smyth, spoke at the event, as did Fr. McManus, who did so by Zoom. The Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Daly, was also a guest speaker.

We are totally non-sectarian and non-political. We engage in victims' issues and promote victim-led events. Successful meetings with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, have taken place recently. We also ask the committee to hear our concerns on the Good Friday Agreement, which has not worked for victims. We do not oppose the agreement and do not support calls for it to be scrapped. However, facts show we, as victims, have been left behind. Truth and justice for victims does not seem to be part of the agreement. Prisoners who committed thousands of murders and other serious crimes were released to appease the paramilitaries and political parties without consideration of the victims and their families. We were not first or second on the list of bringing peace - we were, and still are, last. Broken promises mean broken hearts.

Funding and cross-community and cross-Border initiatives need to be looked at urgently. Within the unionist community, which I am from, the idea of buying paramilitaries off was a failure from the start, as they are still here. Money going into the communities should be made public and accountable. It is being abused with providers turning a blind eye. Most victims do not belong to any victims' group and yet we have certain victims groups' spokespersons claiming to represent victims and their own narrative of victims. Integration, like power sharing, should be a priority to help destroy sectarianism and sectarian politics.

There has been a lack of political leadership in Northern Ireland in regard to the agreement. Amnesty proposals were not part of the agreement, despite secret amnesties being handed out. Power sharing is also being abused with the petition of concern. Political parties in Northern Ireland have made the agreement about themselves instead of the victims and all political opinions. They are like spoilt kids if they do not get their own way. If victims' groups and individuals have the same narrative as a political party, they are supported. If not, they are shunned or no true support is given. The protocol and the agreement, like victims' issues, have developed into orange and green speeches and opinions instead of dialogue, equality and truth; not rants spewed at rallies to gain votes and undemocratic change with instability. No one wants to go back to the days of the Troubles. A suggestion would be to have a victim-led, victim-centred process on victims' issues with no links to paramilitaries or political parties. Political parties should not dictate victims' issues. Instead, they should take their lead from victims.

As we have a form of on-off power-sharing in Northern Ireland, surely both communities should also be represented in the Irish Senate. No one except the guilty should be frightened of the truth, be it on truth and justice issues, cross community initiatives, or politics. I thank the committee.