Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Visit to South Africa
I am just back from a 10 day visit to South Africa. I was out working on a project entitled Reimagining Women’s Security in Societies in Transition, an exciting new project I am working on with others from Northern Ireland, South Africa and Lebanon. I also took some time to attend a Board meeting of the Khulumani Support Group. One of the main issues, of course, was the apartheid lawsuits. It really was a full visit, and apologies to all those I did not get to this time. .....
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Northern Ireland talks must address the past
MEDIA RELEASE - TALKS MUST ADDRESS THE PAST
Embargoed until 00.01 September 16th 2004
How we deal with the past must form part of the talks at Leeds Castle if we are serious about achieving long-term settlement.
This call comes from Healing Through Remembering (HTR), a diverse group of individuals who have spent three years developing a series of recommendations for how to come to terms with a conflictual past.
Speaking as the talks are set to begin, HTR’s Chairman Professor Roy McClelland said: “Achieving a political settlement is important and we welcome the start of today’s talks, but for any settlement to succeed we need to remember the past in a way that enables us to heal the wounds in our society. Without this, any long-term political settlement could be easily undermined.”
“There will be no ultimate peace until we have a clearer understanding of our shared past. Dealing with the past is a long-term process and there is certainly no quick solution that can be debated and agreed over four days of talks. This is a long, difficult and complex journey and there is a need for everyone sitting around the table to acknowledge the past in order to go forward”, added Professor McClelland.
By posing the question ‘How should we remember the events connected with the conflict in and about Northern Ireland’ the Healing Through Remembering project received a wide range of submissions from the general public, organisations and individuals. It has used these to develop a series of recommendations on how to move the process forward, which include
* Acknowledgement
* A Storytelling Process
* A Day of Reflection
* Permanent Living Memorial Museum
* A Network of Commemoration and Remembering Projects
A number of working groups are currently developing these recommendations into practical proposals.
“As a first step, we would call on those people representing our society within the talks at Leeds Castle to engage in a spirit of tolerance and respect and to be mindful that a failure to acknowledge the past will undermine any shared future. Everyone has a part to play in dealing with the memories of the past and there needs to be a willingness to take risks if we are to avoid further damage and move into a new future built on a shared acknowledgement of the past”, said Professor McClelland.
“Some will argue that drawing attention to the past will simply slow up the prospect of a political settlement”, added Professor McClelland, “however, we believe that coming to terms with the past is vital for moving forward and for any lasting peace”.
-ENDS-
For further information please contact:
Nicky Petrie, Pagoda PR: 07960 586654/ 028 9092 3468
or
Kate Turner, Healing Through Remembering: 028 9023 8844/07786 263083
E: info@healingthroughremembering.org
W: www.healingthroughremembering.org
Notes to editors:
1. The key task of the Healing Through Remembering Project, formally launched in October 2001, was “to identify and document possible mechanisms and realisable options for healing through remembering for those affected by the conflict in and about Northern Ireland”.
2. Since the publication of Healing Through Remembering’s report the organisation has been engaged in discussions with groups and individuals about the report and the detailed recommendations. Encouraged by the feedback from these meetings Healing Through Remembering is now taking the recommendations further.
3. Copies of the Report are available on line at www.healingthroughremembering.org or by contacting the office, tel 02890238844; fax 02890239944, e-mail: info@healingthroughremembering.org .....
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Human Rights, Gender Issues and Democracy in SADC
Thanks to Andie for pointing out the Human Rights, Gender Issues and Democracy in SADC site. It has been designed to act as a forum to document and disseminate information pertaining to Human Rights, Gender Issues and Democracy relevant to the 14 member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Very helpful and useful indicators included. .....
Thursday, September 09, 2004
The Impact of Trauma: A psychosocial approach
I have been meaning to put this up for a while, it is a copy of the keynote address I gave to the “A Shared Practice - Victims Work in Action Conference”, 7-8 April 2004, Radisson Roe Park Hotel, in Limavady, Northern Ireland. To read the paper online, click here. .....
Friday, September 03, 2004
Zim govt after 'mercenary' plane, cash and their boots
Today the Mail & Guardian reported, bringing a little smile to my face, that "the Zimbabwean government wants to keep the plane that flew the suspected mercenaries into Harare and the $200 000 the men had on them when they were arrested. It is also after their boots. The plane is valued at between $3-million and $5-million, but no valuation was immediately available for the mercenaries' boots". To read the article, click here. .....
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Apartheid-era graveyard found
News24 reported recently that an Apartheid-era graveyard has been found. The article
edited by Tisha Steyn read "The Scorpions confirmed reports that they had discovered a secret apartheid-era graveyard containing the remains of 18 members of Mkhonto We Sizwe (MK), SABC reported on Monday. The remains were believed to have been buried by security police in the former Bophuthatswana homeland in the mid 80s. Police investigators said some of the victims were believed to have been blown up while trying to set off land mines. Others appeared to have been burnt to death by means of "fake necklacing". Former Truth Reconciliation Commission commissioner Dumisa Ntsebeza said some of the dead MK members could have been victims who were mentioned during amnesty applications". .....
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