>> Andersonstown News, January 29, 2009
The Consultative Group on the Past, set up by the British government and chaired by Lord Robin Eames
and Denis Bradley, have announced their proposals on Wednesday, January 28, 2009. The public discussion
focuses on a proposal to give £12,000 to each of the the families of victims of the Troubles. The
other proposals of the group have to be discussed yet.
Mural in Ballymurphy, August 2008
Families of the Ballymurphy massacre victims campaign for the truth:
"In August 1971
Belfast
11 unarmed civilians shot dead
by British soldiers
No excuses. No reasons. No apologies"
THE SON of a man cut down by the British army in the Ballymurphy massacre has rejected as “an insult” a
controversial plan to pay £12,000 to the families of all those killed in the Troubles.
Paul Teggart’s father Danny was shot 14 times when the Parachute Regiment ran amok in Ballymurphy in
August 1971, killing 11 innocent people over the course of three days.
“I would class the £12,000 as an insult to the memory of our loved ones. There is no price you can put
on someone's life,” Paul said yesterday.
“Money has never been part of our campaign, our campaign is for truth and justice and the acknowledgment
that our victims were innocent people. Compensation has never been an issue to us and this offer is an
insult.”
Victims’ group Relatives for Justice says that too much focus has been placed on the idea of cash
payments by the Consultative Group on the Past.
“As we collectively attempt to find an agreed way forward in terms of a truth recovery process, the
singular focus on the money is not helpful to achieving that aim,” said RFJ’s Mark Thompson.
