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Troubles group is to hold meeting Troubles 'war statement' mooted
(about 13 hours later)
Public meetings are to be held by the group set up to deal with the legacy of the Troubles. The group set up to look at how best to deal with the legacy of the Troubles may ask the government to formally say it fought a war against the IRA.
The Consultative Group on the Past will hold the first of seven meetings in Belfast on Monday evening. The Consultative Group on the Past will hold the first of seven public meetings in Belfast on Monday evening.
These will be followed by other meetings in Londonderry, Bangor, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Armagh and Omagh over the coming weeks. The group, co-chaired by Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, is due to publish a report this summer.
Its co-chairs are former Archbishop of Armagh, Lord Eames, and Denis Bradley, ex-vice chair of the Policing Board. Sources have said it may ask the government to say the period known as the Troubles was in fact a war.
This would be seen as highly controversial.
Throughout the Troubles successive governments and the security forces said they were dealing with criminal activity and a breakdown of law and order in Northern Ireland.
Republican and loyalist paramilitaries claimed they were fighting a war.
If the government was to say it was a war, it could enable it to grant a form of amnesty to former paramilitaries willing to provide details of their activities as part of a truth recovery process.
The report could also recommend that all groups involved in the violence should apologise for their role and consider signing an agreement that they will never again use violence for political ends.
Meetings
The group's first public meeting will be followed by others in Londonderry, Bangor, Ballymena, Enniskillen, Armagh and Omagh over the coming weeks.
Mr Bradley said the meetings were an important part of the consultation process.Mr Bradley said the meetings were an important part of the consultation process.
"Since beginning our consultation in September we have met with a range of groups and individuals to listen to their views on how we can deal with our troubled past," he said."Since beginning our consultation in September we have met with a range of groups and individuals to listen to their views on how we can deal with our troubled past," he said.
"We have also learned of the good work that has already taken place on this issue and we are determined to build upon that.""We have also learned of the good work that has already taken place on this issue and we are determined to build upon that."
The independent group was set up by former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain.The independent group was set up by former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain.
Its aim is to provide a platform for people to express their opinions on how to deal with the trauma caused by the Troubles.Its aim is to provide a platform for people to express their opinions on how to deal with the trauma caused by the Troubles.