There has been much coverage on Agreement 25, the recent conference held at Queen’s University to mark the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, the treaty which largely ended 30 years of violent conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. Across the three days of the conference, panelists and attendees were invited to reflect on the achievements, legacies, and implications of the Agreement.

Within Agreement 25, two events were dedicated to Victims of The Troubles. One was a panel held on day two with members of The Victims and Survivors Forum, and the other was a collaborative event I helped bring to Queen's: a film viewing of 'The Victim's Stories' and discussion with survivors featured in the film. The film, which highlights stories of Victims who cross sectarian lines to tell their stories together, has been shown at the UK, Irish, and EU parliament buildings.

‘The Victim’s Stories’ features 8 people who lost family members to violence from the British Army and both Republican and Unionist paramilitaries, including in the Omagh bombing, the Ballymurphy massacre, and Bloody Sunday. Raymond McCord, prominent Victim’s rights campaigner and spokesperson for the film, has worked tirelessly to get answers about the 1997 murder of his son, Raymond Jr. Despite being from an Ulster Protestant family and having served in the Royal Air Force, Raymond Jr. was killed by a loyalist paramilitary group. Since, investigative reports by the Police Ombudsman have confirmed that the investigation into Raymond Jr.’s murder was mishandled in order to protect police informants. Those featured in ‘The Victim’s Stories’ continue to campaign for perpetrators of violence to be held accountable for their actions.

The Victims in the film demand the abandonment of the British government’s Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, which would effectively grant amnesty to former soldiers and others involved in the conflict. McCord presented a framed document signed by all political parties in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland opposing the Legacy and Reconciliation Bill to a senior Conservative MP who attended the film viewing. At another point in the conference, McCord presented a framed version of the document to Chancellor of Queen’s University, Secretary Hillary Clinton, who expressed support for McCord’s cause while serving as US Secretary of State. Earlier in the conference, Dr. Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and former Chief Commissioner of the NI Human Rights Commission noted that opposition to the UK’s Legacy and Reconciliation Bill has “united all parties” in the North, which “doesn’t happen often.”*

Watching ‘The Victim’s Stories’ and hearing from those featured in the film in-person was incredibly moving and eye-opening. I was struck by the way the Victims crossed community divides to support one another through their shared experiences of grief, pain, and search for recognition from the state. McCord’s point that, “Victims do not have a political or sectarian agenda in their pursuit of truth and justice”** shone through at this event. It was heartening to see over 100 people in attendance, including a school group from Derry/Londonderry. Despite continuous challenges to their search for recognition, the Victims show that the legacy of The Troubles doesn’t have to be one of continued hatred and division, but can be one of shared compassion in a society that values truth and justice for all impacted by the tragedies and legacy of The Troubles.

Victims are telling their stories. Are they being heard?

* Power, Jack. (18 April 2023). “Belfast Agreement Conference: Politicians in Northern Ireland ‘Took Risks,’ says Blair - as it happened.” Irish Times.

** McCurry, Kate. (27 September 2022). “Irish Politician to attend screening of film about Troubles killings.” Irish Mirror.

 

Mollie's research interests include grassroots peacebuilding, youth, peace, and security, and cross-cultural exchange as a tool for local and global transformation. Hailing from North Carolina, Mollie enjoys dance, art, and spending time outdoors, preferably by the mountains or the sea.

‘The Victim’s Stories’ was produced by Mobile Media and The Truth and Justice Movement.