October human rights conference
A major conference to highlight the issue of state violence is to be held on 16 October in County Tyrone.
Organised under the umbrella of Relatives for Justice (RfJ), the all-day conference, titled State Violence - State the Truth, will give the relatives of people killed by the state during the conflict, ``the chance to talk about their experience'', said Mark Thompson of RfJ.
Thompson explained that the conference is designed to allow people to explore their experiences and to use that in a positive way because at the minute the whole issue of ``victims/survivors'' is being used negatively in so far as a lot people in the media, politicians and in some `victims' groups have tried to establish a hierarchy of victims.
``Some people think there are deserving and undeserving `victims', that some people who have been killed are innocent while others are not. We think that is wrong and want to use the conference as a means of moving from a conflict situation into the new political dispensation.''
Thompson added that for relatives, ``the issue of disclosure is important to this process of change; we want to know the truth, we want to know what happened to our loved ones, not because we want revenge but because there is a need to move on and this may help.
``It is important that the state in particular acknowledges that it has inflicted injustices and admits its responsibility. We have met with representatives of the British government and asked them to accept their responsibility and we've asked them to stop talking about `terrorist' violence as if the state hasn't inflicted hurt but they continue to do so and even at the Labour Party conference when she announced a further £4 million for victims groups Mowlam talked about the victims of `terrorist' violence. It's as if our experience is less valuable than others.''
Up to ten rights groups, including the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign, the Loughgall Relatives, the Campaign against Plastic Bullets and those involved in the campaign for justice for those killed in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings are taking part in the conference, which has also invited speakers from England.
Doreen Lawrence and Imran Khan of the Stephen Lawrence Campaign will attend as will Brice Dickson of the newly formed Human Rights Commission, set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. Invites are also being sent to both governments.
yone wishing to attend the conference in the Glengannon Hotel, Dungannon, County Tyrone, should contact Relatives for Justice, 235a Falls Road, Belfast BT 12 4PE or Telephone 01232 220100.
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