The UK Government has today launched a new digital video series
titled The Troubles: Living with the Legacy
aimed at putting the voices of victims, survivors, and key
community stakeholders across the United Kingdom at the centre of
Government.
The new series, which will be shared on social media, underlines
the rationale behind government efforts to deliver meaningful
truth, accountability and reconciliation for all affected
families.
It comes as the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill returns to the
House of Commons. Aimed at addressing legacy issues, the
Bill will help all of those affected, including those who served
bravely to protect law and order, to find answers about what
happened to their loved ones.
The campaign draws directly on the lived experience of victims
and service personnel, their search for answers on what happened
to their loved ones and colleagues and the path forward towards
reconciliation.
Speaking on truth and accountability, Pat Molloy,
said:
This is 30 years anniversary of my son's murder. It's important
to me and my family that we get truth and honesty.
On the nationwide impact across the United Kingdom, Mo
Norton, said:
Whilst a lot of us have moved on, we haven't had truth or
justice.
Speaking to the service, duty, and protection of future
generations, Northern Ireland veteran, David Crabbe,
said:
I served for 30 years in uniform. I can't un-live what I lived
through, but I can try to ensure that we don't make mistakes that
we made in the past. We really can't afford to push it further
down the line to subject future generations to uncertainty.
Dr Sandra Peake, Chief Executive at WAVE Trauma Centre
said,
We need to deal with the legacy of the troubles. It's the
unfinished business of the peace process. And we need to be able
to release families from the past. And to do that, we need to
have a process that fully meets their needs and this needs to
happen now.
Commissioner for Victims and Survivors, Joe McVey
said,
Victims are not a homogeneous group. So it's very important to
respect that families will want different things - and the
purpose of this legislation is to try and address all those
needs.
In the video, Kenny Donaldson from SEFF said,
Troubles were no respecter of borders - Great Britain, the
Republic of Ireland, people hurting quietly up and down the
length and breadth of Great Britain.
Featuring in the video is Northern Ireland actor Jimmy
Nesbitt who is a patron for WAVE Trauma Centre. Jimmy
said:
When people say to me that people need to move on. My answer
always is no one has moved on more than victims and survivors.
They're not living in the past. They are living with the past.
And if it's not resolved in legacy, that trauma will pass on to
the next generation.
The three-part digital series highlights the diverse perspectives
of those directly impacted by conflict-related incidents:
- Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Introduction video
sets out the UK Government's core commitment to addressing legacy
issues transparently, placing victims at the centre of the policy
framework.
- The Victims' Experience: Features powerful, personal
testimonies from survivors and bereaved family members across
Northern Ireland and Great Britain who share their experiences,
the toll of decades of waiting, and their hope for truth and
honesty.
- Stakeholder and Community Voices: Gathers insights from
prominent advocates, victim sector leaders, and community
representatives. These include Jimmy Nesbitt, Sandra Peake, Joe
McVey, and Kenny Donaldson and it looks at the long-term
impact that unresolved trauma has on families across the UK and
Ireland.
The campaign was built with the support of WAVE Trauma Centre,
the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors and SEFF.
