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UHRW launched a two week mini-campaign in the Newsletter today, to highlight the failure to deliver the Victim’s Payment Scheme – 30 days on and still no progress on victims’ pensions

There is something disdainful and hurtful about the way innocent victims of terrorism are being treated.

They had expected the Victims’ Payment Scheme to be open for applications on 29^th May, but thirty days later, there are still no significant signs of any progress being made. This is a shameful state of affairs.

The legislation giving the scheme the ‘green light’ was passed six months ago. Not surprisingly, victims of terrorism collectively greeted the development with a great sigh of relief. They felt that at long last, they would get some financial relief for what they’d suffered at the hands of the evil people who planted bombs and murdered and maimed.

Their gentle optimism was short lived. Not only had the Executive Office failed to designate a Northern Ireland Department to manage the scheme, but there was what appeared to be disagreement over who should qualify for payments of between £2,000 and £10,000 per annum, although this had already been settled in the approved legislation.

Victims’ hopes evaporated as they once again became pawns in an unseemly political squabble. One step forward, two steps back was the order of the day. Naturally, their reaction encompassed feelings of disappointment, abandonment and great and justifiable anger.

This financial help would be a lifeline for hundreds of hapless victims. Many struggle to make ends meet and understand only too well what it is like to balance tight household budgets week in, week out. They know what the word ‘hardship’ means, and the certainty and dependability of a pension would provide welcome relief.

These are people of all ages who carry with them a range of appalling physical injuries from the loss of a hand or leg to debilitating paralysis which has cruelly consigned them to life in a wheelchair.

Of course, many have a range of life-long psychological ‘scars’ such as PTSD from their brush with death or what they witnessed. To them, as to us, paying compensation to those who were injured ‘by their own hand’ as they tried to commit murder would be a bridge too far.

The Government agreed. The crux of the matter is that this scheme passed into legislation at Westminster. The intention was that it would be administered by a nominated department at Stormont. Ministers insisted that £100 million which was part of the wider legacy allocation from London had already been made.

Under mounting pressure last week, it was reported but not confirmed that the Executive earmarked £2.5 million for the administration of the scheme, but other key parts of the management and operation of it, along with a start date, remain unresolved.

There seems to be only one way to end this logjam. Westminster approved what is a UK-wide scheme, so it is not unreasonable for a national department to administer it. That would take it out of the hands of the Northern Ireland Executive, which seems incapable of putting an end to what amounts to a row over the definition of a victim.

This would draw a line under this most unhappy episode which confers no credit to our political parties. We want to see action by the Government that brings the day closer when our victims of terrorism can look forward with certainty and confidence to receiving what is rightfully theirs.

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The announcement on 21 May 2020 that the Victims’ Compensation Scheme was to be delayed was a severe blow to innocent victims.

Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) has asked The Executive Office why the Scheme was not introduced.

UHRW Advocacy Manager, Axel Schmidt said: “The hopes of those who have suffered endlessly were once again dashed as the news came that the long-awaited scheme was not only delayed but that no system for dealing with applications appears to have been put in place. Indeed, it seems that little or no preparatory work has been undertaken at all.

“Innocent victims are once again pawns in a grubby, political dispute. It is time that the NI Executive and the Government sort the issue out once and for all.

“Many victims are in urgent need of financial assistance as a result of the impact of terrorist attacks. While the powers seem to think delay after delay is acceptable, victims have suffered enough. They need action now.”

“Victims of terrorism need clarification on why the scheme has been delayed – is it a funding issue or are there other reasons that we are not hearing about?”

There’s a callous indifference about the way innocent victims have been left high and dry over the Compensation Scheme that was due to go ‘live’ at the end of the month.

The confirmation that the long-awaited scheme would be delayed was devastating news. Compensation applications were eagerly awaited. Many innocent victims are struggling with money worries and were looking forward to some financial relief.

Ulster Human Rights Watch (UHRW) has had mounting concern about the state of readiness of the Victims and Survivors Unit in the Executive Office at Stormont.

We emailed the Unit on the 18^th May asking for details of a website address for the scheme and an email address and telephone number which victims could use if they had questions and needed assistance.

The reply arrived in my Inbox on Friday, 22^nd. It stated: “Discussions are ongoing with Ministers about arrangements for the Scheme.  We are therefore not yet in a position to provide the information you have requested. We will hold your request and provide you with the information once available.”

So, unbelievable as it may seem, seven days from the planned start of the much-vaunted aid package, glaring deficiencies in the operation and management of the scheme were exposed.

Little or no preparatory work seems to have been done since the Scheme was announced late last year and the legislation passed at the end of January. The ‘architecture’ needed to support the day-to-day operation of the scheme doesn’t appear to have progressed beyond the rough sketch stage.

This whole sorry episode has descended into unseemly political squabbling. The blame game has taken centre-stage with victims once again collateral damage.

The Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis MP, has made it abundantly clear that the £100 million needed to fund the compensation initiative was agreed as part of the Block Grant budget allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive. The First Minister, Arlene Foster MLA, said the scheme was unaffordable without extra Government funding.

The upshot of this spat is that thousands of victims are feeling disrespected and marginalised. Once again, they have been made into a political football between Stormont and Westminster and are naturally very angry. They view what is happening as a shocking inability to simply do what’s right.

The issue throws up several questions that deserve honest answers.

Why was it left so late in the day to postpone the scheme?

Who took the decision to delay its implementation?

Third, why was the groundwork needed to make the scheme operational from 29^th May not completed? Was it even started?

What is Sinn Fein’s attitude to the dispute over funding?

Why weren’t steps taken to resolve the funding quarrel long before May?

Couldn’t the dispute have been dealt with before the Coronavirus lockdown in March?

Has Mr Lewis got the necessary paperwork to support his view that £100 million was part of the Northern Ireland allocation from the Exchequer?

Are disagreements between unionist and republican Ministers over who should qualify for compensation a factor in this delay?

Has the Secretary of State issued guidance to the victims’ payments Board regarding circumstances in which a relevant conviction or exceptional circumstances make entitlement to victim’s payment inappropriate?

When will the postponed scheme become operational?

There are two irreconcilable views out there. Which of the two narratives is accurate and correct? It’s time for clarity and some transparency.

Since the introduction of legislation in January, after many false dawns, victims allowed themselves to believe that the finishing line was finally in sight. They were poised to get what they should have been entitled to years ago.

Compensation of between £2,000 and £10,000 a-year would have a significant positive impact on the lives of people injured physically or psychologically by terrorist actions. Their lives were utterly changed when bombers and gunmen carried out their murderous campaigns.

The scheme would not only give much-needed financial help, but it would also afford recognition and acknowledgement to their plight. It’s time to end the political he-said, she-said squabbling and get this Compensation Scheme back on track.

Today, they have been disappointed in a cold and heartless manner. The sooner this great wrong is remedied, and an apology delivered, the sooner innocent victims will get on with making life that little bit more bearable.