Dealing with the Past to Build a Just and Peaceful Future: Promise and Challenges of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland

Date:

Thu, 03/13/2014 - 9:30 AM

Location:

2255 Rayburn House Office Building

Announcement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a briefing on the promise and challenges of post-conflict transitional justice and reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland.

This briefing will feature representatives of several prominent NGOs from Northern Ireland, who will provide a critical analysis of the existing mechanisms for dealing with Northern Ireland’s conflict laden past. Specifically, the panelists will offer an update on accountability for human rights abuses committed during the three decades of political violence, assess progress toward peace made in sixteen years since the Good Friday Agreement and outline gaps in victims' access to truth, justice, and support. The panelists will also discuss a comprehensive approach to addressing Northern Ireland’s past in the context of the recent inter-party political talks, chaired by former U.S. diplomat and now the President of the Council on Foreign Relations, Richard Haass.

If you have any questions, please contact the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at 202-225-3599 or tlhrc@mail.house.gov.

Hosted by:

James P. McGovern
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Frank R. Wolf
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Witnesses

Opening Remarks

Rep. James P. McGovern, Co-Chair, TLHRC
Written remarks

Panelists

Alice Wyss, Researcher, European Union Team, Amnesty International
Brian Gormally, Director, Committee on the Administration of Justice; member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Consortium
Sean Pender, Relatives for Justice, USA advisory board; State President for the New Jersey Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH); Member of the National Board of the AOH
Anne Cadwallader, Caseworker, Pat Finucane Centre, author of the 2013 book "Lethal Allies: British collusion in Ireland"

Moderator

Dr. Leah Wing, Dispute Resolution Faculty, Legal Studies/Political Science Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Member, Healing Through Remembering, Belfast

Bios

Meeting Documents

Video

Accessibility

The Commission seeks to make its events, meetings and hearings accessible to persons with disabilities.

If you are in need of special accommodations, please call (202) 225-3599 at least four business days in advance.

Questions with regard to special accommodations in general (including availability of Commission materials in alternative formats and assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc.) may be directed to the Commission.