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Every year since the Madrid bombings in 2004 a Memorial Day to the victims of terrorist attacks has been observed. Since 2012 I have hosted an event to mark the day at Parliament Buildings. It has been highly successful with a large number of victims attending from across the Province. This year’s event sadly cannot take place in person due to the pandemic but we will be running an online event which can be accessed on Facebook via this link https://fb.me/e/1XU8Jf2XO on 11^th March 2021. Streaming will start shortly before 11am. You will also be able to view it via the Jim Allister Facebook page.

The event will take the form of a minute of silence in memory of murdered victims, followed by some victims telling their stories so that the wider community might hear some of the untold accounts of the consequences of terrorism, both republican and loyalist.

I am thankful to the South East Fermanagh Foundation and Ulster Human Rights Watch for their help in assisting with the planning of this event.

I believe that anyone who was in attendance on previous years will agree that this was a worthwhile event. While 2021 must of necessity be different I look forward to welcoming you virtually.

Yours faithfully,

Jim Allister

Ulster Human Rights Watch is appealing to the Northern Ireland Executive and the Secretary of State to end the stand-off over who pays for the long-delayed Victims’ Pension Scheme.

Both sides meet today and UHRW says it hopes they will agree a path that will see payments being made to innocent victims of terrorism.

UHRW Advocacy Manager, Axel Schmidt, said: “This scheme should have been in operation since May last year and it is a shocking state of affairs that victims of terrorism are still waiting for what they are entitled to.

“To innocent victims, many of whom have life-changing conditions inflicted by terrorists, it matters little whether the pension is paid by Belfast or London. Many are in financial need and this scheme represents a badly needed lifeline.

“Our appeal to the Executive Ministers and the Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis MP as they sit down today is to leave no stone unturned in their search for a satisfactory outcome.

“Victims of terrorism are not political pawns and shouldn’t be treated like this. They deserve decency and acknowledgement that they have suffered enough. It’s up to our politicians to sort out who has responsibility for funding what is, after all, a national scheme.

“Victims have seen false dawns before and we must now hope that the posturing is over and agreement finally reached to ensure the scheme is effectively implemented.”

On behalf of the relatives of those who perished and were seriously injured in the La Mon Hotel terrorist atrocity forty-three years ago, a bouquet of flowers was laid at the La Mon Commemorative Seat at the Island Civic Centre in Lisburn on Wednesday 17 February 2021.

Due to the on-going restrictions as a result of COVID-19, no commemoration service was held, but the victims were remembered this year as every other year.

It is important to remember the victims and to acknowledge the pain and anguish that is still felt today and has been heightened because of present circumstances.