Naomi Long MP said: “Whilst today the focus is, quite rightly, on the specific case of Rosemary Nelson and our immediate thoughts are with her family and friends, I am also mindful of the many hundreds of victims and survivors for whom, with each passing day, the prospect not only of justice, but of even recovering the truth of what happened to their loved ones becomes increasingly remote.
“We have come a long way as a community. The Queen’s visit to Ireland last week powerfully demonstrated that progress; however, it also highlighted the long shadow which the past can cast into the future and the need to address those issues if reconciliation is to be meaningful and lasting.
“Other conflicts around the world have taught us that these issues need to be addressed in an inclusive and comprehensive way both for the sake of the individuals concerned and for the good of wider society, so that the more prosperous, hopeful and shared future for which we are working can be built on stable foundations.
“I hope that the Secretary of State will take the opportunity presented today to commit to taking this forward in the weeks and months ahead and ensure that the suffering and the courage of victims and survivors from right across our community are recognised.”
ENDS