Today the Justice Minister David Ford announced just under £500K for the RUC Museum. Previously the RUC Museum received £5.5 Million of public money directly from the British Treasury. Speaking after today’s news Relatives for Justice issued the following statement.
“The RUC are perfectly entitled to commemorate and host within a museum the record of their past from formation until it was replaced as a key part of securing peace.
“However, the use of public finances for this purpose by the Minister for Justice places certain conditions that must therefore include the excesses and human rights violations that also formed part of that history.
“This is particularly the case for those families bereaved and people seriously injured by RUC actions.
“We cannot permit a situation where public finances are used to facilitate a sanitised and revised history of the RUC. That would be wrong and contrary to the ethics and guidelines concerning the use of public finances.
“Where public finances are used there is a duty to ensure that equality and fairness underpin the outcomes of such resources and where the public and future generations have an inclusive and balanced history of the RUC.
“Public money must carry such conditions otherwise the funds should be privately secured.
“Relatives for Justice will write to the Minister and the Justice Committee.” ENDS
