27th November 1998

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A clinical psychologist from South Africa who has worked with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa has called for all sides in Northern Ireland to address truthfully the province's violent past.

Brandon Hamber, the Tip O'Neill Fellow at INCORE, is to give a public address entitled, 'Living with Peace (and Violence): Comparisons between South Africa and Northern Ireland' at Magee College in Londonderry/Derry.

Mr Hamber is employed at the Centre for Study of Violence and Reconciliation in Johannesburg and co-ordinates its work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

During his Fellowship he has done comparative research and policy work on South Africa and Northern Ireland.

He says:

"Northern Ireland will not be able to escape the debate about how to deal with its violent past. Equally the plight of and demands of victims of state violence and otherwise will not simply be swept under the carpet through providing adequate counselling support and compensation."

Speaking on the comparisons between Northern Ireland and South Africa, Mr Hamber goes on:

"The Peace processes in South Africa and Northern Ireland are both about balancing social and political change while maintaining stability and non-violence. In South Africa, unlike Northern Ireland, the outcome was always going to be a complete transfer of power. In Northern Ireland the process is about achieving peaceful

accommodation and power sharing at least in the short term. There does not seem to be a shared final outcome of the Good Friday Agreement at this stage whereas in South Africa once negotiations began the outcome was inevitably going to be majority rule."

Speaking on the potential role of a Truth Commission in Northern Ireland he says:

"After the Good Friday Agreement it is clear there is no consensus on the need to uncover the past. The debate should not be whether Northern Ireland should have a South African style truth commission or not, but rather, what home grown strategy should be considered for dealing with the past. This is a task that society here will have to face."

"In Northern Ireland the forces are evenly weighted and all sides are opting to leave their truths hidden for now. Most political players demand truth from those they perceive as the other side or sides, but seem unwilling to offer the truth from their side, or acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions. This is mostly due to fear that such acknowledgement (public or otherwise) will weaken their position as parties vie for power in the new dispensation and that the truth may be used against them within the context of the fragile piece that prevails."

He has been the latest Tip O'Neill Fellow - part of the programme of Peace Studies which was inaugurated by President Clinton during his visit to Northern Ireland in 1995 and funded by the Ireland Funds.

Gillian Robinson is Research Director at INCORE - the joint University of Ulster/ United Nations University programme to study international conflict resolution - based at Magee College:

"Brandon has taken the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people concerned with the Northern Ireland issue in his time with us and his ability to relate this to the South African experience has been invaluable."

Mr Hamber has edited the book: "Past Imperfect: Dealing with the Past, Reconciliation Processes and Peace Building," which will be launched at Magee College.

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Press Office Department of Communication and Development
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