S424 The Haass Proposed Agreement on dealing with the past: analysis from a human rights perspective.
S424-Haass-CAJ-response-in-relation-to-Dealing-with-the-Past-January-2014
In general, CAJ regards this section of the Proposed Agreement as a careful, sensitive and sensible contribution to the debate on dealing with the past. We also believe that, subject to a number of caveats, it could be compliant with human rights standards.
The Introduction to this section stresses the practical importance of engaging with this issue. It says: “…the past continues to permeate our government, institutions and people. It creates mistrust among leaders at all levels of society … it maintains the gulf between neighbours who pass each other in the street or in the shops.” The document also stresses that “Northern Ireland does not have the luxury of putting off this difficult, but potentially transformative, task any longer.”
