Jimmy Spratt tries to do what the IRA failed to do!

It has been brought to our attention that in a Stormont Committee on victims issues Jimmy Spratt of the DUP launched an unwarranted and untrue attack upon the innocent victims groups and upon FAIR in particular. Consulting Hansard we see his attack in which he called victims’ workers fat cats; while he may be right about people growing fat over the last number of years he forgot to mention where these fat cats really sit. In his display of ignorance about the victims sector he talks about groups getting millions. Perhaps he knows of such groups but we are clear that Core Funding over which Stormont has control has effectively been frozen for over seven years.

ATTACKS on the PSNI in Craigavon at the weekend were deliberate attempts to kill or injure, a senior police officer said last night.

However the biggest insult in his litany of abuse is he alleges that nothing has been done for the victims on the ground. This is an outright and outrageous lie, and we demand that he publically apologises. When he claims that money does not reach victims I would again remind him that aside from the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund there are no other sources of direct funding for victims despite our calls. I would agree that the policies in place are utterly wrong but it is the OFDFM which put them there in the first place.

It is quite evident that Mr Spratt is making a cowardly side swipe at FAIR as he talks about groups taking out newspaper advertising space. If he has a problem with us then he should be man enough to meet us and outline it, indeed we publically challenge him to a debate on victims’ issues and who has done more for victims. Our public record is clear, and our accounts are open we have no problem outlining to anyone what we do and where we get what little funds we do. As a group of our size and with our membership we are underfunded to the point that staff and especially our Director has had to pay for things out of their own pockets. We don’t give baskets of fruit we provide everything from hampers of food to the very cookers to cook it on. Perhaps he is unaware of the concept of a voluntary group and what that entails in donating time money and skills to be benefit of victims. We achieve much with very little – none of which was given by Jimmy Spratt and those like him. This is s slanderous attack and one motivated by political reasons.

We can outline evidence for the work we have done, we can produce thousands of victims who we have helped and who support our work, can he do the same? We will not be letting that personal attack on our staff and in particular our Director William Frazer rest. They and Willie in particular work tirelessly above and beyond the call of duty and are never off call. Money would not pay them for the work they do and the dedication they show. We only wish our elected representatives worked half as hard to further our interests.

Speaking at a meeting of outraged victims William Frazer said “This personal slanderous attack is not only against me and against FAIR but against all innocent victims who speak from their hearts. When I speak, I speak for thousands of victims who are often angry and disappointed, we have a right to voice our opinion, and this right was bought by the sacrifice of our loved ones and ourselves. It was bought in blood and we are entitled to spend our own money on advertising or literature or any means to express that opinion. I challenge Mr Spratt to a public debate on what victims groups have received and what they have not received, what they have done for ordinary victims and what they have not. We have the proof that shows him a liar and if he does not apologise we will publically expose him as such. I will take the victims whom he has slandered to his office, to Stormont or wherever to confront him. Sinn Fein/IRA have not silenced us in almost four decades and Jimmy Spratt, after his late entry into politics, will not achieve it now. Let him come and see what we do and listen to victims before he speaks. I on behalf of the victims he has slandered demand an apology.”