Northern Ireland

Documents & Texts from America.gov

21 June 2007
U.S. Consul General in Belfast Hosts Gathering For Families of the Disappeared

U.S. Consul General Dean Pittman acknowledged the plight of families of the disappeared during a gathering at his residence in Ardnavally, South Belfast today. The event formed part of the Day of Private Reflection, an initiative proposed by the Healing through Remembering (HTR) project, to acknowledge and reflect on the hurt caused by conflict in Northern Ireland.
Left: Sir Ken Bloomfield and Consul General Dean Pittman addressing families of the "disappeared" at Ardnavally, Belfast. (U.S. Consulate photo by Peter McKittrick)

In the grounds of Ardnavally, 15 doves were released by families of victims who are collectively described as the “disappeared”. The Consul General also launched a new free-phone number in the United States in an effort to encourage people with information about the location of the remaining disappeared to come forward.

Speaking at the gathering, Consul General Dean Pittman said: “While Northern Ireland has turned a welcome page in its political history, there is still an obvious need to deal with the legacies of the past. This Day of Reflection is just one way we can remember and acknowledge the deep pain that many people still deal with, not least those who have endured the disappearance of their loved ones”.

Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains Commissioner, Sir Ken Bloomfield added: “People have many different ways of dealing with the past but I hope that the Day of Private Reflection will be a positive initiative for everyone who is suffering the consequences of our past conflict. In this light, we are particularly grateful that the Consul General has offered up his residence as a place where the families of the disappeared can make their own individual or collective reflections”.

Around 30 family members of the disappeared were present at the gathering at Ardnavally.

Dean Pittman, Sandra Peake of Victims' Group WAVE, and Michael McConville, son of Jean McConville who was abducted in 1972. (U.S. Consulate photo by Peter McKittrick)

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