Conference tallis::celt

1064.0. "Initiative '92/ Opsahl Commission" by MACNAS::TJOYCE () Thu May 28 1992 06:37

    
    Initiative '92 got under way in Belfast yesterday - this commission
    is intended to take submissions from anyone or everyone on the
    subject of Northern Ireland.
    
    This idea was born in the wake of the gloom that followed collapse
    of the Brooke talks last year, and the upsurge in paramilitary
    violence that followed. It is designed to solicit ideas from 
    ordinary people, community groups and ad-hoc groups rather than
    from any political party, which many people feel have failed
    in any case.
    
    Initiative '92 is organised by Simon Lee, Professor of Jurisprudence
    at Queens University, and Robin Wilson, editor of Fortnight
    magazine. 
    
    Patrons includewriter Seamus Heaney, COI Bishop Sanuel Poyntz, 
    businessman Lord Blease, Nobel prizewinner Mairead Corrigan, and 
    former SDLP power-sharing minister Paddy Devlin.
    
    The members of the commission are:
    
    Professor Torkel Opsahl (Chairman) - Law Dept, University of Oslo
    Dr Marianne Elliott, lecturer in history at Birkbeck College, London.
    Lady Faulkner, former governor of BBC, Northern Ireland.
    Eamonn Gallagher, former advisor to EC Commission.
    Rev Eric Gallagher, former President of Methodist Church in Ireland
    Professor Ruth Lister, Applied Social Studies Dept, Uni of Bradford
    Dr Padraig O'Malley, lecturer in Public Affairs at University of Mass.
    
    The Initiative '92 address is
    
    37, Lisburn Road
    Belfast BT9 AA
    
    Phone : 0232-241991
    Fax   : 0232-313132
    
    You may also hear this referred to as the "Opsahl Commission"
    
    Toby