People in Northern Ireland would support a "truth commission", according to a study at the University of Ulster.
The study, carried out by Dr Patricia Lundy, a lecturer in sociology at UU, and Dr Mark McGovern of Edge Hill College, found there was cautious support for a commission, on the style of the one carried out in South Africa.
Both nationalist and unionist communities felt such a commission should be set up and run by an international organisation like the UN and involve the British and Irish governments, the Northern Assembly, and republican and loyalist groups.
Participants accepted the commission might not necessarily find the truth. Support was strongest among young people, with 69 per cent of those asked feeling that a commission was important.
Sixty per cent of Catholics and 44 per cent of Protestants expressed approval for a commission. But neither groups had faith in the British government to run one, 95 per cent of Catholics and 89 per cent of Protestants said they would not trust the British government. Similar levels of suspicion were directed at the NI Assembly and the Irish Government.
The study said it was difficult not to the draw the conclusion that, if people do not think a truth commission will get to the truth, then it is because they lack confidence in the governments, parties, groups and bodies most likely to be involved in the running of a commission.
