ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):

Three men who were recently released from prison after spending several years behind bars for murdering former Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and others say they are ready to make amends with the families of the victims.

Lester Redhead, Christopher Stroude and Cecil Prime were released from prison last week by Justice Francis Belle who presided over a re-sentencing hearing for 13 men, who were among 17 originally convicted for the 1983 killing of Bishop and other members of his government.

The three men were slapped with a 30-year prison sentence but the judge said that, in light of the 24 years they had already served behind bars, they should be freed. The other 10 men, including Bishop's former right hand man, Bernard Coard, were sentenced to 40 years in prison but are scheduled to taste freedom in another few years.

The three men told CMC they want to sit with families of the victims and seek reconciliation so that there can be healing, forgiveness and release.

They said, however, that they would much rather do this with a mediator.

Have dialogue

Redhead said he had already sat down for more than two hours with Pamela Cherebin, daughter of Evelyn Bullen - one of those murdered in the failed coup that toppled Bishop. He has also spoken with Ann Marie Hayling, sister of Keith Hayling, who was also killed on Fort George, during the bloody event in October 1983.

"It has been one of my missions to reach out to these people to invite them to dialogue; to see if we can resolve the pain and bring some closure to the issue of October 19.

Stroude and Prime have not had any formal meetings but plans are afoot to create an avenue for talks with Alimenta Bishop, mother of the late former prime minister.

"I was in Tanteen and I met Mother Roberts, and Mother said: 'Cecil have you thought of going to see Mrs. Bishop?' So I said: 'Mother, I don't want to take that initiative," Prime said.

So she said she has that relationship and she would interface, so I said, 'Yes I am willing to go and to talk to Mrs. Bishop and to hear what she has to say'."

Prime said he was not only interested in talking with Mrs. Bishop but to all of the families who lost loved ones.

All three men agree that the issue of the whereabouts of the bodies of the victims is sure to be a talking point in the reconciliation process. Though none of them knows exactly how to answer that when the time comes, Stroude said they would have to take some measure of responsibility for not handing over the bodies between October 19 and 25.