Northern Ireland

Last week British Prime Minister David Cameron apologized in the house of commons for what he called the ‘unjustified and unjustifiable’ actions of British troops on Jan 30 1972 in Londonderry Ireland – a day better known now as Bloody Sunday.

On that day 14 demonstrators were killed and many more injured while protesting against internment. An investigation in the aftermath of the day cleared troops largely of any wrong doing.  However, 38 years later and a follow up investigation costing $280 million, it was concluded that the initial findings were incorrect and that the victims were unarmed and had been engaged in a peaceful protest.

In Northern Ireland, the Troubles had been rife in the two years prior to Bloody Sunday, but that day remains one of the most significant events since it was carried out by the army and not paramilitaries, in front of the public and world press. For that reason, David Cameron’s apology is most significant and was duly met with great applause. But where does an apology like that lead, are there consequences? Will potential criminal prosecutions for “unlawful killing” by soldiers open up old wounds- what about the other side, the unionists? Will they now seek apologies for those in their community who were also killed during those years through bombings, assignations or shootings.  Could this apology destabilize the peace process or alternatively, strengthen it?

Continue reading "Sorry is no longer the hardest word" »

THIS week the world is marking the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival which some at the time hoped announced the arrival of New Age of peace and love.

But this week also marks the 40th anniversary of the start of another three day event which is going largely unremembered - an event which turned out to be a better presage of what the 1970s were going to be like than the events taking place at the same time in upstate New York.

On 12 July 1969, Northern Ireland - whose peace had been growing ever more precarious as the Civil Rights movement gathered steam - finally erupted into violence as the Catholic residents of Londonderry and the Royal Ulster Constabulary battled for control of the Bogside.

Continue reading "Memories of The Troubles fade like a 70’s LSD haze" »