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blood sunday inquiry due today

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
this is a long overdue report regarding one of the biggest parts of the troubles in northern ireland

i wonder what the findings will be? its strongly suggested the people killed were innocent and it was nothing but state murder with a mountain of lies and coverups by the army

the paratroopers were well known to be a very brutal regiment throughout the troubles.

what do you think, should they be brought before the courts for any of those killed in cold blood? or do they get special status because they're part of british army?

should the families get justice after all these years?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think that whatever the result, this will not end.

    If it says that there was good reason for the shootings (unlikely I know) then there will be a campaign and claims of "whitewash"

    If it says that there was unlawful killing, then there will be a campaign for prosecution. Even then there would have to be convictions...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think the report is likely to find that the people killed were mainly (possibly all) innocent. However, there is also no doubt that the soldiers were fired on by members of the IRA who effectively used the crowd as cover, and the innocent victims were those who got caught in the crossfire. The paras may have a reputation for brutality (do they?), but I don't think they deliberately "murdered" innocent people "in cold blood". I expect questions will be asked of the chain of command at the time, but I doubt that there will be any trials of individual soldiers as a result.

    But I may be wrong. We'll have wait and see.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MoK wrote: »
    If it says that there was good reason for the shootings (unlikely I know) then there will be a campaign and claims of "whitewash".
    How can there be good reasons for shooting unarmed civilians in the back while they are running away?

    Even if the paras did come under fire first it most likely came from snipers quite some distance from the civil rights march. Therefore there was no excuse to fire on the civil rights marchers all of whom were unarmed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Goldsword wrote: »
    How can there be good reasons for shooting unarmed civilians in the back while they are running away?

    Even if the paras did come under fire first it most likely came from snipers quite some distance from the civil rights march. Therefore there was no excuse to fire on the civil rights marchers all of whom were unarmed.

    Im not defending or trying to support the paras here, however Im amused by the number of people who pass comment about the actions of soldiers, having never been there and done that.

    I dont think there is any excuse for shooting someone in the back running away. However would the soldiers have necessarily been aware that the shots were not coming from the crowd, and if someone was seen in the crowd carrying a weapon, whether or not they fired it, combine that with the panic and the fast pace of the day, things can get blurred easily.

    Im not saying its right or wrong whatever happened, however take your own opinions with a pinch of salt as its all to easy to comment on things and physical/mental process, having never experienced it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the fact remains at the time there was a report made and it was put down as fact that all the people shot were either armed or throwing bombs :chin:

    this certainly isn't the only case of foul play by the british army (and indeed the RUC) at the time, and i'm sure theres 100's other of coverups which will never see any truth being exposed as they aren't such high profile cases.

    and yes the paras well well known for being quite trigger happy, and particularly violent towards young catholic males

    i grew up through the tail end of the troubles and i can remember the fear towards the paras (as well as certain sections of the RUC)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have one question in regards to this. Perhaps z- can answer this, as you know far more about politics in Northern Ireland than myself.

    Why is there so much emphasis on what happened in Londonderry on that day? I'm not denying that what happened there was horrendous and that it should have been investigated. I think that agreeing to this inquiry was the right thing to do, although the final cost (around £200million and counting) is simply ridiculous.

    But why are there no public inquiries going on into other events throughout Ulster during the Troubles? Why no inquiry into the Omagh bombing, or Lisburn? Why is no one asking about the numerous events that have happened in the wonderful town of Enniskillen?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    I have one question in regards to this. Perhaps z- can answer this, as you know far more about politics in Northern Ireland than myself.

    Why is there so much emphasis on what happened in Londonderry on that day? I'm not denying that what happened there was horrendous and that it should have been investigated. I think that agreeing to this inquiry was the right thing to do, although the final cost (around £200million and counting) is simply ridiculous.

    But why are there no public inquiries going on into other events throughout Ulster during the Troubles? Why no inquiry into the Omagh bombing, or Lisburn? Why is no one asking about the numerous events that have happened in the wonderful town of Enniskillen?

    As a guess: might it not be because we think public inquiries are especially warranted when it is an institution of the state which is guilty of killing innocents?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Goldsword wrote: »
    How can there be good reasons for shooting unarmed civilians in the back while they are running away?

    Perhaps, if you climbed down from your high horse, you'd find it easier to read what I posted.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's out

    No major surprises
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fuck up by the Para's - there should have been prosecutions at the time, the officer and NCO's basically lost control and some of their blokes basically ran amok.

    But, and it's a big but, it's too late now. It would stick in my craw that they're prosecuting soldiers when the bastards who murdered at La Mons and on Remberance Day and Bloody Friday get a get out of jail free card

    So to answer the original post the families won't get justice, but neither did anyone else or McGuiness would be rotting in jail, not globetrotting as a Minister of the Crown.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    jamelia wrote: »
    As a guess: might it not be because we think public inquiries are especially warranted when it is an institution of the state which is guilty of killing innocents?
    ^ This. There is little point in launching inquiries into most terrorist attacks. It tends to be clear who the murdering bastards are and who is in the wrong.

    But if we are to behave like a civilised State that is supposed to be fair and law abiding I think we have a duty to at least investigate those cases in which it is suspected we did wrong, and admit guilt if it is concluded wrong was done.

    Another argument is how far we should go in that process. I for one believe in some cases, and perhaps in this one, seeking criminal prosecutions might not be in the best interests of justice. But I think when the State and its police and/or armed forces act unlawfuly, we owe it to the victims and their families to admit it. That is one of the aspects that separate us from mindless murderers.
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