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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

David Cameron shows class on Bloody Sunday apology

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 09:42 PM

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The admission by British Prime Minister David Cameron that those killed on Bloody Sunday were innocent of any crime is an extraordinary statement.

It is even more significant than Tony Blair's apology about the Irish Famine and Britain's role in it.

It speaks very well of Cameron, especially as he is a Tory leader, and that party has been very slow to admit any culpability in the past on issues relating to the conduct of British forces in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

The sight of nationalists in Derry applauding and cheering Cameron's remarks must have made heads spin at the incongruity of it all.

The pity is that Edward Heath the Prime Minister of the day on Bloody Sunday and the Widgery Inquiry that whitewashed the killings did not use the words that Cameron used on Tuesday.

If they had the history of Northern Ireland would have been completely different.

The Bloody Sunday massacre and the cover up were the birthing pangs of the IRA.
That event and internment without trial that preceded it were the midwives of the IRA.

After those killings and the cover up the civil rights movement disappeared effectively replaced by violence in an attempt to get the British Army out.

Remember the British Embassy in Dublin was torched to the ground after Bloody Sunday as the reaction in the Irish Republic was every bit as violent as in Northern Ireland.

The police in Dublin let the embassy burn as they knew if they tried to stop it they would be attacked.

There were mass demonstrations in the U.S. Everywhere Irish blood was up.

Nationalists would never trust the British state again, yet remarkably a year or so earlier they had welcomed British troops into Northern Ireland as their saviors against the Unionist government intent on keeping them down by whatever means possible.

That ended forever that sunny but cold January day back in 1972. What followed was a quarter century of violence, much of which might never have happened if Bloody Sunday had not occurred.

At last a British Prime Minister has set the record straight.

It is better late than never

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yorkville | Jun 16, 2010, 12:48 PM EDT

Its great that he apologised,but the inquiry was so clear cut about the innocence of these victims that the British didnt have any wriggle room at all. Thank god for the families sake especially, it must have been a long weary road to travel.

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KEVIN1218 | Jun 16, 2010, 12:34 PM EDT

God willing,nothing like that will ever occur again.

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killowen | Jun 16, 2010, 12:24 PM EDT

Perhaps its a sign of hard times and need that makes 'em gush so. Supporters of apartheid now are having come to jesus enlightenment.

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citizen69 | Jun 16, 2010, 12:13 PM EDT

I'm glad to see this apology and hope recent events help heal some of the wounds in Derry.... Shuvonn, when do you think the Government of the Irish Republic will apologize for arming & funding the IRA during the early years of the troubles?? Or for collusion between the Gardai & the IRA? Or for sheltering & refusing to extradite terrorists? It's time for EVERYONE to come clean!

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irishwxman | Jun 16, 2010, 11:22 AM EDT

I think it does show a lot of class. It also is another step in the UK letting go a bit at a time. First Tony Blair apologizes for Britain's role in the potato famine, and now Cameron apologizing for Bloody Sunday. I bet it makes you feel kind of bad for trashing him right out of the gate because he is a conservative huh Niall?

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brandyyue | Jun 16, 2010, 11:15 AM EDT

sad

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Milligan0 | Jun 16, 2010, 10:43 AM EDT

It's about time

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imuverin | Jun 16, 2010, 09:13 AM EDT

How about an Apology for the many Children killed by Plastic Bullets shot by British Soldiers, teenagers themselves.

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shuvonn | Jun 16, 2010, 08:45 AM EDT

And then we could MOVE on to an apology for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, and the Trick or treat Greysteel murders, the collusion between the RUC and loyalists TERRORISTS. Ya wanna make a list and compare? How childish and UNCLASSY to try to take away the HARD EARNED good name that has just been returned to the victims of their OWN government. The actions taken in the name of a government, who are armed, trained, paid, and REPRESENT that government are held to a higher standard and ACCOUNTABILITY. The actions taken by members of an illegal organization are completely different, by virtue of the fact that they have already broken the law by joining that organization.

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CanadianPat | Jun 16, 2010, 07:40 AM EDT

Surprised and delighted me! I can truely see the light at the end of the tunnel.Watching the families after the report was made public and a tory P.M. apologize was magic!A new time ,a better time,a new day is dawning, and the like of "Alanwin" can move on with it or be left behind!

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Alanwin | Jun 16, 2010, 06:50 AM EDT

How about an apology to the families of the 5 cleaners butchered by the provos in Aldershot just 3 weeks later?.Any apology to the families of the 11 and 8 year old blown up by the Ira in Warrington.All life is =?.

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