David Cameron shows class on Bloody Sunday apology
By: Niall O'Dowd | Published Thursday, June 17, 2010, 6:38 PM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:42 PM
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
41 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.barneyjo | Jun 22, 2010, 01:32 PM EDT
"In war, the first casualty is innocence" All sides will have dirty hands, tainted with innocent blood. Apologists, naysayers, and begrudgers can say all they like, be it in hushed or shrill tones; thats all they are good for. They can never change history, or for that matter, the truth "Human beings torture one and other;they hurt one and other, and grow hard" So said Seamus Heaney, Nobel Laureate and child of Northern Ireland (from his poem "The Cure at Troy) What last week in Derry also showed was that there was equal truth in the sentiment of the same poem's last line "Hope and History CAN!!! Rhyme" dISMISS THAT IF YOU THINK YOU CAN!!
seanomelbourne | Jun 20, 2010, 10:04 PM EDT
Is SouthernPride referring to the illegitimate Free State government.
seanomelbourne | Jun 20, 2010, 07:45 PM EDT
Over 140 children were murdered by the British army and their N.I. pro British R.U.C. cohorts. To think that no Palestinian children were murdered by the Israeli bully boys beggars belief,some of you contributors to this site live living in denial.
hancock | Jun 20, 2010, 03:31 PM EDT
Nice backpeddle Jim. I thought you would know.
jimquad | Jun 19, 2010, 06:34 PM EDT
just seen the article about the plastic bullets. It does say 9 children died over a number of years. But it also says that the British government was trying to get the Northern Irish police to stop using plastic bullets. So dont know why you describe Irish police as British.
jimquad | Jun 19, 2010, 06:30 PM EDT
Posted by imuverin on 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 I keep reading about this one. Do you live in Israel? I am not aware of many children killed. I think I would know. Can you list their names or dates? Doubt it!
seanomelbourne | Jun 18, 2010, 12:03 AM EDT
You are right woundedKnee my synopsis lacked clarity,all parties(dail)were culpable of a deafening silence and cowardly in not pursuing Britain's murderous attempt in influencing the passage of an anti-terrorist bill which was been voted on some days later.
Southernpride | Jun 17, 2010, 08:09 PM EDT
The Irish goverment will go to any lengths to protect irish citizens against IRA terrorists. 27 September 1922 – The Free State's Provisional Government puts the "Public Safety Bill" before the Dáil, setting up military courts which allow for the execution of IRA terrorists captured bearing arms against the state and aiding and abetting attacks on state forces. It passes by 48 votes to 18. The Irish Labour Party oppose it.
WoundedKnee | Jun 17, 2010, 07:46 PM EDT
seanmelbourne: " It's not the Dail that should apologise for the 1974 bombing". --- I didn't say the Dail should, but the Fine Gael and Labor parties who were in power at the time and closed down the enquiry into who was responsible, just weeks after the event, and ordered the Irish police to BURN ALL THE EVIDENCE. Why would an Irish "government" act like that? I have my own hypothesis--what's yours?
WoundedKnee | Jun 17, 2010, 07:43 PM EDT
Alanwin: "How abot suing the cowardly plastic Paddies in New York and Boston who financed the Ira"---The plastic John Bull British taxpayers should be sued also. They financed the British Army. And still do.
seanomelbourne | Jun 17, 2010, 07:07 PM EDT
If wxman can add to the debate he may sound credible. Maybe he would like to comment on conservative leaning groups Shuvonn mentions.
MichaelMcWeeney | Jun 17, 2010, 02:39 PM EDT
It's all well and good that England has actually told the truth about one instance in time. I'm still waiting for England to abide by the 1610 Contract that they made with the Chieftains for the "Plantation of Ulster" and the Reparations due the Irish for "England's crown family's Deceit & Breach of the 1610 Contract".
irishwxman | Jun 17, 2010, 10:53 AM EDT
Leave it to old Sean to bash the conservatives just because.
shuvonn | Jun 17, 2010, 06:59 AM EDT
Who was it that funded the Red Hand Commandos? The U.V.F? The U.F.F.? How about Trimbles membership in the Ulster Vanguard? Hows about the collusion between the RUC and the loyalist paramilitary groups? Or was it JUST the IRA that is the target of your hate?
Alanwin | Jun 17, 2010, 06:25 AM EDT
How about an apology from the Imperialist American forces who invaded Afghanistan and Iraq and have butchered hundreds of thousands of people of all ages?.The size of potetial lawsuits would make the oil spillage in the Gulf Of Mexico look like a drop in the proverbial ocean.How abot suing the cowardly plastic Paddies in New York and Boston who financed the Ira?.Better still, the UK govt could send the 700,000 people, born in the Irish Republic home.The Irish economy would collapse overnight, if it hasn't already!.Irish independence has meant a change in the colour of the postboxes to a gaudy green.Alsatian once again as the tone deaf Tones used to crow.
bigd57irish | Jun 17, 2010, 02:40 AM EDT
I also think that Jenifer Aniston NOT in the nude is a BLOODY SHAME!!
bigd57irish | Jun 17, 2010, 02:39 AM EDT
I think I'll be coming over there for the Notre Dame-Navy football game in 2011. That's FOOTBALL as in American FOOTBALL
conchobhar | Jun 17, 2010, 02:31 AM EDT
Fair play to David Cameron, even if it is pushing forty years on, and the evidence had become overwhelming. Now, if he allows a full inquest into the Pat Finucane murder, he'll really have shown some courage. My deepest respect to the families of the slain, who never gave up in their fight for justice.
connorj | Jun 16, 2010, 11:43 PM EDT
Wonderful!
seanomelbourne | Jun 16, 2010, 11:05 PM EDT
When you are eventually caught with your hand in the cookie jar you just have to say your sorry. British conservatives have always touted their anti-Irish imperialist rhetoric. They have never been friends of the Irish. It's not the Dail that should apologise for the 1974 bombing but the British and their terrorist unionist friends in N.E. Ireland
MalcomAC | Jun 16, 2010, 11:04 PM EDT
Yes, I must give Cameron his due for saying this.
zoeyue82 | Jun 16, 2010, 10:51 PM EDT
drf
WoundedKnee | Jun 16, 2010, 06:52 PM EDT
Fair Play to Cameron--I always prefer English Conservatives to Labour in these matters. Now if we could only get Fine Gael and Labor in Ireland to apologize for covering up things like the Dublin Bombings which killed about 30 people in 1974 or the murder of Seamus Ludlow by British agents on the southern side of the border.
patrickclw | Jun 16, 2010, 06:32 PM EDT
Possibly everyone has said it - but the speech by David Cameron was indeed a new beginning in the attitude of British politicians to self analysis - Should it not be appropriate to bombard the Israeli media with the facts of Saville and Prime Minister's statement and lets see if they can do the same in relation to the Israeli forces activities where questionable .
slainte39 | Jun 16, 2010, 04:13 PM EDT
I agree that the preponderance-maybe more-lies at the feet of the British government and their ilk (supporters) for the bloodshed, but wrongdoing is never 50/50 and someone has give up more than the other to get things right and a compromise. The stain on their(UK)credibility will not be erased by comparing their actions against the IRA. I think right now, in the purview of history, the nationalists hold the higher ground for past deeds committed and the road to peace as opposed to the UK government/loyalist alliance. The power and resources were so lopsided in favor one side that it is a miracle that we have arrived at the point we are now. It was truly a David and Goliath struggle. When the weaker party achieves anything in a political struggle, it usually means they had greater moral authority from the outset. Justice is hard to come by, even in a democratic society. Serving with distinction is no trade-off for denying civil rights.
jacersisityourself | Jun 16, 2010, 02:45 PM EDT
Over the past day or so it has been galling to hear ex-Paras on TV trumpet that they and the British Army have served with distinction despite their awful deeds of Bloody Sunday. Don’t they remember the massive Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of unarmed men, women and children in India in 1919? I deplore Unionist politicians calling for apologies from the Republicans who killed innocent people – why? Because the IRA and such like over the years have always admitted and sometimes apologised for the loss of innocent lives during their campaigns. Not that that is alright, they should never have done those awful deeds anymore than the Paras did on Bloody Sunday. The Paras of Bloody Sunday never once admitted they opened fire indiscriminately or apologised for that: that’s the difference.
jacersisityourself | Jun 16, 2010, 02:29 PM EDT
As one who well remembers watching the horror of that awful day on the evening’s TV news and how the masses Irish people all over Ireland attended midweek Masses in memory of and in solidarity with the innocent people killed, and that indescribably dishonest Widgery Report, I am delighted for the families of those who died in this report’s conclusions. I am also appreciative that at last someone like Cameron has the courage to publicly admit the wrongs.
hancock | Jun 16, 2010, 02:13 PM EDT
Maybe the English should apologize for starting the whole thing to begin with.
slainte39 | Jun 16, 2010, 01:53 PM EDT
In defense of Niall--the conservatives had been slow on acting or speaking in a conciliatory tone until now. Kudos to David Cameron. Niall forgets that a conservative in the UK is about equal to moderate liberal in his present abode, the US, these days. Being an avowed nationalist, I agree that Adams and McGuinness should speak out with contriteness now, to help close the book. The IRA and the loyalist paramilitarys speak for themselves by their sordid past acts and should not be mentioned in the same context as the new enlighted leaders in the North are. Hats off to Paisley, Adams, McGinness, Robinson, and now Cameron. This is true compromise and rebirth with sanity restored.
moygannon | Jun 16, 2010, 01:10 PM EDT
All that is neededd now is for the terrorists to admit their crimes and atonement will commence.
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.
KEVIN1218 | Jun 16, 2010, 12:34 PM EDT
God willing,nothing like that will ever occur again.
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.
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!
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?
brandyyue | Jun 16, 2010, 11:15 AM EDT
sad
Milligan0 | Jun 16, 2010, 10:43 AM EDT
It's about time
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.
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.
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!
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 =?.