Northern Ireland. Italian Comitee

international | crime and justice | press release

Tuesday June 07, 2005 11:36

by Italian Committee in order not to forget the Bloody Sunday - Italian Committee in order not to forget the Bloody Sunday

domenicadisangue at yahoo dot it

It was born in Italy the Italian Permanent Committee in order not to forget the Bloody Sunday.

On 30th of January 1972 in Derry, Northern Ireland, a march organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association, in order to protest against the law on the internament without process, (introduced on 9th August 1971 on the base of Section 12 of the Special Power Act) was made object of a brutal, criminal and
premeditated aggression by the British Security Forces.
The soldiers of 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, an elite unit of the Royal Paratroopoers (the English parachutists) opened the fire on the marchers without any appearing reason, killing thirteen persons and hurting seriously fourteen others.
After few months, the number of the victims raised to 14 because of the injured dead in hospital.
The greater part of the victims, between the 17 and 41 years of age, was killed by a single shot, shooted with precision to the head or to the thorax.
A few days after the massacre, the National Council for the Civil Freedoms began to collect accurate and direct witnesses. In a few weeks more than 500 witnesses were collected and recorded.
The English Government started a judicial inquiry on the facts presided from Lord Widgery "Lord Chief of Justice".
Only 15 witnesses, out of 500 collected, were admitted to the acts by Lord Widgery.
In April 1972 the commission published a final report that was based only on the version reported by the English soldiers who took part to the slaughter.
The official version of the army, proved from any eyewitnesses except British soldiers, has always adfirmed that the shooting has been a legitimate and measured answer against hostile subjects that had opened the fire against the Security forces shooting and launching grenades.
In the light of such assumed version, the English judicial authority has never been formally indicate any responsible of the massacre.
Moreover, its executory responsibles have been decorated by Queen Elisabeth II.
In 1998, after 26 years, the Blair Government, carrying out a choice that does not have previous in the history, has opened an inquiry that does not have legal importance in order to verify the facts which happened during the Bloody Sunday of Derry.
Until today, after 33 years, no guilty, no responsible has been recognized, as well as no admission of responsibility has been declared by any part of the British Government or by the General Staff of the British Army Chief Responsible, the general Michael Jackson, who was heading the operations in Derry on 30th January 1972.
Many people, many voices, without interruption, with the aim to ask for historical truth and for clear light on the massacres of state of the history, Irish and not only, have decided to create a Permanent Committee in order not to forget the Bloody Sunday.

http://www.alacalle.org/comitato/per20non%20dimenticare2.html

www.alacalle.org

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Comments (1 of 1)

Keep it in the spotlight, everywhere

by Pol

Tue Jun 07, 2005 18:54

It's good to see that this awful event is being kept in the public domain outside of Ireland. Just because other terrible things happen around the world, and just because this happened some time ago, it should not be forgotten as it remains one of the most salient examples of state brutality and state contempt for the victims of its brutality.
One of the most important ways of remembering this event has been in the great work done by the Bogside Artists who now have a website in which you can view their work. It's well worth visiting: http://www.bogsideartists.com/

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Northern Ireland. Italian Comitee

Comments (1 of 1)