Saville

Bloody Sunday soldiers to face investigation…

Mick Fealty on July 6, 2012, 9:40 am

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So, presumably on foot of the mountain of material generated by the Saville Inquiry, the PSNI is to open a major criminal investigation into the deaths of Bloody Sunday. Well, if proof were needed it certainly kills off the notion that anything that happened before 1998 has some sort of immunity. Well, yes, except that earlier in the week, the Secretary of State told families of the Ballymurphy/Springfield Park killings from about six months before (and involving the same regiment) …

While Ireland still holds these graves…

John Ó Néill on October 14, 2011, 8:00 am

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There is nothing that casts the gulf in language and empathy between nationalists and any sort of long term reconciliation within the UK in such stark contrasts as episodes like Pat Finucane’s murder by agents of the state, and, the unfolding of the subsequent attempts by the state to simulate a process of legal and judicial redress. Both nationalism and unionism regularly struggle under the weight of their preferred histories but the diametric perspectives offered by their differing requirements for a relationship with London can often find ways to securely root those histories in relatively …

Moriarty: Nach scannal mór é?

Mick Fealty on March 31, 2011, 9:01 am

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Michael Lowry held the floor of the Dail for a hour early Tuesday evening, as part of statements on the Moriarty Tribunal. Much earlier in the day, there was an interesting intervention from poll topping Louth TD Gerry Adams in which he criticising the tribunal for the huge legal cost (with precious little tangible product to show for it) of the whole affair: Recently there was a dispute and much controversy about the cost of the Saville inquiry into the …

Bloody Sunday debate exposes doubt and disagreement over dealing with Northern Ireland’s past

Brian Walker on October 14, 2010, 10:40 am

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No points to the Commons and Lords for the scheduling clash between the debate on lessons from the Bloody Sunday inquiry in the Upper House and Lord Saville’s personal appearance before the NI Select Committee yesterday. MPs failed to lay a glove on the now retired Supreme Court member over the epic 10 year time scale and £190 million cost of an inquiry whose impact casts a long shadow over the whole public inquiry system.. MPs were naturally caught between …

Saville: Catalyst for the future or anchor to the past?

Anton LaBrea on June 21, 2010, 5:37 pm

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The political reaction to the Saville Report has been largely predictable, entrenching already well established opinions on the single most notorious day in the history of this region. Bloody Sunday was the sleeping elephant of Northern Ireland politics, it was discussed, argued over, examined and influenced all subsequent events due to its presence. The problem in awaking this elephant, as the Saville Report has done by addressing it officially and definitively, is to cause a stampede which threatens to trample all …

David Simpson calls for investigation into RoI involvement in Troubles

Turgon on June 21, 2010, 1:04 pm

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David Simpson is reported in Saturday’s News Letter calling for a Saville style commission to look into the role of the RoI in the Troubles and specifically the arming, training, sheltering etc. of the IRA. Simpson points out that: “The claim has always been made that since it was the state that was involved in the events of Bloody Sunday that made it different and necessitated the obtaining of the truth and justified the massive expenditure.” He draws the parallel …

Pressure for legal action widens as politicians flounder over Troubles legacy

Brian Walker on June 21, 2010, 11:34 am

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Two very different newspaper stories reveal how reaching consensus over dealing with the past is looking increasingly difficult, with the balance appearing to tilt in favour of legal action. One based on a letter from unnamed paratroops accuses Lord Saville of a “cynical exercise” in blaming Col Derek Wilford, OC 1 Para, to avoid condemning junior soldiers but produces no fresh evidence or admissions. The soldiers involved could of course clear the matter up even yet. The other story shows …

Look again now at the legacy commission

Brian Walker on June 19, 2010, 7:54 pm

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While the past should not nor cannot be forgotten as Eamonn rightly says, the question is how best to deal with it. Reconciliation or justice? appears to be the choice before us if moves towards winding down legal process gain traction. It’s no easy decision and advocates of further legal action have by no means lost the battle. Saville’s para 4.7, in which he’s unable to confirm or deny the existence of a “culture” of impunity towards the army may …

Do we need a ‘statute of limitation’ for past injustices?

Mick Fealty on June 17, 2010, 9:04 am

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There’s an interesting argument from Matt over at the Wardman Wire… In effect he argues that a statute of limitations should apply to the killings of Bloody Sunday (and, by implication, if I read him correctly, in the words of Col Wilford, Bloody everything the IRA have ever touched?). Not for political expediency. In fact for the very opposite reason: testimony, and in particular eyewitness testimony is likely to be highly unreliable at this remove from the events involved. So, he …

Robinson on Saville: “We should close the book and move on as a society “

Eamonn Mallie on June 16, 2010, 8:48 pm

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First Minister Peter Robinson says he accepts the findings of the Saville report into Bloody Sunday. He said ” I sincerely hope that the result of that inquiry will give closure and a sense of justice to the families of those that were bereaved as a result of that day and I know waiting for 38 years as they have and no one knows better than they the feeling of those many people who are still waiting for closure. “Closure …