12 years after the Inquiry began, 38 years after the tragedy, the Saville report into the events of Bloody Sunday is in.
On 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, in the six northern counties of Ireland. Twenty-seven civil rights protesters were shot by the British Army Parachute Regiment during a Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association march.
13 men died immediately (seven of whom were teenagers. Another man died four months later from his injuries.
Names of the Killed:
Patrick ('Paddy') Doherty (31) Gerald Donaghy (17) John ('Jackie') Duddy (17) Hugh Gilmour (17) Michael Kelly (17) Michael McDaid (20) Kevin McElhinney (17) Bernard ('Barney') McGuigan (41) Gerald McKinney (35) William ('Willie') McKinney (26) William Nash (19) James ('Jim') Wray (22) John Young (17) John Johnston (59)
Patrick ('Paddy') Doherty (31) Gerald Donaghy (17)
John ('Jackie') Duddy (17)
Hugh Gilmour (17)
Michael Kelly (17)
Michael McDaid (20)
Kevin McElhinney (17)
Bernard ('Barney') McGuigan (41)
Gerald McKinney (35)
William ('Willie') McKinney (26)
William Nash (19)
James ('Jim') Wray (22)
John Young (17)
John Johnston (59)
After the shootings, a "government" inquiry was setup. Its report was denounced as a Whitewash. It blamed the victims and had accused them off provoking and throwing bombs and firing at the British Soilders. All of which were vehemently denied by the families.
Today the Saville Report was finally released.
Its findings:
The first shot was fired by the British Army No warning had been given to any civilians before the soldiers opened fire None of the soldiers fired in response to attacks by petrol bombers or stone throwers Some of those killed or injured were clearly fleeing or going to help those injured or dying None of the casualties was posing a threat or doing anything that would justify their shooting Many of the soldiers lied about their actions
http://news.bbc.co.uk/... http://report.bloody-sunday-inquiry.org/
What happens now is up to the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
They families of the dead and injured had suffered for years. Not only at the loss of their loved ones but at the destruction of their reputations. This cannot bring them back but hopefully it can bring a measure of peace to them.
One would like to see prosecutions but the cynic that I am, I don't see that happening. I am actually surprised this report went as far as it did. I was expecting another whitewash.
I was not born when this tragedy occurred. I was born in 1976. I can't explain why I have been following this for years except that in the end we are all humans and any tragedy and any death of a human affects us all. And the brutal way that these people were killed, some shot in the back as they were fleeing, is particularly appalling.
*this diary was written in memory of those who died that day*