Exactly 50 years have passed since Bloody Sunday. On 30 January 1972, in Londonderry, Northern Ireland (or simply Derry for Catholics), citizens had organised a protest march against the law that gave the police the power to imprison without trial those they believed to be involved with the IRA.
Although the march began peacefully, it ended bloodily. A small number of demonstrators attacked the army, which had been called in by the Northern Irish government to guard the rally, with stones. The British Army Parachute Battalion then opened fire on everyone, killing 13 unarmed Northern Irishmen on the spot and wounding 15 others, with the 14th victim succumbing to his injuries 4 months later
The commemorations
Early on Sunday morning thousands of people gathered in Londonderry as part of the events planned for the 50th anniversary. Particularly chilling was the memorial march by the families of the victims, who walked through the streets where their relatives were murdered. The events included the annual memorial service, held in front of the Bloody Sunday memorial in the city, which is expected to be attended by representatives of the Irish Sinn Féin and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Michael Martin.
The undercurrent of division between England and Northern Ireland has been a source of concern to the Irish people. Ireland
Although there has been a theoretical truce since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the wounds for many have yet to heal. The fact is that the Northern Irish are still divided, into the so-called "Unionists", those who want the country to remain in the United Kingdom, and the "Separatists", those who believe in an independent and united nation of Ireland. Indeed, fanaticism has begun to flare up since the issue that arose from Brexit with the "Northern Ireland Protocol."
At the same time, the Northern Irish public feels wronged, as no one has been punished for the events of 1972. Significantly, the sister of one of the victims said she "expects to see one of the soldiers face justice even now". But that does not seem to be happening. Only two inquiries have been made into the events. The first, which took place immediately after Bloody Sunday, exonerated the British Army. The most recent was in 2010. Although it acknowledged that there was no reason for the British Army to open fire, prosecutors after a six-year process ruled that the evidence was not admissible in court.
The then Prime Minister David Cameron had publicly apologised for the killings which Boris Johnson did. But apologies are not enough to smooth the situation. The absence of Boris Johnson and of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Paul Givan, who has been a member of the DUP since today, is creating a bad impression.
In this climate, a few days before the anniversary, unknown persons raised flags of the British army's parachute battalion on the outskirts of Londonderry, provoking the anger of the families of the victims. The British Army was quick to condemn the incident. The official approach of the British government, however, is to put the issue behind them, as it has announced the passage of legislation to grant amnesty for all crimes committed during the period of unrest.
Source: DW
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