THE TACTICS used by British troops on Bloody Sunday are not an unknown feature of British foreign policy.
Even in Ireland, the massacre in Derry wasn’t the first Bloody Sunday of the 20th century — that baleful distinction went to Croke Park in 1920 when, as happened in Derry, 14 Irish people were slaughtered by forces of the Crown.
The difference this time is Prime Minister David Cameron’s unequivocal apology, a statement of amazing historical significance. Never before in any of Britain’s foreign dealings has such an expression of regret been given.
But it is to be welcomed, because justice demanded it, democracy demanded it. Now, democracy is often a word which is misused. But it shouldn’t be.
Democracy counts because it guarantees our way of life, a fair society, and not least our standard of living.
It’s no coincidence that — apart from a few oil-rich states — the countries whose citizens enjoy the best standard of living anywhere belong to western liberal democracies.
For democracies to remain in good shape they need, not just freely-elected governments, but also a set of tenets to keep their rulers in check.
These include a free press and an independent judiciary.
Democracy also needs an armed force that is fully and utterly answerable to Parliament. During the Troubles the British Army acted in a manner that suggested it regarded itself as above the law, unanswerable to noone.
In doing so it played a major role in exacerbating and prolonging the Troubles.
Further, whenever it was called to book — as with Widgery — the courts showed themselves to be anything but independent. The Saville Inquiry has laid the blame for Bloody Sunday largely at the door of the officer commanding the troops in Derry on the day, Lieutenant Colonel Wilford, and a “few bad apples”.
That the inquiry found those killed on Bloody Sunday entirely innocent is to be welcomed — but the fact that Lord Saville pushed the blame as far down the ranks as possible has caused much pause for thought.
A disquieting feature of the Saville Inquiry is that political and military collusion was not examined, nor indeed any preparations which might have been made for the day.
The Inquiry didn’t answer all the questions by a long chalk. The people of Derry, the people of Ireland, and perhaps most of all, democracy, need to know the full answers.
Fine Gael’s re-invigorated
AFTER the ructions within Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has said he wants his former deputy leader Richard Bruton to return to the party’s front bench.
It was Mr Bruton who initiated the abortive heave against Enda Kenny last week. This is not only magnanimous on Mr Kenny’s part, it is entirely sensible.
He has heeded the age-old wisdom of “keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer”, and in doing so has strengthened his front bench. Mr Bruton’s ill-fated leadership challenge has allowed a shadow cabinet reshuffle, with the likes of former leader Michael Noonan being brought aboard.
Ireland needs a good opposition — after all, it’s the wolf that keeps the caribou healthy — and the latest re-invigoration of Fine Gael, plus a resurgent Labour Party, means that Brian Cowen’s Government will be kept on its toes.