SPAIN FEELS HORROR OF ULSTER ATROCITY
Spain feels horror of Ulster atrocity
Spain has also endured the horror of the Omagh massacre. LINDY McDOWELL assesses the impact there
THE deaths of a little Spanish boy and his teacher in the Omagh bomb blast have shocked the people of Spain where the story has this week dominated the headlines.
And according to one Spanish commentator news of the atrocity will change the attitude of many people in Spain to visiting Northern Ireland.
The children and their teacher had gone to Omagh on Saturday from Buncrana where they were staying with local families as part of an educational programme.
One 12-year-old boy, Fernando Blasco Baselga, was killed in the blast. Rocio Abad Ramos (23), who was looking after the group, also died. Among the 11 other Spanish children injured is Fernando's sister Lucrecia.
Her parents have been told she will need plastic surgery.
The Madrid family have previously suffered at the hands of terrorists.
In 1992, Fernando's father Manuel was caught in a car bomb attack carried out by the Basque separatist group ETA.
Senor Pablo Sapag, who is in the province for the television station TeleMadrid, explains that while many politicians in his homeland do not like to make the comparison between the conflict in Northern Ireland and that in the Basque region: "Yes, we do have the same problem, terrorism."
He adds: "Maybe we're more sensitive in Spain to what's happening here than they are in other European countries, because we have our own terrorists.
"People are very upset over what has taken place. Over some time Spanish people have had better relations with Irish people than English people so that makes it worse.
"Spain is a Catholic country. People in Spain have a better opinion of or relate better to the Catholics or republicans than maybe they do to the unionists or Protestants. So if it is true that the bomb was planted by the Real IRA it will be difficult for many people. People complain about terrorists no matter who is behind the blast."
Senor Sapag makes the point that: "Many, many Spanish young people come here during the summer to take part in English courses."But he adds: "I think that will now stop. I think so because this is the first time in the history of the Troubles that a tourist has died so that is very hard from the point of view of the Spanish people.
"People will be quick to make the link between what has happened here and what could happen next."
Overall, he stresses: "The people of Spain don't have a worse opinion of the people of Northern Ireland now. They're just thinking of the Spanish children who came over.
"It's a matter of feeling for them and their families. Their main concern now is to get them home to Spain."
Spain has also endured the horror of the Omagh massacre. LINDY McDOWELL assesses the impact there
THE deaths of a little Spanish boy and his teacher in the Omagh bomb blast have shocked the people of Spain where the story has this week dominated the headlines.
And according to one Spanish commentator news of the atrocity will change the attitude of many people in Spain to visiting Northern Ireland.
The children and their teacher had gone to Omagh on Saturday from Buncrana where they were staying with local families as part of an educational programme.
One 12-year-old boy, Fernando Blasco Baselga, was killed in the blast. Rocio Abad Ramos (23), who was looking after the group, also died. Among the 11 other Spanish children injured is Fernando's sister Lucrecia.
Her parents have been told she will need plastic surgery.
The Madrid family have previously suffered at the hands of terrorists.
In 1992, Fernando's father Manuel was caught in a car bomb attack carried out by the Basque separatist group ETA.
Senor Pablo Sapag, who is in the province for the television station TeleMadrid, explains that while many politicians in his homeland do not like to make the comparison between the conflict in Northern Ireland and that in the Basque region: "Yes, we do have the same problem, terrorism."
He adds: "Maybe we're more sensitive in Spain to what's happening here than they are in other European countries, because we have our own terrorists.
"People are very upset over what has taken place. Over some time Spanish people have had better relations with Irish people than English people so that makes it worse.
"Spain is a Catholic country. People in Spain have a better opinion of or relate better to the Catholics or republicans than maybe they do to the unionists or Protestants. So if it is true that the bomb was planted by the Real IRA it will be difficult for many people. People complain about terrorists no matter who is behind the blast."
Senor Sapag makes the point that: "Many, many Spanish young people come here during the summer to take part in English courses."But he adds: "I think that will now stop. I think so because this is the first time in the history of the Troubles that a tourist has died so that is very hard from the point of view of the Spanish people.
"People will be quick to make the link between what has happened here and what could happen next."
Overall, he stresses: "The people of Spain don't have a worse opinion of the people of Northern Ireland now. They're just thinking of the Spanish children who came over.
"It's a matter of feeling for them and their families. Their main concern now is to get them home to Spain."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0092
Published Date: 19-Aug-98
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