NO MORE OMAGHS
No more Omaghs
by Bertie Ahern an taoiseach
If we have learned one lesson from our history, it is that the infliction of pain and suffering is never the answer and benefits nobody. Peace and democracy cannot be held to ransom
WE are all united by our feelings of deep anger and sorrow at the horrific, vicious attack in Omagh last Saturday.
We share the utter disbelief that human beings could inflict such suffering on innocent people going about their everyday business. It is impossible to find words adequately to express our feelings when faced with the total devastation of families and communities.
The grief at the loss and suffering of young children, mothers, and all the innocent people has affected everybody deeply. As I stood in the room of one of the young children whose lives were so brutally taken - a young boy who should have been out playing football and who should have had a bright future to look forward to the grief was heartbreaking.
Faced with such devastation and trauma, the work of the emergency and security services was truly incredible. The men and women involved showed remarkable heroism and compassion and are deserving of all our gratitude and I would like to pay special tribute to them.
Our thoughts and prayers over the coming days are with those who have been so badly injured and the families and friends of all the victims. They have our heartfelt sympathy as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
It is cold comfort to the injured and bereaved of Omagh and to everybody else on this island that those who have admitted responsibility for this atrocity have told us now that they have suspended their operations until they have consulted one another about their future direction.
What we want to hear from them and from all the other dissident groups is that there will be no more Omaghs, no more grieving families, no more lives destroyed, no more devastation. They must desist so that there are no more barriers put in the way of the desire of the people of this island, north and south, for peace and accommodation.
People in every part of this island showed in their overwhelming endorsement of the Good Friday agreement that they have chosen peace, and they want a society based on accommodation and mutual respect.
It is the people of this island who have the right to decide the kind of future they want, and how they want to achieve it. They chose the path of democracy and a future based on tolerance. We have all worked hard to achieve it, and we will not let our future be dictated by a small few.
We know that it is difficult for a democratic society to tackle a cold, calculated terror campaign. We are, together with the British government, facing up to our responsibilities to defend the Agreement and the people from those still intent on violence to achieve their ends.
Prime Minister Blair and myself are united in our resolve to crush violence. We will continue to work together with the other political parties to implement the Agreement in its entirety.
We want a society where people can go about their everyday business without the dark shadow of fear and violence. It is our duty, particularly in the midst of such tragedy, to continue working together for a future of tolerance and peace.
The Irish government has decided to implement the most far-reaching, Draconian package of security measures in the history of the state which, together with the very extensive security measures and co-operation already in place, will significantly improve the capacity of the gardai to deal decisively with those who organised and carried out the murderous attack on Omagh and the organisations which engage in violence.
And if other measures are needed, we have made fully clear that we will take them and that no option is excluded.
If we have learn one lesson from our history, it is that the infliction of pain and suffering is never the answer and benefits nobody.
Peace and democracy cannot be held to ransom. Our mandate is, and will continue to be, from the people of this island who voted in such overwhelming numbers for the Good Friday agreement in the referenda last May.
They chose peace and, together with the British government and all the parties involved, we will not give up until we achieve it.
by Bertie Ahern an taoiseach
If we have learned one lesson from our history, it is that the infliction of pain and suffering is never the answer and benefits nobody. Peace and democracy cannot be held to ransom
WE are all united by our feelings of deep anger and sorrow at the horrific, vicious attack in Omagh last Saturday.
We share the utter disbelief that human beings could inflict such suffering on innocent people going about their everyday business. It is impossible to find words adequately to express our feelings when faced with the total devastation of families and communities.
The grief at the loss and suffering of young children, mothers, and all the innocent people has affected everybody deeply. As I stood in the room of one of the young children whose lives were so brutally taken - a young boy who should have been out playing football and who should have had a bright future to look forward to the grief was heartbreaking.
Faced with such devastation and trauma, the work of the emergency and security services was truly incredible. The men and women involved showed remarkable heroism and compassion and are deserving of all our gratitude and I would like to pay special tribute to them.
Our thoughts and prayers over the coming days are with those who have been so badly injured and the families and friends of all the victims. They have our heartfelt sympathy as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
It is cold comfort to the injured and bereaved of Omagh and to everybody else on this island that those who have admitted responsibility for this atrocity have told us now that they have suspended their operations until they have consulted one another about their future direction.
What we want to hear from them and from all the other dissident groups is that there will be no more Omaghs, no more grieving families, no more lives destroyed, no more devastation. They must desist so that there are no more barriers put in the way of the desire of the people of this island, north and south, for peace and accommodation.
People in every part of this island showed in their overwhelming endorsement of the Good Friday agreement that they have chosen peace, and they want a society based on accommodation and mutual respect.
It is the people of this island who have the right to decide the kind of future they want, and how they want to achieve it. They chose the path of democracy and a future based on tolerance. We have all worked hard to achieve it, and we will not let our future be dictated by a small few.
We know that it is difficult for a democratic society to tackle a cold, calculated terror campaign. We are, together with the British government, facing up to our responsibilities to defend the Agreement and the people from those still intent on violence to achieve their ends.
Prime Minister Blair and myself are united in our resolve to crush violence. We will continue to work together with the other political parties to implement the Agreement in its entirety.
We want a society where people can go about their everyday business without the dark shadow of fear and violence. It is our duty, particularly in the midst of such tragedy, to continue working together for a future of tolerance and peace.
The Irish government has decided to implement the most far-reaching, Draconian package of security measures in the history of the state which, together with the very extensive security measures and co-operation already in place, will significantly improve the capacity of the gardai to deal decisively with those who organised and carried out the murderous attack on Omagh and the organisations which engage in violence.
And if other measures are needed, we have made fully clear that we will take them and that no option is excluded.
If we have learn one lesson from our history, it is that the infliction of pain and suffering is never the answer and benefits nobody.
Peace and democracy cannot be held to ransom. Our mandate is, and will continue to be, from the people of this island who voted in such overwhelming numbers for the Good Friday agreement in the referenda last May.
They chose peace and, together with the British government and all the parties involved, we will not give up until we achieve it.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0126
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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