NO WORDS CAN EXPLAIN SUCH A MINDLESS ACT OF TERROR, VICTIMS ARE TOLD
No words can explain such a mindless act of terror, victims are told
THE only way to redeem such a terrible tragedy as the Omagh bombing was to make the memories of those killed monuments to the peace, the US President, Mr. Bill Clinton, told the bereaved and injured at a private meeting in the town's leisure centre.
Mr Clinton said he and his wife were honoured to be there, and pointed out that the people in America had also mourned the loss of 28 innocents, and all those who were injured.
Thanking the bereaved relatives and injured for coming to meet him, he said: "To all of you, we thank you for standing up in the face of such a soul-searing loss, and restating your determination to walk the road of peace." He said he and Hillary had come there knowing that "words are not very good at a time like this". They had simply come to express their sympathy with the "good people of this community," especially the victims and their families, and to support their determined refusal to let a "cowardly crime" rob them of the future they had chosen.
"What happened here on August 15th was so incredibly unreasonable, so shocking to the conscience of every decent person in this land, that is has perversely had exactly the reverse impact that the people who perpetrated this act intended" The President said.
"By killing Catholics and Protestants, young and old, men, women and children, even those about to be born, people from Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic and abroad by doing all that in the aftermath of what the people have voted for in Northern Ireland, it galvanised, strengthened and humanised the impulse to peace."
Time to stop
Mr. Clinton went on "Even more than when we were here three years ago, people are saying to me, its high time that the few stop ruining the lives of many: high time that those who hate stop bulling those who hope high time to stop the lilt of laughter and language being drowned out by bombs and guns and sirens: high time to stop yesterday's nightmares from killing tomorrow's dreams."
He said that nothing anyone could say would erase the pain suffered by those who had experienced loss. And he referred to the fact that he and Hillary had, a few days previously, gone to the airport to meet the plane bringing home the bodies of the Americans who were killed in the Embassy bombing in Africa. They had gone from table to table to meet the families, he said
"There is no word to explain a mindless act of terror that grabs the life of an innocent. But I think that they only way to truly redeem such a terrible loss is to make the memories of the innocents monuments to peace", he said.
He said Northern Ireland was walking away from violence. Life would never be the same in Omagh, but it would go on.
The President went on to refer to bomb victim, Nicola Emery, who had given birth to a healthy baby since the blast.
"I pray that baby will never know an act of terror and will live a long, full life in the 21st century, proud of a hometown that learned through tragedy the meaning of community," he said.
Mr. Clinton then referred to a letter received by the US Ambassador in Dublin after the bombing, from a man from Co Mayo.
He explained that the man told of the recent birth of his daughter, Ashleen, and how he and his wife did not want her to grow up in a society that was constantly waiting for the next atrocity, the next bunch of young lives snuffed out in a sea of hatred and fear". The man went on to urge America to continue to strive for peace in Ireland, the President said.
Mr. Clinton went on "So we came here today to say we grieve for your loss, but to pledge to that little Ashleen in Mayo, and Nicola's newborn here in Omagh, that we will work to build this peace, to make it a place were children can dream, to redeem the loss of innocents from the madness of people who must fail so that your life can go on."
THE only way to redeem such a terrible tragedy as the Omagh bombing was to make the memories of those killed monuments to the peace, the US President, Mr. Bill Clinton, told the bereaved and injured at a private meeting in the town's leisure centre.
Mr Clinton said he and his wife were honoured to be there, and pointed out that the people in America had also mourned the loss of 28 innocents, and all those who were injured.
Thanking the bereaved relatives and injured for coming to meet him, he said: "To all of you, we thank you for standing up in the face of such a soul-searing loss, and restating your determination to walk the road of peace." He said he and Hillary had come there knowing that "words are not very good at a time like this". They had simply come to express their sympathy with the "good people of this community," especially the victims and their families, and to support their determined refusal to let a "cowardly crime" rob them of the future they had chosen.
"What happened here on August 15th was so incredibly unreasonable, so shocking to the conscience of every decent person in this land, that is has perversely had exactly the reverse impact that the people who perpetrated this act intended" The President said.
"By killing Catholics and Protestants, young and old, men, women and children, even those about to be born, people from Northern Ireland, the Irish Republic and abroad by doing all that in the aftermath of what the people have voted for in Northern Ireland, it galvanised, strengthened and humanised the impulse to peace."
Time to stop
Mr. Clinton went on "Even more than when we were here three years ago, people are saying to me, its high time that the few stop ruining the lives of many: high time that those who hate stop bulling those who hope high time to stop the lilt of laughter and language being drowned out by bombs and guns and sirens: high time to stop yesterday's nightmares from killing tomorrow's dreams."
He said that nothing anyone could say would erase the pain suffered by those who had experienced loss. And he referred to the fact that he and Hillary had, a few days previously, gone to the airport to meet the plane bringing home the bodies of the Americans who were killed in the Embassy bombing in Africa. They had gone from table to table to meet the families, he said
"There is no word to explain a mindless act of terror that grabs the life of an innocent. But I think that they only way to truly redeem such a terrible loss is to make the memories of the innocents monuments to peace", he said.
He said Northern Ireland was walking away from violence. Life would never be the same in Omagh, but it would go on.
The President went on to refer to bomb victim, Nicola Emery, who had given birth to a healthy baby since the blast.
"I pray that baby will never know an act of terror and will live a long, full life in the 21st century, proud of a hometown that learned through tragedy the meaning of community," he said.
Mr. Clinton then referred to a letter received by the US Ambassador in Dublin after the bombing, from a man from Co Mayo.
He explained that the man told of the recent birth of his daughter, Ashleen, and how he and his wife did not want her to grow up in a society that was constantly waiting for the next atrocity, the next bunch of young lives snuffed out in a sea of hatred and fear". The man went on to urge America to continue to strive for peace in Ireland, the President said.
Mr. Clinton went on "So we came here today to say we grieve for your loss, but to pledge to that little Ashleen in Mayo, and Nicola's newborn here in Omagh, that we will work to build this peace, to make it a place were children can dream, to redeem the loss of innocents from the madness of people who must fail so that your life can go on."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1184
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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