TELL US IT WILL NEVER BE AGAIN - FAMILIES' PLEA TO BOMBERS
Tell us it will never be again - familes' plea to bombers
THOSE who planned or carried out the Omagh bombing should give an assurance that no such action would ever be contemplated again, members of the Monaghan and Grimes families said this week.
In a statement issued after evidence on the deaths of Mary Grimes, Avril Monaghan, Maura Monaghan and Avril Monaghan's unborn twins, the families said: "We take the opportunity at this time to make known our feelings and bring to light a number of facts which hitherto may not have been part of the public perception".
"First of all we would like to express our genuine and sincere thanks to the hundreds and thousands of good people from near and far who, in so many ways, have done their utmost to help, comfort and sympathise with us in those first and dreadful days after the bombing".
"We thank all that called to our homes and welcome those who may still wish to call. We thank all who worked at the bomb site, at the morgue, at the Leisure Centre, or who helped in any way".
"We thank the good people, the firms, clubs, schools, churches, all of whom subscribed so generously to the Omagh Fund. We thank the small group who were given the unenviable task of distributing the funds to the bereaved and the injured".
"Unfortunately there are other aspects in the aftermath of the catastrophe which we found unhelpful and in some cases quite hurtful. We refer to the weekly, if not daily, reference in the Press and in most news items, of the families of the 29 victims of the bombing, when in fact 31 lives were lost".
"The unborn twins would at this time be preparing for their second birthday. We object to being misquoted in the Press and of having made statements at meetings when in fact we were not present nor did we speak to a reporter".
"We further object to statements made by any group that claims, as we read in the Press, to speak for the families of the 29 victims of the Omagh bombing, when, in fact, we never belonged to such a group".
"Finally we feel sure that most people would agree that all who died were the most loving and the best loved people in our community and as such deserve to be remembered with affection and love".
"We feel sure that those of our families whom we have loved and lost would ask for nothing more than that we live on friendly terms with our neighbours and work together for peace and good will in our community, throughout this land and over the whole world".
"We would ask, even beg, for an assurance from those who had any part in the bombing of Omagh to make sure that no such act would ever be contemplated again".
THOSE who planned or carried out the Omagh bombing should give an assurance that no such action would ever be contemplated again, members of the Monaghan and Grimes families said this week.
In a statement issued after evidence on the deaths of Mary Grimes, Avril Monaghan, Maura Monaghan and Avril Monaghan's unborn twins, the families said: "We take the opportunity at this time to make known our feelings and bring to light a number of facts which hitherto may not have been part of the public perception".
"First of all we would like to express our genuine and sincere thanks to the hundreds and thousands of good people from near and far who, in so many ways, have done their utmost to help, comfort and sympathise with us in those first and dreadful days after the bombing".
"We thank all that called to our homes and welcome those who may still wish to call. We thank all who worked at the bomb site, at the morgue, at the Leisure Centre, or who helped in any way".
"We thank the good people, the firms, clubs, schools, churches, all of whom subscribed so generously to the Omagh Fund. We thank the small group who were given the unenviable task of distributing the funds to the bereaved and the injured".
"Unfortunately there are other aspects in the aftermath of the catastrophe which we found unhelpful and in some cases quite hurtful. We refer to the weekly, if not daily, reference in the Press and in most news items, of the families of the 29 victims of the bombing, when in fact 31 lives were lost".
"The unborn twins would at this time be preparing for their second birthday. We object to being misquoted in the Press and of having made statements at meetings when in fact we were not present nor did we speak to a reporter".
"We further object to statements made by any group that claims, as we read in the Press, to speak for the families of the 29 victims of the Omagh bombing, when, in fact, we never belonged to such a group".
"Finally we feel sure that most people would agree that all who died were the most loving and the best loved people in our community and as such deserve to be remembered with affection and love".
"We feel sure that those of our families whom we have loved and lost would ask for nothing more than that we live on friendly terms with our neighbours and work together for peace and good will in our community, throughout this land and over the whole world".
"We would ask, even beg, for an assurance from those who had any part in the bombing of Omagh to make sure that no such act would ever be contemplated again".
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1540
Published Date: 21-Sep-00
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