WAR OF WORDS RUMBLES ON AS BOMB MEMORIAL CHOSEN
War of words rumbles on as bomb memorial chosen
Independent facilitator to be appointed
by Jonathan Rainey
THE launch of the proposed memorial to the Omagh bomb victims this week has been overshadowed by the ongoing row over the wording it is to carry.
The chosen design, known as the 'Garden of Light', was unveiled to members of the press by the chairman of Omagh Memorial Working Group, Danny McSorley, at the Strule Arts Centre on Tuesday morning. The innovative �250,000 proposal will see the present temporary memorial garden transformed to feature a pool of light tracking the sun and pouring light onto 31 small mirrors mounted on poles.
These mirrors will transmit the light over nearby buildings onto a cut-glass heart sculpture, mounted within a 4.5 metre pillar of glass at the site of the bomb in Market Street.
The design, created by artist Sean Hillen and landscape architect Desmond Fitzgerald, beat off competition from four other international entries to be chosen as the winning design for the memorial garden commemorating the 31 bomb victims, including two unborn children.
However, the controversy over the exact wording of the inscription that the bombsite memorial in Market Street will carry that began when the selection process began refuses to go away. The relatives of some of the Omagh bomb victims have continued to express their concerns that there have been no guarantees that the inscription will attribute responsibility for the 1998 atrocity to dissident republican terrorists.
In response to these concerns, Mr McSorley confirmed on Tuesday that Omagh District Council would appoint an independent professional facilitator to lead a series of discussions involving all those affected by the atrocity on the subject of a narrative and to prepare a report for consideration.
He added that this decision had been taken in recognition of the wide range of views on this subject and in an attempt to arrive at a successful and consensual outcome.
But despite this move, Michael Gallagher, the chairman of Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, which was started by the families of the Omagh bomb victims, remains to be convinced that the local council are prepared to accept the truth of what happened on 15 August, 1998.
Mr Gallagher, who lost his son Aiden in the bomb, said: "The people who planted the car bomb took responsibility for it, there's no mystery there.
"The fact that an independent mediator is to be appointed proves that the wording the families have chosen is the problem. What is wrong with the truth?"
Mr Gallagher said that, at the bare minimum, the relatives want the new memorial to say that 31 people from three nations were killed by a dissident republican car bomb.
The support group chairman said that the arrival of a professional facilitator to facilitate between the two groups could turn out to be a good thing if the two groups were able to work together in the appointment process.
He said: "There's two parties in dispute, and if one side dictatorially appoints someone without consulting the other party, then they're missing the point of the mediation process.
"We believe that the person who is appointed should be from outside the area, preferably outside Northern Ireland, have a background in professional mediation, should have a clear and open mind, and be able to listen to reasoned arguments from both sides.
"But we need to be in agreement over who that person is, because it defeats the purpose of mediation if the two parties can't move forward together."
Mr Gallagher admitted that if the Memorial Working Group refused to accept the wording that has been proposed, the families could be forced to erect a monument of their own.
He said: "We are not going to allow other people to dictate to us, we've had enough of empty promises and being strung along. If the Memorial Working Group and Omagh District Council feel that they want to mark the Omagh bomb in their particular way, we will mark it in a way we think is fitting."
He added: "The support group has been working on a paper on the issue, and we will be putting a series of recommendations forward to the two governments. We will now do the right thing ourselves, and we will be judged by others."
The 'Garden of Light' was chosen as the winning design because it was felt that it recognised the significance of the Omagh bomb and reflects the support, love and healing which came from all over the world in the weeks and months that followed, while also providing space and atmosphere for reflection.
The memorial is expected to be ready in time for the 10th anniversary of the bombing.
Independent facilitator to be appointed
by Jonathan Rainey
THE launch of the proposed memorial to the Omagh bomb victims this week has been overshadowed by the ongoing row over the wording it is to carry.
The chosen design, known as the 'Garden of Light', was unveiled to members of the press by the chairman of Omagh Memorial Working Group, Danny McSorley, at the Strule Arts Centre on Tuesday morning. The innovative �250,000 proposal will see the present temporary memorial garden transformed to feature a pool of light tracking the sun and pouring light onto 31 small mirrors mounted on poles.
These mirrors will transmit the light over nearby buildings onto a cut-glass heart sculpture, mounted within a 4.5 metre pillar of glass at the site of the bomb in Market Street.
The design, created by artist Sean Hillen and landscape architect Desmond Fitzgerald, beat off competition from four other international entries to be chosen as the winning design for the memorial garden commemorating the 31 bomb victims, including two unborn children.
However, the controversy over the exact wording of the inscription that the bombsite memorial in Market Street will carry that began when the selection process began refuses to go away. The relatives of some of the Omagh bomb victims have continued to express their concerns that there have been no guarantees that the inscription will attribute responsibility for the 1998 atrocity to dissident republican terrorists.
In response to these concerns, Mr McSorley confirmed on Tuesday that Omagh District Council would appoint an independent professional facilitator to lead a series of discussions involving all those affected by the atrocity on the subject of a narrative and to prepare a report for consideration.
He added that this decision had been taken in recognition of the wide range of views on this subject and in an attempt to arrive at a successful and consensual outcome.
But despite this move, Michael Gallagher, the chairman of Omagh Support and Self-Help Group, which was started by the families of the Omagh bomb victims, remains to be convinced that the local council are prepared to accept the truth of what happened on 15 August, 1998.
Mr Gallagher, who lost his son Aiden in the bomb, said: "The people who planted the car bomb took responsibility for it, there's no mystery there.
"The fact that an independent mediator is to be appointed proves that the wording the families have chosen is the problem. What is wrong with the truth?"
Mr Gallagher said that, at the bare minimum, the relatives want the new memorial to say that 31 people from three nations were killed by a dissident republican car bomb.
The support group chairman said that the arrival of a professional facilitator to facilitate between the two groups could turn out to be a good thing if the two groups were able to work together in the appointment process.
He said: "There's two parties in dispute, and if one side dictatorially appoints someone without consulting the other party, then they're missing the point of the mediation process.
"We believe that the person who is appointed should be from outside the area, preferably outside Northern Ireland, have a background in professional mediation, should have a clear and open mind, and be able to listen to reasoned arguments from both sides.
"But we need to be in agreement over who that person is, because it defeats the purpose of mediation if the two parties can't move forward together."
Mr Gallagher admitted that if the Memorial Working Group refused to accept the wording that has been proposed, the families could be forced to erect a monument of their own.
He said: "We are not going to allow other people to dictate to us, we've had enough of empty promises and being strung along. If the Memorial Working Group and Omagh District Council feel that they want to mark the Omagh bomb in their particular way, we will mark it in a way we think is fitting."
He added: "The support group has been working on a paper on the issue, and we will be putting a series of recommendations forward to the two governments. We will now do the right thing ourselves, and we will be judged by others."
The 'Garden of Light' was chosen as the winning design because it was felt that it recognised the significance of the Omagh bomb and reflects the support, love and healing which came from all over the world in the weeks and months that followed, while also providing space and atmosphere for reflection.
The memorial is expected to be ready in time for the 10th anniversary of the bombing.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1893
Published Date: 20-Sep-07
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