RELATIVES OF OMAGH BOMB VICTIMS RIGHTLY DESERVE THEIR PUBLIC INQUIRY
Relatives of Omagh bomb victims 'rightly deserve' their public inquiry
Sir,
An anniversary can be good or bad, glad or sad, according to the nature of the occasion or event. Some commemorations receive more media coverage than others,. The murders on January 30, 1972, 'Bloody Sunday' and its aftermath, received almost universal recall. The Omagh bomb incident of August 15,1998, does not attract the same amount of attention.
On 'Bloody Sunday', 14 people were killed whilst taking part in an illegal march and demonstration. In Omagh, more than twice as many people were killed; 31 fatalities including unborn twins. Also, the Omagh bomb resulted in more than 250 people being injured, many of them seriously. Moreover, the victims were going about their lawful business on a Saturday afternoon.
There were two public inquiries into 'Bloody Sunday.' There has yet to be a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb atrocity. Where is the justice in this imbalance? Since the Saville Inquiry, the British Government stated that it doesn't want to have any more lengthy and costly inquiries. We should bear in mind that nearly half the cost is recouped from the tax paid by participating lawyers. But for what price should justice be denied?
The same government later realised that the powers of a public inquiry to demand attendance, and to enforce the probation of documents, is sometimes the only comprehensive tribunal to explain adequately how an incident occurred and how the subsequent investigations are followed up. Therefore, each case for an inquiry would have to be considered on its merits.
There are clear dictinctions between 'Bloody Sunday' and 'Omagh'. A public inquiry into the Omagh bombing would not have to be long and drawn out or costly. The Saville Inquiry took
months to look at the circumstances surrounding each death, whereas in ' Omagh', all deaths and injuries were instantaneous from one explosion. The number of questions to be answered in the
'Omagh' incident would be limited, and so would the number of people qualified to answer them.
The Government has authorised public inquiries into the deaths of individuals in separate incidents, for example, the Billy Wright Inquiry, The Hamill Inquiry, and theRosemary Nelson
Inquiry. As we know, there were 31 fatalities in the Omagh bombing, and there has as yet been no public inquiry into it. Furthermore, there are matters of public interest to be investigated. The bomb was placed in Omagh only months after the signing of the Belfast Agreement. Was the Government lax in reducing the number of security patrols so soon after the Agreement so as not to upset the political atmosphere of apparent peace? Did the people of Omagh pay the price for the Government's listening post, GCHQ, detect from the mobile phone traffic of the terrorists? How was this information passed onto the police, and how did they deal with it? Why did the Threat Book in the Omagh police station subsequently go missing and who was responsible for its safe custody?
The Chief Constable, Matt Baggot, in referring to the recent dissident bomb in North Belfast, said that those who planted the 'very dangerous device' in a busy shopping area on a Saturday evening have 'the same recklessness and mindset as those who brought about the Omagh tragedy.' We need to know that proper lessons have been learnt, and that there are better preventative measures and follow-up procedures in he event of any future major incident.
The case for a public inquiry into the Omagh bombing would appear to be obvious, or as they would say in the USA, a 'no brainer'. For the last few months, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, has had this mater under review, and should be soon giving his decision as to a Public Inquiry, which he can authorise under his powers in the Public Inquiry Act 2005. Justice delayed is justice denied.
The philosopher, Edmund Burke, is quoted as saying, 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing'. The Omagh bombing was the worst incident in the recent
Northern Ireland 'Troubles', and the victims' relatives should receive the public inquiry their rightly deserve.
Yours,
Neil C. Oliver
Newtownards
Sir,
An anniversary can be good or bad, glad or sad, according to the nature of the occasion or event. Some commemorations receive more media coverage than others,. The murders on January 30, 1972, 'Bloody Sunday' and its aftermath, received almost universal recall. The Omagh bomb incident of August 15,1998, does not attract the same amount of attention.
On 'Bloody Sunday', 14 people were killed whilst taking part in an illegal march and demonstration. In Omagh, more than twice as many people were killed; 31 fatalities including unborn twins. Also, the Omagh bomb resulted in more than 250 people being injured, many of them seriously. Moreover, the victims were going about their lawful business on a Saturday afternoon.
There were two public inquiries into 'Bloody Sunday.' There has yet to be a public inquiry into the Omagh bomb atrocity. Where is the justice in this imbalance? Since the Saville Inquiry, the British Government stated that it doesn't want to have any more lengthy and costly inquiries. We should bear in mind that nearly half the cost is recouped from the tax paid by participating lawyers. But for what price should justice be denied?
The same government later realised that the powers of a public inquiry to demand attendance, and to enforce the probation of documents, is sometimes the only comprehensive tribunal to explain adequately how an incident occurred and how the subsequent investigations are followed up. Therefore, each case for an inquiry would have to be considered on its merits.
There are clear dictinctions between 'Bloody Sunday' and 'Omagh'. A public inquiry into the Omagh bombing would not have to be long and drawn out or costly. The Saville Inquiry took
months to look at the circumstances surrounding each death, whereas in ' Omagh', all deaths and injuries were instantaneous from one explosion. The number of questions to be answered in the
'Omagh' incident would be limited, and so would the number of people qualified to answer them.
The Government has authorised public inquiries into the deaths of individuals in separate incidents, for example, the Billy Wright Inquiry, The Hamill Inquiry, and theRosemary Nelson
Inquiry. As we know, there were 31 fatalities in the Omagh bombing, and there has as yet been no public inquiry into it. Furthermore, there are matters of public interest to be investigated. The bomb was placed in Omagh only months after the signing of the Belfast Agreement. Was the Government lax in reducing the number of security patrols so soon after the Agreement so as not to upset the political atmosphere of apparent peace? Did the people of Omagh pay the price for the Government's listening post, GCHQ, detect from the mobile phone traffic of the terrorists? How was this information passed onto the police, and how did they deal with it? Why did the Threat Book in the Omagh police station subsequently go missing and who was responsible for its safe custody?
The Chief Constable, Matt Baggot, in referring to the recent dissident bomb in North Belfast, said that those who planted the 'very dangerous device' in a busy shopping area on a Saturday evening have 'the same recklessness and mindset as those who brought about the Omagh tragedy.' We need to know that proper lessons have been learnt, and that there are better preventative measures and follow-up procedures in he event of any future major incident.
The case for a public inquiry into the Omagh bombing would appear to be obvious, or as they would say in the USA, a 'no brainer'. For the last few months, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson, has had this mater under review, and should be soon giving his decision as to a Public Inquiry, which he can authorise under his powers in the Public Inquiry Act 2005. Justice delayed is justice denied.
The philosopher, Edmund Burke, is quoted as saying, 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing'. The Omagh bombing was the worst incident in the recent
Northern Ireland 'Troubles', and the victims' relatives should receive the public inquiry their rightly deserve.
Yours,
Neil C. Oliver
Newtownards
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/2008
Published Date: 03-Mar-11
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