CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCEMENT RECEIVES GUARDED WELCOME
Ceasefire announcement receives guarded welcome
Move comes too late for those bereaved and injured by Omagh bomb
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
THIS week's announcement that the Real IRA -who was behind the August 15 bombing - has declared a permanent ceasefire, has been welcomed by the Chief Executive of Omagh District Council.
But John McKinney felt news of the truce had unfortunately arrived too late for those killed and maimed in the atrocity.
Speaking just hours after a statement was released by the splinter group, the Chief Executive said he welcomed any announcement which would reduce the risk of further suffering.
"I believe the bombing of Omagh has been a watershed in the troubles of the past 30 years.
"However, it came too late for the 29 lives and hundreds injured, but if this is the end of it and the announcement will prevent any other town suffering what we have gone through within the past number of weeks, then it has to be welcomed.
"I hope other groups still engaged in violence will now follow suit and call a halt to their actions.
"When they pushed the button to detonate that bomb, they also pushed their own self destruct button" added Mr McKinney.
The news that the splinter group had called a halt to its activities was met with mixed reaction locally.
Many welcomed the announcement wholeheartedly, but others felt it was a case of the move coming "too late" for those bereaved and injured in the August 15 attack.
West-Tyrone Assemblyman, Joe Byrne said he very much welcomed the latest declaration.
In a statement this week he said: "I welcome the fact that the Real IRA has faced up to the widespread public revulsion throughout Ireland about the Omagh bombing, and have declared a total ceasefire.
"Unfortunately, the victims of the Omagh bomb will get little comfort from the RIRA's belated decision. It is very apparent to me that the swift action of both the Irish and British governments in the aftermath of the bomb, greatly concentrated all of the minds in the republican movement especially those in the Real IRA.
"It is now clear that no longer will many people indulge in the language of ambivalence toward political violence in Ireland. It is terrible and regrettable that the community of Omagh has had to bear the brunt of human savagery before republicans who practised political violence for so long, came to their senses. Thankfully, the will of the people, as expressed through the Referendum, is going to prevail, and hopefully the new political structures will be allowed to work for the benefit of all" he added.
Fellow Assembly member Oliver Gibson, welcomed the cessation but predicted that when the paramilitaries did not get what they wanted, they would return to violence.
The DUP member said the business of the terrorists was terror, and anyone could predict that in a short time, the terror machine would re-emerge.
"Perhaps they will be repackaged and relabelled with, perhaps a new set of tactics and strategies... in 28 years West-Tyrone has suffered 800 murders and atrocities previous to Saturday 15th of August. Omagh and Omagh town suffered 150 such attacks.
"The ceasefire means exactly what it says, a temporary cessation of violence in the midst of a war."
He said that the facts must, be faced and that republicans still had 30 tonnes of Semtex and over 1000 armalite rifles in the caches, additionally, he said that training grounds were still in existence.
Concluding, he added; "We will not have peace in Northern Ireland until good order is restored . That means dealing with terrorists whose business is terror."
The announcement of a truce has been given a cautiously optimistic welcome by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking to the 'Herald' this week, Chamber President, Michael Gaine said he greeted the news favourably and hoped the move would spur on inward investment locally.
But he felt the next six months would be make or break time if the commercial heart of the town was to survive.
The locally-based restaurateur also mooted that townspeople were a little "hesitant to clap their hands" at this point in time.
"When the first ceasefire was announced back in 1995, people were both elated and delighted at the news.
"But there has been so much back-tracking since then, people are now reluctant to believe their word.
"But if it results in inward investment coming our way, then it has to be seen as a good thing" added Mr Gaine.
Turning to the question of the town's future, the Chamber President said the next few months were crucial to the rebuilding programme.
"I feel the future is bleak enough for Omagh and unless investment is forthcoming we are going to face serious problems.
"What we do over the next six months will decide our future. We at least need the promise of investment.
"The Secretary of State has already promised to do her level best to help rebuild the town, but the final push is really up to ourselves" he added.
Omagh Traders' Association, however, feel the town faces an uphill battle.
The group's Chairman, Roy Allen this week pointed out that it was a case of "not sympathy, but action" which was needed.
"We in Omagh have to do in the next 18 months what other towns of a similar size have achieved in ten to fifteen years.
"But we now have to take Omagh into the new Millennium as a model town, one which the rest of Ireland will look up to" he added.
Move comes too late for those bereaved and injured by Omagh bomb
BY: JOHN McCUSKER
THIS week's announcement that the Real IRA -who was behind the August 15 bombing - has declared a permanent ceasefire, has been welcomed by the Chief Executive of Omagh District Council.
But John McKinney felt news of the truce had unfortunately arrived too late for those killed and maimed in the atrocity.
Speaking just hours after a statement was released by the splinter group, the Chief Executive said he welcomed any announcement which would reduce the risk of further suffering.
"I believe the bombing of Omagh has been a watershed in the troubles of the past 30 years.
"However, it came too late for the 29 lives and hundreds injured, but if this is the end of it and the announcement will prevent any other town suffering what we have gone through within the past number of weeks, then it has to be welcomed.
"I hope other groups still engaged in violence will now follow suit and call a halt to their actions.
"When they pushed the button to detonate that bomb, they also pushed their own self destruct button" added Mr McKinney.
The news that the splinter group had called a halt to its activities was met with mixed reaction locally.
Many welcomed the announcement wholeheartedly, but others felt it was a case of the move coming "too late" for those bereaved and injured in the August 15 attack.
West-Tyrone Assemblyman, Joe Byrne said he very much welcomed the latest declaration.
In a statement this week he said: "I welcome the fact that the Real IRA has faced up to the widespread public revulsion throughout Ireland about the Omagh bombing, and have declared a total ceasefire.
"Unfortunately, the victims of the Omagh bomb will get little comfort from the RIRA's belated decision. It is very apparent to me that the swift action of both the Irish and British governments in the aftermath of the bomb, greatly concentrated all of the minds in the republican movement especially those in the Real IRA.
"It is now clear that no longer will many people indulge in the language of ambivalence toward political violence in Ireland. It is terrible and regrettable that the community of Omagh has had to bear the brunt of human savagery before republicans who practised political violence for so long, came to their senses. Thankfully, the will of the people, as expressed through the Referendum, is going to prevail, and hopefully the new political structures will be allowed to work for the benefit of all" he added.
Fellow Assembly member Oliver Gibson, welcomed the cessation but predicted that when the paramilitaries did not get what they wanted, they would return to violence.
The DUP member said the business of the terrorists was terror, and anyone could predict that in a short time, the terror machine would re-emerge.
"Perhaps they will be repackaged and relabelled with, perhaps a new set of tactics and strategies... in 28 years West-Tyrone has suffered 800 murders and atrocities previous to Saturday 15th of August. Omagh and Omagh town suffered 150 such attacks.
"The ceasefire means exactly what it says, a temporary cessation of violence in the midst of a war."
He said that the facts must, be faced and that republicans still had 30 tonnes of Semtex and over 1000 armalite rifles in the caches, additionally, he said that training grounds were still in existence.
Concluding, he added; "We will not have peace in Northern Ireland until good order is restored . That means dealing with terrorists whose business is terror."
The announcement of a truce has been given a cautiously optimistic welcome by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking to the 'Herald' this week, Chamber President, Michael Gaine said he greeted the news favourably and hoped the move would spur on inward investment locally.
But he felt the next six months would be make or break time if the commercial heart of the town was to survive.
The locally-based restaurateur also mooted that townspeople were a little "hesitant to clap their hands" at this point in time.
"When the first ceasefire was announced back in 1995, people were both elated and delighted at the news.
"But there has been so much back-tracking since then, people are now reluctant to believe their word.
"But if it results in inward investment coming our way, then it has to be seen as a good thing" added Mr Gaine.
Turning to the question of the town's future, the Chamber President said the next few months were crucial to the rebuilding programme.
"I feel the future is bleak enough for Omagh and unless investment is forthcoming we are going to face serious problems.
"What we do over the next six months will decide our future. We at least need the promise of investment.
"The Secretary of State has already promised to do her level best to help rebuild the town, but the final push is really up to ourselves" he added.
Omagh Traders' Association, however, feel the town faces an uphill battle.
The group's Chairman, Roy Allen this week pointed out that it was a case of "not sympathy, but action" which was needed.
"We in Omagh have to do in the next 18 months what other towns of a similar size have achieved in ten to fifteen years.
"But we now have to take Omagh into the new Millennium as a model town, one which the rest of Ireland will look up to" he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0407
Published Date: 10-Sep-98
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