FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OUTRAGED AT DUP MAN'S COMMENTS
Families of bomb victims outraged at DUP man's comments
By MICHELE CANNING
COMMENTS by the DUP's Oliver Gibson in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Omagh atrocity has caused an outcry among
bereaved relatives.
The West Tyrone assemblyman - who lost a relative in the Real IRA bomb of last August - is at the centre of controversy after he issued a statement to the Herald days before the anniversary.
In it, the DUP man who is also a member of Omagh District Council accused many people of 'joyously' jumping on the bandwagon of hype and publicity surrounding the first anniversary commemorations. He also expresses concern that other victims in the troubles have been forgotten about.
He said: "There is indeed concern that 37 bombs, 1200 shootings and 97 previous murders have all been forgotten, ignored and swept under a deep carpet of religious hypocrisy.
"There are all these families, their loved and deeply mourned, who have been relegated to a backdrop of nothingness. This is indeed a disgrace to pretend that there was ever only one bomb in Omagh or in West Tyrone."
Mr Gibson begs all those who 'joyously jump on the band wagon of hype and publicity' not to ignore, neglect or be so insensitive as to forget that for 31 years the IRA has murdered, maimed or injured.
"They were considered legitimate targets. Why one may ask has the term 'innocent victims' suddenly emerged on the 16th August."
He has called for every family that has 'suffered at the hands of premeditated murder by the IRA' to be remembered, respected and given equal media attention.
Furthermore, the assembly man said he suspects that had 29 RUC officers, army or RIR personnel, or 'humble' protestants been killed on August 15th then the streets of Omagh may not have been filled with the exuberance of sympathy so obviously generated one year on.
The response from the parents of Omagh youth, Adrian Gallagher and James Barker, from Buncrana has been one of condemnation, particularly in light of the first anniversary
One family were so incensed at the contents of the release that they contacted the DUP man immediately.
Vincent Barker, who lost his 12 year old son, James, in the explosion told the Herald that he and his wife, Donna Marie, were appalled and horrified.
Mr Barker said, on reading the DUP man's comments, "as an Englishman who lost his 12 year old son in the Omagh bomb, the insensitivity and thoughtlessness in the issue of such a press release days before the first anniversary of my son's murder shocked me so much that I rang Mr Gibson."
He said the "bigotry" evident in the press release was confirmed in his conversation with the DUP man up until the moment that he dropped the phone.
Mr Barker added: "Mr Gibson is a man who appears to be able to hear his own opinions and think they are right and is not prepared to listen to others."
He said as far as he and his wife are concerned everyone who has been murdered, lost a family member, or a loved one, or suffered injury at the hands of terrorists from both sides of the 'so called divide' is 'innocent', including those who have suffered in Britain.
Mr Barker said that with the exception of terrorists who live by the sword no-one deserves to die, nor is one sod of soil in Ireland or Britain, worth a life.
"There can never be any legitimate targets for murder," he added.
Michael Gallagher pointed out that the victims of other atrocities in both North and South have not been forgotten by the people of Omagh.
He revealed that relatives of the Omagh victims have met with families affected by the atrocities in Enniskillen, Teebane and Warrington and in Dublin and Monaghan.
They have also met with families bereaved by sectarian shootings, perpetrated by paramilitaries on both sides of the divide.
"In other words, we have attempted over the past year to acknowledge the suffering that has gone before throughout all of these islands as a result of the conflict in Northern Ireland."
Mr Gallagher said he welcomed the involvement of everyone who highlights issues relating to all victims of the past 30 years conflict in Northern Ireland.
Both of the bereaved fathers made reference to the peace process.
Mr Barker said it is up to the people of Ireland, particularly the politicians to deliver a just and lasting peace.
He added: "From the opinions expressed by Mr Gibson I cannot say that many would feel confident leaving this task in his hands. Let us hope that he will sit up and think, before he issues another tirade, and start talking the language of reconciliation.
"Perhaps, however, as a politician it may not be in his best interests to do so."
People, he said, also had a responsibility to give information to the RUC and Garda about those involved in the Omagh bomb and other activities since the Good Friday Agreement so that people can live in peace.
Michael Gallagher added: "I am disappointed that politicians, who have failed us so miserably over the past year, should at this very sensitive time in our community be attempting to inject controversy and division.
"In effect, attempting to achieve what the bombers failed to do".
By MICHELE CANNING
COMMENTS by the DUP's Oliver Gibson in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Omagh atrocity has caused an outcry among
bereaved relatives.
The West Tyrone assemblyman - who lost a relative in the Real IRA bomb of last August - is at the centre of controversy after he issued a statement to the Herald days before the anniversary.
In it, the DUP man who is also a member of Omagh District Council accused many people of 'joyously' jumping on the bandwagon of hype and publicity surrounding the first anniversary commemorations. He also expresses concern that other victims in the troubles have been forgotten about.
He said: "There is indeed concern that 37 bombs, 1200 shootings and 97 previous murders have all been forgotten, ignored and swept under a deep carpet of religious hypocrisy.
"There are all these families, their loved and deeply mourned, who have been relegated to a backdrop of nothingness. This is indeed a disgrace to pretend that there was ever only one bomb in Omagh or in West Tyrone."
Mr Gibson begs all those who 'joyously jump on the band wagon of hype and publicity' not to ignore, neglect or be so insensitive as to forget that for 31 years the IRA has murdered, maimed or injured.
"They were considered legitimate targets. Why one may ask has the term 'innocent victims' suddenly emerged on the 16th August."
He has called for every family that has 'suffered at the hands of premeditated murder by the IRA' to be remembered, respected and given equal media attention.
Furthermore, the assembly man said he suspects that had 29 RUC officers, army or RIR personnel, or 'humble' protestants been killed on August 15th then the streets of Omagh may not have been filled with the exuberance of sympathy so obviously generated one year on.
The response from the parents of Omagh youth, Adrian Gallagher and James Barker, from Buncrana has been one of condemnation, particularly in light of the first anniversary
One family were so incensed at the contents of the release that they contacted the DUP man immediately.
Vincent Barker, who lost his 12 year old son, James, in the explosion told the Herald that he and his wife, Donna Marie, were appalled and horrified.
Mr Barker said, on reading the DUP man's comments, "as an Englishman who lost his 12 year old son in the Omagh bomb, the insensitivity and thoughtlessness in the issue of such a press release days before the first anniversary of my son's murder shocked me so much that I rang Mr Gibson."
He said the "bigotry" evident in the press release was confirmed in his conversation with the DUP man up until the moment that he dropped the phone.
Mr Barker added: "Mr Gibson is a man who appears to be able to hear his own opinions and think they are right and is not prepared to listen to others."
He said as far as he and his wife are concerned everyone who has been murdered, lost a family member, or a loved one, or suffered injury at the hands of terrorists from both sides of the 'so called divide' is 'innocent', including those who have suffered in Britain.
Mr Barker said that with the exception of terrorists who live by the sword no-one deserves to die, nor is one sod of soil in Ireland or Britain, worth a life.
"There can never be any legitimate targets for murder," he added.
Michael Gallagher pointed out that the victims of other atrocities in both North and South have not been forgotten by the people of Omagh.
He revealed that relatives of the Omagh victims have met with families affected by the atrocities in Enniskillen, Teebane and Warrington and in Dublin and Monaghan.
They have also met with families bereaved by sectarian shootings, perpetrated by paramilitaries on both sides of the divide.
"In other words, we have attempted over the past year to acknowledge the suffering that has gone before throughout all of these islands as a result of the conflict in Northern Ireland."
Mr Gallagher said he welcomed the involvement of everyone who highlights issues relating to all victims of the past 30 years conflict in Northern Ireland.
Both of the bereaved fathers made reference to the peace process.
Mr Barker said it is up to the people of Ireland, particularly the politicians to deliver a just and lasting peace.
He added: "From the opinions expressed by Mr Gibson I cannot say that many would feel confident leaving this task in his hands. Let us hope that he will sit up and think, before he issues another tirade, and start talking the language of reconciliation.
"Perhaps, however, as a politician it may not be in his best interests to do so."
People, he said, also had a responsibility to give information to the RUC and Garda about those involved in the Omagh bomb and other activities since the Good Friday Agreement so that people can live in peace.
Michael Gallagher added: "I am disappointed that politicians, who have failed us so miserably over the past year, should at this very sensitive time in our community be attempting to inject controversy and division.
"In effect, attempting to achieve what the bombers failed to do".
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0571
Published Date: 19-Aug-99
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