After yesterday’s report indicating that shootings at the 1972 Bloody Sunday events, when British soldiers shot dead 14 protestors, would include the term ‘state murder,’ there is a further report in today’s Guardian about the response from some of the bereaved. Although the killings took place 38 years ago, it is clear that feelings are still strong:
This is from a young woman who was 18 at the time:
“There were the times you felt very, very proud of how strong people were and how much they could remember, especially older people after such a length of time. And there were times you heard evidence you didn’t want to hear. Giving evidence myself was the end of a long road of wanting to tell what I saw to the world. For a long, long time I had closed what happened deep inside me. I wanted to talk about it, but I couldn’t, because if I brought it to the front of my mind I couldn’t cope. As it gathered momentum, I kept saying to myself, “Aye, you can do this”. When it comes your time you are going to be able to cope.”
This is from an 18-year old man whose 22-year old brother was killed:
“Take the fella that murdered my brother. In his own neighbourhood, that boy probably wouldn’t treat a stray animal the same way. But he doesn’t feel what he did on Bloody Sunday was wrong because he was brought up in the system to see my brother as an enemy, somebody who had to be taught a lesson.”
The families of the more than 80 killed in Bangkok on the orders of the Thai state will feel the same way. Is there any hope that they will receive justice?
