Sunday, June 26, 2005

 

Sunday Scrutiny-IRA Statement

We place the cause of the Irish Republic under the protection of the Most High God. Whose blessing we invoke upon our arms, and we pray that no one who serves that cause will dishonour it by cowardice, inhumanity, or rapine - The Proclamation of the Republic

On Friday the Provisional IRA released a statement
admitting responsibility for the killing of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Derry and apologised to the girl's family.

At the time, the IRA blamed the British army for the shooting and said later that it had killed a soldier in retaliation.

The IRA stated that it accepted its failure to accept responsibility for the killing had added to the hurt and pain of the girl's family.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams praised the IRA for owning up to the killing: "The most important element in all of that is the Feeney family.

"I would hope that the statement helps to bring closure to that family and I therefore welcome that statement.

"At least the IRA is prepared to stand up and take responsibility for something which it did," he said.

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First off, I will say that the last thing the IRA deserves right now is praise. Here is the reality of the situation:

- The IRA killed an innocent girl.
- The IRA did not own up to this killing and instead blamed it on the British army.
- They then killed a British soldier "in retaliation" for a murder that they had actually committed themselves.
- They have now apologised to the Feeney family but not the family of the British soldier they shot dead.
- Gerry Adams thinks this statement brings closure to the Feeney family, but what about the family of the soldier?

This statement by the IRA was truly shocking and if they have lied about this incident, what other incidents have they lied about? Can one blame the unionist community for opposing Sinn Fein/IRA with all its might? And how dare Adams say that "the most important element" is the Feeney family! What of the soldier's family?

Sinn Fein and their Provo cohorts have a long way to go it seems before they realise just how flawed their logic is. As far as I'm concerned, if we are taking the British State and their troops to task over past incidents and demanding apologies, when will we see the IRA apologise to the families of British soldiers?

We are told the ususal rhetoric from Sinn Fein members about moving on from "a conflict situation" and many political analysts have speculated about the end of the IRA, but if they cannot bring themselves to apologise about incidents that are completely and categorically wrong when it relates to the British army, how can we possibly move on from a conflict situation?

The IRA deserves no praise in this situation. They showed absolutely extraordinary cowardice and inhumanity and disgraced what true Irish Republicanism is supposed to be about. It is outrageous for Mr Adams to praise the IRA for owning up to this tragedy after more than THIRTY YEARS.

In an era in which we are trying to reach out to our unionist brothers and sisters, it is apparent that the Provisional IRA must step aside permanently and allow Ireland's north to grow without its presence lurking in the background.

It is perhaps only that which will bring true closure to the family of that British soldier murdered by murderers acting on the pretence of redemption.

In this supreme hour the Irish nation must, by its valour and discipline and by the readiness of its children to sacrifice themselves for the common good, prove itself worthy of the august destiny to which it is called

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