On 31 January 2011 FRFI supporters joined the annual Bloody Sunday commemoration march in Derry, Ireland. The event marks the anniversary of on 30 January, 1972, when 14 civilians were shot dead by the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment of the British Army.
In the weeks preceding this year’s commemoration, confirmation emerged that this was to be the last march. Bloody Sunday families argued that the conclusions of the Saville enquiry into the murders in Derry merited alternative forms of commemoration.
This was not the view of all the families and on the day of the march thousands of their supporters diverted to Free Derry Corner rather than attend the official final rally. Led by relatives of the dead and wounded, they proclaimed: ‘Next year we march!’. Their banner asked ‘Where’s the Justice?’ Not a single prosecution of the guilty is forthcoming.
Amongst the guilty is Mike Jackson, Para 1’s Adjutant in 1972. This ruling-class psychopath was well rewarded by British imperialism, going on to be Chief of the General Staff of British Forces. Jackson’s bullying upper class tones delivered the lies about his soldier’s conduct to the world’s press on that day. Any child could have seen through Jackson’s self- penned deceits. His killing squads had just mercilessly taken the lives of young men not so far themselves from innocent childhood.
Examined by the Saville enquiry, decades later Jackson’s soldiers advanced obviously false accounts to justify their shooting. Saville said this in his report, and how could he not, given that his enquiry cleared the Bloody Sunday dead of possession of guns or bombs? No weapons, so no defensive reason for the shootings. The incitement of senior British army officers to murder was never considered. On 7 January 1972, General Ford had called for the army to “shoot selected ringleaders” in Derry.
As one commentator put it, ‘The Saville Enquiry was heavy on innocence and light on justice’. It was a deal; the innocence of the murdered and wounded Irish given in return for the freedom of British imperialism’s gunmen. Solicitors for the bereaved families have sent on legal papers to the Public Prosecutions Service arguing for trials. We demand those involved face prosecution for murder, conspiracy to murder, and perjury.
‘Unjustified and unjustifiable’ were the words of David Cameron in the House of Commons at the carefully plotted release of the conclusions of the Saville Report in June 2010. All of the Bloody Sunday families welcomed the vindication of their campaign to uphold the innocence of their loved ones.
But as a speaker at the breakaway rally at Free Derry Corner stated, Sinn Fein have succeeded in doing what the British could not do- they have divided the Bloody Sunday families. This use of families’ differing concerns, views and influences was successfully deployed by the British government and their allies to undermine the courageous Irish hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981.
To continue the fight, the relatives pursuing justice have had to break with other Bloody Sunday families, campaign members and Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein has steadily de-mobilised and de-politicised the Irish people’s struggle against British imperialism. It is significant that it is working class women that have led this renewed fight for justice. It was working class women who formed the backbone of the Relatives Action Committees to support the legitimate rights of Irish Prisoners of War in the late 1970’s. The Labour government’s withdrawal of Political Status in 1976 and its criminalisation campaign against the Irish people’s struggle, led to the growth of massive community support and action for the hundreds of men and women in prison, eventually culminating in the Hunger Strikes of 1980 and 1981.
The Justice for Bloody Sunday relatives did not stand alone in 2011, a range of Irish organisations and campaigners joined them: the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the Irish Republican Socialist Party, Republican Sinn Fein, Republican Network for Unity, the Manus Deery Campaign, the Socialist Workers Party, Palestinian solidarity activists and Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!
We marched to Free Derry Corner, where all were invited to speak. A contributor stated ‘better to stand here and organise to take up the continuing battle for justice and civil rights than be listening to the speeches and policies of Sinn Fein!’ The crowd acknowledged these remarks and it was proclaimed that this would not be the last march at all, that all would return and all would continue campaigning for justice.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! salutes the brave and principled stance of these families and campaigners and pledges to support the defiant remembrance of those murdered on Bloody Sunday and the campaign for justice.
Well it was Sunday Bloody Sunday
When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the Free Derry air
Is there any one amongst you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!
(John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sunday Bloody Sunday, 1972)
Justice for Bloody Sunday!
Britain out of Ireland!
Victory to the Irish People!
Michael MacGregor
