Hurtful And Deceitful Falsehoods

Via The Transcripts John Teggart with a Press Release from the Ballymurphy Massacre Families 26 January 2017.

Folks over the last number of weeks there has been a massive step up in the campaign to prevent state forces ‘Pensioners’ from being brought to account for the many murders they have been involved in the past these were not just ‘stray bullets,’cross fire’ or ‘moment of madness’.

Examples of some of the massacres of the innocents carried out Ballymurphy 11, Bloody Sunday 14, Springhill 5, Shankill 2, Newlodge 6 etc. Victims’ families feelings have been totally ignored by certain politicians. The grief felt by the death of your loved one during The Troubles is no different whether it is caused by the State, Republican or Loyalist violence.

We hear comments spurned out like ‘we will not allow history to be rewritten’, ‘the legacy process is one sided’, ‘we need to have a level playing field’ and, the favourite one of the Tory government, ‘Terrorists were responsible for 90 per cent of all killings during The Troubles’. These comments can be really hurtful and also deceitful. Families want to correct history not rewrite it.

My father, Danny Teggart, still stands officially as being a gun man when he was shot by the army, just like hundreds more. Father Raymond Murray’s research many years back put statistics in what I feel is the correct score on the ‘playing field’ people can make their own judgment on this.


Death Toll: 14 August 1969 to 31 December 1994
Deaths Due to:
Catholic
Protestant
Security Forces
Total
Republican Activity
402
517
919
1838
Loyalist Activity
746
227
14
987
Security Forces Activity
249
37
286
Other: Unclassified or Uncertain
36
24
60
Total Deaths
1433
805
933
3171
Source: Murray, R. State Violence: Northern Ireland 1969-1997. Cork, Ireland: Mercier Press, 1998, p.245.

# killed by Pro-state forces:      1273
# killed by Republican forces:  1838

# killed by others:                               60

Pro-State:    40.7%
Republican: 58.2%
30,000 civilians processed through the courts
3 British soldiers convicted for murder


These statistics finish in 1994.  We now know that since then state agents were armed and controlled for many years killer squads included agents Brian Nelson, Steak Knife, Haddock, Glenanne Gang and the infamous MRF.  I haven’t got my calculator in front of me but seems that ‘10%’ is growing. 

We also now know, with great work of Anne Cadwallader book, who is responsible for over 100 murders. Think we should add state collusion in all its forms now.  I remember working out years back between March 1970 to October 1972 security forces were responsible on average for one death per week in the north of Ireland, these included men, women, children and two Catholic priests.

This is something for these complaining ex veterans to think about who once again proudly wear their uniform to march all over the legal system and the memory of our loved ones this weekend in Parliament Square London. Judge for yourselves what the real percentage of State involvement in the conflict is to date, I hope not to hear about this 10% again!

1 comment:

  1. Just after coming from a talk in Derry tonight hosted by Bloody Sunday March for Justice entitled 'You'll Never Walk Alone". Speakers included Sheila Coleman, Hillsborough Justice Campaign, Marcia Rigg United Families & Friends Campaign. Marcia's brother died in Brixton police station 2008 and Raymond McCord from Belfast who son was murdered was sanctioned by Mark Haddock, a senior UVF member and protected police informer.

    This evenings event followed on from the Stepping Stones To Justice event earlier on where families Eileen McKeown Ballymurphy Massacre Campaign, Liam Wray Bloody Sunday families and Eugene Reavey from Co Armagh whose 3 brothers were killed by the UVF.

    Earlier in the week there was another event 'Interment Then and Now' where Francie McGuigan, one of the hooded men spoke of his experience, Joanne Donnelly outlined the case of false imprisonment of Brendan McConville and John Paul Woolton, the 'Craigavon Two' and Moazzam Begg talked about his imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay.

    What came out clear from all the events was the common thread of State injustice, collusion, cover ups, murder and torture, how victims and their families not only need answers but justice and that they are not getting much help from political parties on either side.

    Tonight's meeting finished on an optimistic note and the families and organisers will meet to discuss developing a united campaign.

    Videos of events will be put up on the http://bloodysundaymarch.org/for_justice/
    videos of United Families & Friends can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/migrantmedia

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