It has been 12 years since the Saville Inquiry began and today, on 15 June 2010, the final report has been published. Lord Saville investigated the events of the day, the role of the British Army, the IRA and the whether the deaths of 13 civilians were justified.
The Victims of Bloody Sunday
According to the Saville Report, the victims were unarmed and innocent civilians. It suggested, however, that Gerald Donaghy may have been armed as a police photograph showed nail bombs on his body. The report suggests that he was not intending to throw a nail bomb when he was shot, but that he was shot trying to escape from British soldiers.
Some soldiers have contended that members of the IRA were injured at Bloody Sunday but that they were able to escape before being discovered. According to Lord Saville, there is no evidence to support this claim.
The Role of the British Army on Sunday Bloody
Did the Army fire without justification, or was it self-defence? The Report states that members of the British Army fired without self-control. None of the protesters posed an immediate threat or danger to British soldiers.
Lord Saville has criticised Major General Ford of the Armed Forces for his decision to use the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment, for the arrest force. This is due to their reputation for using excessive force and physical violence which could have increased tensions on the day.
Bloody Sunday and the IRA
In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, many British soldiers claimed that they had opened fire in response to IRA gunfire. Lord Saville has found that republican paramilitaries did fire that day but, it was the British Army who fired first. The Inquiry also found that Martin McGuinness, a former IRA member and now deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, was probably carrying a Thompson sub-machine gun but there is no evidence that he fired the weapon.
With regards to an IRA sniper, two IRA members did fire from a prearranged sniper position and not just in response to the British Army.
The Role of the Government in Bloody Sunday
According to Lord Saville, the Government did not allow or encourage soldiers to use unnecessary force in Northern Ireland. Evidence shows that Bloody Sunday occurred against the backdrop of a genuine attempt the bring peace to the province.
Immediate responsibility for the deaths of the 13 victims lies with the members of the Support Company who opened fire.
References:
Bloody Sunday Inquiry: Key Findings
Saville Report vs. Widgery Report
See Also:
Bloody Sunday: 30th January 1972
Could British Soldiers Be Prosecuted For Bloody Sunday?
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