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23 October 2013

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The Shankill bomb anniversary — Martin McGuinness on the legacy of the past

TODAY the relatives of those killed 20 years ago by the IRA in the Shankill bomb gather to remember their loved ones. My thoughts and sympathy are with them and the wider community in the Shankill as they rightly come together to mark that terrible event in our past.

It was an awful event which happened against a context of intense conflict.  As a result, a young IRA Volunteer, Thomas Begley, was also killed that day and I am very conscious of the grief his  family will be feeling today also.

The legacy of the Shankill bomb will stay with the bereaved families and our entire community for many years.  It’s a legacy all republicans will share with sincere regret and sorrow.

The fact is this tragedy was caused by republicans.  The reality of republicans' responsibility for it; the grief and heartache created for the bereaved; and, their understandable feelings about what happened must be acknowledged. 

The result of that IRA action 20 years ago cannot be defended. However, I do not, as a republican leader, seek to hypocritically distance myself from the loss of so many innocent lives on the Shankill and the scores of people injured.  Instead, I and other republican leaders have dedicated ourselves through the Peace Process to ensuring events like the Shankill bombing never happen again.

At the weekend, Seán Kelly made what I believe was a genuine attempt to apologise for the terrible human loss created on that day. I endorse that apology and the apology made to all innocent victims by the IRA many years ago. The reaction towards Seán Kelly’s statement by some of the families is perfectly understandable.

Recently I visited the Peace Centre in Warrington and met with the family of Tim Parry. Over the years I have met with other victims of IRA actions. I would welcome an opportunity to meet with families of those killed in the Shankill bomb if that was their wish.

The reality remains for people like me in political leadership is that a better way of remembering and commemorating our past must be found. There may never be political agreement on the different narratives about our past but we can, and should, work harder at trying to understand each other. 

I believe we should commit ourselves to designing a culture of commemoration and remembrance in our society based upon on principles of tolerance and respect.  I strongly believe that could make a powerful contribution to developing a reconciliation process. While it would be difficult, I don’t believe it to be impossible.

We need to stop our contested past from becoming a barrier to a shared future.

We have a political framework within which to build a shared and prosperous future for our children and grandchildren. I am determined to follow that path. The families of those killed on the Shankill and all other victims have to be part of that process. Bringing this about is an important part of how we can all address the legacy of the Shankill bomb tragedy.

Richard Haass will be back in Belfast shortly for more discussions; all these issues must be on the table. Ultimately, however, it will be incumbent on us all as political leaders to show great generosity and compassion in putting the needs of victims, from all sections of our community, at the heart of a new way to deal and learn from our past.

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Contributions from key figures in the churches, academia and wider civic society as well as senior republican figures

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