Omagh bombing

A chairde,

It is with profound sorrow that I write this letter.

I have been consumed these past days with total disbelief that someone calling themselves republicans can be behind the Omagh bombing. Anything that was decent attached to republicanism has been severely set back by the belligerent actions of a handful of renegades. These individuals have nothing to offer except pain contempt and cynicism. The future will be immensely difficult for all concerned.

This whole incident is beyond words, especially excuses. Omagh should not have happened

Kieran Meegan

A chairde,

The Omagh bombing tragedy in British-occupied Ireland, which has taken 28 lives, could not have come at a better time for those who detest the prospect of a re-united Ireland. The unbelievable wrecklessness of the so-called Real IRA almost leads one to wonder if it is a clandestine creation of the enemies of Irish freedom.

Omagh actually has a predominantly Catholic/Nationalist population. Does it make any sense for any Irish Republican guerrilla group, unhappy with the Good Friday accord, to attempt to gain the support of the Catholics of Omagh by killing them and maiming them?

We must also consider the fact that the focus of world condemnation has been turned from the murderers of three Catholic children by Loyalist zealots and the Loyalist arsonists who fire-bombed ten Catholic churches.

Now the focus of world attention is back where it was before the IRA ceasefires. The onus of ``terrorism'' is again on the Irish struggle for national liberation from the rule of the British Crown. Forgotten is the truth that Orange Loyalists gangs have killed six innocent Catholics to every Protestant the IRA or the so-called Real IRA ever killed. (``Index of Death'', Malcolm Sutton).

World opinion was just beginning to see the true bigoted character of the Orange Order's three thousand plus triumphalist parades when the Omagh bomb exploded.

The Real IRA claims a forty-minute warning was given. The RUC claims that a misleading forty-minute warning was given.

For some reason, in this age of modern police technology, there is no tape available of the Real IRA warning. Why? Who is telling the truth?

Unfortunately, world opinion will now be inclined to ignore British establishment of a sectarian bigoted state in Ireland as the real cause of the sufferings of the people of the occupied counties. Nevertheless, the truth will prevail.

William Gartland
USA

Speak out about RUC

A chairde,

Over recent months the RUC has been re-inventing its public image. Gone are the mutinies at Drumcree. Enter instead, under the conspicuous eye of Mr Patten and his fellow commissioners, the RUC purporting to be a community police force that eschews any hint of sectarianism.

Whether the Patten Commission accepts this lie has still to be seen, but those who have come face to face with the RUC over the years should not hesitate to write to Mr Patten and Co letting them know the truth.

During the Victims' Conference at the Féile na Phobail in West Belfast many relatives related heart-rending stories of their loved ones' murders. What emerged in relation to the RUC was that of a bloodstained, biased, and bigoted force. Relatives For Justice are concerned that the Patten Commission will not hear this side of the story. So we would appeal to relatives to put their accounts down on paper and send them before 15 September to: Chris Patten, Interpoint Centre, 20-24 York Street, Belfast BT15 1AQ.

Any relative who feels they would need assistance should contact Relatives For Justice at Unit 2.1.5. Conway Mill, 5-7 Conway Street, Belfast BT13 2DE. or 1 Westend Park, Derry, BT48 9JF.

Niall Farrell
Relatives For Justice

National Graves

A chairde,

I read with some interest the letter on Cork Republican Graves in An Phoblacht (6 August).

The letter outlines the work carried out by this group. The National Graves Accociation, Ireland would like to congratulate them on such work.

With every possibility of boring your readers, the position of the National Graves Association, Ireland is that we are not affiliated to any political party or group. There are no county branches.

The Association has been in existence under the present name since 1926, not 1921 as some books claim, and before as the National Monuments Committee of the Young Ireland Society, dating back to 1871.

The Association in 1992 became a registered limited company worldwide. This was in order to prevent people using the National Graves Assocation, Ireland as a flag of convenience, amongst other reasons.

Over the years, groups misusing the name have been successfully challenged. Another somewhat disturbing development is self-appointed envoys acting as if they have the right to interfere/repair National Graves' monuments, memorials, plots etc.

While the committee recognised that some groups may have a genuine concern, the fact remains that such monuments etc are under our care. The Association have members/sculptors who specialise in such work. Damage caused by well-intended people sometimes ends with the Association facing a greater expense.

To reiterate, no group has the authority to interfere/repair National Graves Association, Ireland's memorials etc. Recently an Associate member in the Fairview area of Dublin reported damage to the ``Sean Russell'' Memorial. This matter is being attended to by the committee.

Finally, the Association always welcomes new members. Donations in order to help pay for renovation work carried out at Bodenstown Co. Kildare. Castleisland Republican Plot, Co. Kerry and the erection of Waterford Plaques, would be particularly welcome. All money collected for work on graves/memorials is used solely for that purpose and that purpose only.

Matt Doyle
Secretary
NGA.