Bono has written another Op-Ed Guest Column for The New York Times, this time his subject is closer to home - Northern Ireland and the Bloody Sunday killings. Last week the Saville Report into this event was published, it is a lengthy document but the last paragraph of the "Overall Assessment" in the Principal Conclusions report puts the findings in a nutshell
5.5 The firing by soldiers of 1 PARA on Bloody Sunday caused the deaths of 13 people and injury to a similar number, none of whom was posing a threat of causing death or serious injury. What happened on Bloody Sunday strengthened the Provisional IRA, increased nationalist resentment and hostility towards the Army and exacerbated the violent conflict of the years that followed. Bloody Sunday was a tragedy for the bereaved and the wounded, and a catastrophe for the people of Northern Ireland. (Crown Copyright)
I am old enough to remember when this happened, even then, in my youthful carefree mind, something felt wrong about it. Bloody Sunday has haunted the Irish, British, English, Catholics, Protestants for nearly 40 years, now at last we know what truly happened and our new Prime Minister David Cameron ("Still in his wrapping paper" - Bono) has apologised unreservedly.
Bono's article is a wonderful piece of writing, bringing all the strands of the situation together wonderfully and in his usual optimistic manner, focusing on change and healing of communities. Read it here Bono's New York Times Guest Op-Ed Column June 18th 2010
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