A few home truths
By Sean O'Donaile
In the early days of the Troubles RTE earned a reputation for
on-the-spot footage and reporting which exposed British brutality
to Civil Rights marchers etc. Conor Cruise O'Brien and Section 31
soon put a stop to that and by the early eighties coverage had
deteriorated to such an extent that reporters and researchers
were `directed' to Workers Party supporters in Belfast, when
covering the Hunger Strikes.
Last Thursday's Prime Time was a flashback to honest reporting
which an exposure of the Widgery Tribunal and the experiences of
Don Mullan, author of ``Eyewitness Bloody Sunday''.
The report began with the now infamous footage of Edward Daly
waving the handkerchief and we were told how this event
``reverberated throughout the last 25 years''.
We were reminded of the great whitewash that was the Widgery
Tribunal - ``a resounding defeat for truth'' (Dr Dermot Walsh).
Widgery concluded that the soldiers came under attack from
``...Petrol bombers and nail bombers...'' and that the Paras'
testimony was ``compelling''. He also concluded that ``there was
strong suspicion that the victims were carrying arms...'' and ``as
many shots were fired at the soldiers as they fired
themselves...''
It is worth remembering Prime Minister Heath's famous reminder to
Widgery before the Tribunal sat that Britain was ``also fighting a
propaganda war''. Small wonder then that only 15 out of 700
statements were carefully handpicked, there was no
cross-examination of the soldiers and the families were denied
access to those statements.
In fifteen minutes this report cut to the bone, and Mullan
alleged that there was ``a cover-up right to the top including the
monarchy''. If the British again fudge Bloody Sunday the
``consequences could be as devastating,'' he said.
We await an apology, an honest account of what happened and an
investigation into why the Widgery Tribunal lied. 25 years on
little has changed in the eyes of the British military as
evidenced by the remarks of the father of one of the Scots Guards
found guilty of murdering Peter McBride in the New Lodge, when he
stated it was McBride's ``own fault'' that he was shot (while
unarmed).
The victims of government shoot-to-kill policy in South Africa
have had more luck as seen in last Saturday's excellent
documentary on BBC 2, South Africa - The Truth Commissions.
Unlike the Six Counties a number of ex-police and military have
come clean about their role in torturing and eliminating
anti-government activists and they have requested amnesty. To do
this they must re-enact their actions in front of their victims
in packed courtrooms and ask for forgiveness, a small but
important step on the road to reconciliation.
Geoffrey Benzene, who would fit in well at Castlereagh, had to
face his victims as part of his amnesty and explain why he
inserted electrodes in a victim's anus. He admitted approaching a
psychiatrist afterwards to ``find out what type of person I was
becoming'' and pleaded forgiveness from his victims.
Pila Ndwande, an ANC activist was abducted, tortured, shot in the
head and covered in lime, and was described as an informer by the
police in 1988. Nine years on her father was taken to the murder
site where her bones were unearthed and the real truth revealed.
Most importantly the smear of informer was lifted and she was
finally given a hero's funeral.
Unfortunately not all cases end like this as only a fraction of
the perpetrators have confessed - still a positive step and a
refreshing difference to Lord Widgery and friends.
Access for TV cameras into courtrooms has reached farcical
proportions with the coverage of the Louise Woodward trial. The
personal trauma of individuals such as Woodward is now open
season for the cameras and we're all invited.
We now have the ludicrous situation where TV is now influencing
the outcome of a murder trial, with Sky TV's wall to wall
coverage turning the case into a real life soap for those who
can't watch Eastenders at three o'clock in the afternoon.
While acknowledging the pain of Woodward and the Eappen family we
now have the sad situation where hundreds of Dubliners are now
picketing the US Embassy because Sky TV tells them they can now
play a part in this soap opera.
The cry of ``justice for Louise'' rings hollow when one considers
the many innocent prisoners who languish in Long Kesh with no
coverage or support from ``concerned'' Southsiders.
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