From the late 1960’s to 1998, Britain was at war. It wasn’t officially “at war”, but nonetheless, it was. Known as “The Troubles”, an estimated 3,532 people died. Of those, 1,049 were members of the British Military or Police Forces, and 1,840 were civilians. In addition, it is estimated that around 47,500 were injured. The conflict took place largely in Ireland and the British mainland.
Take a look at those figures again: 1,049 British Military or Police, who had mostly been drafted in to fight the war; and 1,049 innocents who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The opposition protagonists killed numbers about 368 – a little over 10% of the total. These were largely members of the Paramilitary organizations such as the “Provisional Irish Republican Army”, the “Official IRA” or the “Irish National Liberation Army” – factions known then and now as “terrorists”.
I grew up in the UK in an era where we automatically kept our eyes open for unusual objects which might be bombs; where news on the radio or TV of another bombing or shooting was routine; where there was a reluctance to be in large crowds; where the nearest IRA bombing to my home took place fewer than 14 miles away.
In 1998 there was a de-escalation of the war with the signing of the “Good Friday Agreement”, however related terrorist attacks and bombings still occur, the latest having been just last month (March) this year.
Part of the Good Friday Agreement provided “letters of comfort” to some 300 members of the terrorist faction, essentially a “get out of jail free” card, which prevented their prosecutions – including those responsible for the 1982 Hyde Park and Regents Park Bombings, which killed 7 horses in addition to 11 people.
Now, 47 years after an event which became known as “Bloody Sunday”, the British Government has suddenly decided it needs to make an example of someone who was there. One person. One 77 year old man. One ex-paratrooper who was there at the command of the British Army that day.
I am not posting here to comment on whether it seems likely that there is just cause for prosecution or not, I am here to discuss “equality”. Today that word carries much strength – “equality of the sexes” is a constant (and correct) phrase we see in the media – but what of “equality of rights” for ex-servicemen who were in “The Troubles” conflict alongside those who were shooting at them and who were responsible for the deaths of so many? “Equality” should without doubt apply! If it is right to charge one ex-serviceman, then it is also right to rescind those “letters of comfort” and start trying some of those 300 terrorists! This would prove a little awkward, as there are some very prominent ex-IRA people involved in today’s politics – including members of Parliament at the upper levels – so it seems very unlikely that “Equality” is probable.
This week has seen protests in London and parts of the UK by tens of thousands of ex-soldiers and others in support of “Soldier F”. This was a protest in support of democracy – either stop the prosecution of that individual, or start the prosecution of the hundreds of terrorists who were responsible for a far greater number of deaths and injuries. Equality. All or nothing. Kudos to those who were protesting this week. I offer my respect to the ex-servicemen who served during The Troubles – among whom I count not a few friends – and my regrets that having had to look over their shoulder all the time when on active duty to be sure there was no bullet coming from a terrorist’s gun, they now around 50 years later in their retirement have to again look over their shoulder to be sure there is not another bullet coming, but this time from the British Government.
An article with pictures about the recent protests can also be viewed at:
