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"Images most people hope they will never have to confront"
May the 7th 2004, was a day the rest of the world would never forget. Even as we sat down to tea we watched mesmerised as the brutality of the American and British troops was flashed across our screens. Images most people hope they will never have to confront throughout the whole of their lives, stories most, probably never thought or wanted to hear Recanted ad infinitium. Prisoners stripped of every vestige of humility, dignity honour and decency. Absolute fear sketched across every line of the faces. Scars on every part of their bodies, bear witness to the beatings they have endured. Inhuman postures as they bend this way and that and all the time the smiling, smirking faces of their guards as they endeavour to contrive even more humiliating punishments for their victims.
Alas, even in their brutalising these prisoners are lucky. You see. Photos are taken for the record. Photos which were meant for private viewing, when the troops got back home. Photos which would or so they thought, enhance the reputations of the sadistic monsters as they recalled the moments when they were in charge. Of their charges no thought of pity. No thought for the fact these men and women were the Fathers, Sons, Daughters of other human beings.
Cries of alarm ring throughout the world when the evidence emerges in some uncharacteristic fashion. Fortunately there were some decent people whose consciences did not allow them to live with the atrocities they had been witnesses to. "Publish and be damned" the newspaper editors decided.
We will find the culprits of these dastardly deeds, Presidents. Prime Ministers, Minister of Defence and Generals roar, We will bring down the wrath of the free peoples of the world on the instigators of these iniquitous acts. There will be no hiding place for the vile perpetrators of these crimes. We promise the world we will give the victims Justice. We will publish the names of these wretched people and the victims of their atrocities will be compensated. Even as they roar the word circulating from above is "Protect the Ministers, Protect the Generals. Protect the Prime Minister and Protect the President. Protect our backs. This will soon become old News. This is Iraq.
Have I heard this somewhere else before?
Independence finally came to Ireland with the signing of the New Constitution in 1932. For the people's of this new nation it offered hope and prosperity. What became the reality for many was an era of degradation, desperation and fear. Many families would reap the benefits of a constitution devised in principle by a Government cowed by the religious of the day. A pact made in Hell as far as the families were concerned. Families of all persuasion, would be disseminated and the children dispersed to all parts of the country out of reach of the mother's or father's of the children. Children as young as one year were brought before the courts where "Orders of Detention" were served on them - "Orders of Detention" that would last for over 16 years and in many cases such orders were never rescinded. Years of detention which would have life-lasting effects on these children. Sentenced to institutions which would attain infamy in later years.
No word of the horror or terror these children endured would see the light of day until some fifty years later. God help any child who would or did, try to bring the details into the public domain. No mention of the brutalities being daily orchestrated on defenceless children by those responsible for the children's safety or education. Not for these children any expression of Love or pity. No. The children, you see, were also prisoners. Prisoners of a system still being denied by those responsible for the events which occurred.
Prisoners stripped of every vestige of Humility, Dignity, Respect, Honour and Decency. Absolute fear sketched on each and every line of the faces of the young prisoners. Scars on every part of their bodies bear witness to the brutalities they endured. Inhuman postures, as they were bent this way and that by their capturers as the most demeaning acts of brutality were inflicted on their young bodies. Emotional and physical scars they have carried over into the adult lives. Numerous of them unable to commit to anyone else and so the deprivation of loving homes or families. Others so beaten, their lack of confidence within themselves, has deprived them of a modicum of real life.
Unfortunately the prisoners this time were not so lucky. "Not for them" someone standing by with a camera to record the atrocities. Not for them the opportunity to reveal the sordid details. "Not for them" someone who would reveal the indignities, witnessed on a daily basis. No, these prisoners didn't matter, after all they were only children. It took over fifty years for the criminal acts perpetrated on these children to see the light of day.
Prime Minister, Minister's of Education indeed every Member of Parliament arose in sham displays of anger on being forced to confront the news. Who allowed these individuals to reveal their suffering to the masses? What can we do to protect our backs, yell the individuals in charge of this sordid mess. We'll offer them a Commission to Enquire, We'll offer them a Redress Board. We'll promise the Earth. We will promise them Justice. We will name and shame every perpetrator of these abuses whether they are alive or dead. We will bring closure to an episode of infamy where all victims can feel they have received Justice. Yes, this will convince the world that here in Ireland we face up to our past.
What we won't tell them is that before the ink is dry on the paper, every promise we make will be rescinded. Every
utterance will be a lie. Each and everyone of the victims will be coerced into signing away their Human Right of Free Speech should they accept an award from the Redress Board. We will prevent them talking and so all the abuse's will be forgotten and as in the above article. We will protect ourselves. This will become old news - after all this is Ireland.
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