A Courageous Apology

On Tuesday, June 15, 2010, the chief executives of two countries made speeches to their citizens.  If you live in the United States, you probably remember one of the speeches.  Need a hint?  Think oil spill.  That's right, President Obama made his first speech from the historic Oval Office since taking office to address the oil spill in the Gulf.

Now, who was the other chief executive who spoke to his nation that day?  Need a hint?  Think apology.  Still stumped? 

OK, here's another hint.  He spoke from the floor of the House of Commons.  If you are still having trouble remembering, don't feel bad.  One of the most significant speeches (in my estimation) ever made by a prime minister or president received barely a footnote outside of his country and Ireland in the news reports that day and the next.  So why do I think it was so significant?

How often does the leader of a country make a formal apology for the wrongdoing of soldiers of his country's army?

On June 15, 2010, the Final Report was released of a Commission set up in 1998 to investigate the events of Jan. 30, 1972 (also known as "Bloody Sunday") in which 14 demonstrators were killed in Derry/Londonderry during a march. During a visit to Derry/Londonderry in 2000, I had the opportunity to hear directly from Protestant and Catholic residents about that day and the aftermath.  The violence of that day ended any hope of a nonviolent civil rights campaign and led to twenty-six years of deadly strife between Northern Ireland Catholics and Protestants. The Report of the Commission exonerated the wounded and killed demonstrators who British soldiers at the time said were armed and fired first.

The Report led Prime Minister David Cameron to state on the floor of the House of Commons:

"What happened should never have happened.  The families of those who died should not have had to live with the pain and hurt of that day, and a lifetime of loss.  Some members of our armed forces acted wrongly.  The government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of the armed forces.  And for that, on behalf of the government, and indeed our country, I am deeply sorry."

Others in Great Britain, The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have written far more eloquently than can I of what that apology means for them personally.  I want to speak to it as one who has some experience in peace building.

How do we stop the seemingly never ending circle of aggression, injury, suppressed grief, anger, desire for revenge, "justified" aggression, injury?  Where it has been accomplished two elements are always present:

Truth Telling, and

Forgiveness

Prime Minister David Cameron spoke the unvarnished truth about his country's army's wrongdoing and then offered a straightforward and complete apology.  It takes a great deal of political courage to do that. I believe that this can be a huge step forward in the ongoing process of healing in Northern Ireland.  In the days ahead, it is for those injured on both sides of the Troubles to decide how and when they will forgive.

Wouldn't it be heartening if people locked in intractable violent conflicts all over the world will learn of and from the examples of the past twelve years of progress toward sustainable peace in Northern Ireland?