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Meeting over Omagh memorial wait | Meeting over Omagh memorial wait |
(10 minutes later) | |
Relatives of the Omagh bomb victims are to meet Victims' Minister David Hanson to discuss the length of time it has taken to erect a memorial stone. | Relatives of the Omagh bomb victims are to meet Victims' Minister David Hanson to discuss the length of time it has taken to erect a memorial stone. |
The memorial has been planned for several years. | The memorial has been planned for several years. |
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the explosion, said action needed to be taken to have the memorial put in place. | Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was killed in the explosion, said action needed to be taken to have the memorial put in place. |
He said the hold-up was because the Sinn Fein dominated council objected to the wording for the memorial. | He said the hold-up was because the Sinn Fein dominated council objected to the wording for the memorial. |
Mr Gallagher said difficulties first surfaced when they presented their form of words to a special working grouping involving Omagh District Council representatives earlier this year. | Mr Gallagher said difficulties first surfaced when they presented their form of words to a special working grouping involving Omagh District Council representatives earlier this year. |
He said: "They thanked us and then at the next meeting said it's better to broaden this out for consultation and better to have widespread public support. | He said: "They thanked us and then at the next meeting said it's better to broaden this out for consultation and better to have widespread public support. |
Wording | Wording |
"The real reason is because the council is not willing to accept wording on the stone that states the facts of what happened on August 15 1998." | "The real reason is because the council is not willing to accept wording on the stone that states the facts of what happened on August 15 1998." |
The words proposed for the monument were to read: "To honour and remember 31 people murdered and hundreds injured from three nations by a dissident republican terrorist car bomb." | The words proposed for the monument were to read: "To honour and remember 31 people murdered and hundreds injured from three nations by a dissident republican terrorist car bomb." |
"We're talking about a Sinn Fein-controlled council, and they are not going to have it, or it would have happened," Mr Gallagher added. | "We're talking about a Sinn Fein-controlled council, and they are not going to have it, or it would have happened," Mr Gallagher added. |
Ulster Unionist Party leader Sir Reg Empey, who has met with the Omagh families, said all the families wanted was a simple plaque at the point where the blast occurred. | Ulster Unionist Party leader Sir Reg Empey, who has met with the Omagh families, said all the families wanted was a simple plaque at the point where the blast occurred. |
"Nobody is actually suggesting that the Provisional republican movement did it. The victims' group isn't suggesting that," he said. | "Nobody is actually suggesting that the Provisional republican movement did it. The victims' group isn't suggesting that," he said. |
"But the fact is there's resistance to the wording and it's merely prolonging their agony and not helping their healing. | "But the fact is there's resistance to the wording and it's merely prolonging their agony and not helping their healing. |
"They should be entitled to have a simple memorial." | "They should be entitled to have a simple memorial." |
In a statement, Omagh District Council said the working group believed "it was essential to create a memorial which would be valued and respected by the whole community". | |
"This process has been a long term project which has been sensitive to the healing process within the community," it continued. | "This process has been a long term project which has been sensitive to the healing process within the community," it continued. |
"It is proposed that the memorial will be completed in time for the tenth anniversary on 15 August 2008 which will be a fitting date for the unveiling." | "It is proposed that the memorial will be completed in time for the tenth anniversary on 15 August 2008 which will be a fitting date for the unveiling." |
Twenty nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died in the explosion on 15 August 1998. | Twenty nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died in the explosion on 15 August 1998. |