​DERRY JOURNAL Editorial: Britain was party to the conflict ended by the Good Friday Agreement

This is often the case listening to British Prime Ministers referring to the peace process.

Their inability to acknowledge Britain’s own role, and that of the old Stormont security apparatus, in the conflict is exasperating.

People in Derry know the facts: the first person to die in the Troubles was Francis McCloskey, who died from serious head injuries after a RUC baton charge.

The Dungiven man passed away on July 14, 1969, three days before Sammy Devenny, who died three months after being badly beaten by the RUC in his William Street home.

He was the second victim.

Even before British soldiers massacred 14 innocent anti-internment demonstrators in the Bogside on Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972, troops were killing innocents on the streets of Derry.

In 1971 alone: Seamus Cusack (28) shot dead by the British Army on July 8, Desmond Beattie (19) shot dead by the British Army on July 8, Hugh Herron (31) shot dead by the British Army on August 13, Annette McGavigan (14) shot dead by the British Army on September 6, William McGreanery (43) shot dead by the British Army on September 15 and Kathleen Thompson (47) shot dead by the British Army on November 6.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that brought sustained peace to our part of the world, Britain cannot absolve itself from responsibility for some of the brutal violence that took place.

​50th anniversary of Seamus Cusack and Desmond Beattie murders