Bloody Sunday: The prospect of lasting peace, 36 years on

30.01.200819.16h

On 30 January 1972 fourteen civil rights protesters were shot dead in Derry, Northern Ireland by a batallion of the British Parachute Regiment. It was one of the determining moments of the Ulster conflict, leading to one of the most violent years in the history of the 'Troubles'. Until the 1990s, the prospect of peace was unimaginable.

The period stretching from the 1994 IRA ceasefire to the power-sharing agreement between the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin bears witness to the difficulties the Northern Ireland peace process has faced. Some, however, look to Northern Ireland as an example to follow, especially in the case of the Basque Country.

The Bloody Sunday Commemoration Programme has organized a range of events in Derry this week, including a discussion on the creation of a Truth Commission for victims of “state violence”. Click here for further information.