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Two memorial services are being held this weekend to mark the 50th anniversary of the Kingsmill massacre, one of the worst atrocities of the troubles that saw 10 Protestant men murdered as they travelled home from their work at Glenanne Mill on the night of 5 January 1976. Only two people on the bus at the time survived - Bessbrook man Alan Black who was shot 18 times and a Catholic man was singled out and told to go.
A religious service will be held in Bessbrook Town Hall this Sunday 4 January at 3pm, organised by the Kingsmill Memorial Committee and supported by SEFF, FAIR and The Ely Centre. A second service will take place at the Kingsmill Memorial wall at the scene of the atrocity, on Monday 5 January at 11am, led by the FAIR group.
Kenny Donaldson, Director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), has encouraged the full community to attend the services taking place this Sunday 4 January and Monday 5 January. He said the Kingsmill bereaved families, and survivor Alan Black MBE have held themselves with immense dignity throughout the last five decades and have not uttered words of vengeance or sentiments of wanting retaliation, but they do demand that justice, truth and accountability be served.
Mr Donaldson said: "In the six months leading up to the Kingsmill massacre and for approx. 3 months beyond that attack, this place came closest to descending into all out civil war, the level of sectarian and ethnic motivated murder was particularly intense."
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kingsmill families of the 10 innocent Protestant men slaughtered as they mark yet another milestone Anniversary since the brutal and sectarian murder of their loved ones 50 years ago on a Country road in the heart of South Armagh."
The SEFF Director added "“Our thoughts are also with The Reavey’s, O’Dowd’s and all other innocents marking 50th anniversaries at this time - all of these acts of terror were unjustified and unjustifiable."
The Kingsmill families have been denied justice, truth and accountability for 50 years now for a crime which was amongst the most depraved of the terror campaign. Mr Donaldson said it is a stain not only on the UK and Republic of Ireland governments but moreover the local community of South Armagh that there are serial killers, some who may now be dead but others who remain within their midst, who have not been held accountable for their crimes against humanity. Sadly many first generation Kingsmill victims went to their graves without ever seeing accountability for what occurred.
Mr Donaldson continued “The R.O.I State through its' security and extradition failures was complicit in PIRA's campaign of ethnic genocide and still has not had the moral courage to acknowledge its' role.
He said border victims want formal acknowledgement of their hurt, the injustices they have been subjected to and to be recognised as those who refused to bring to another's door that which had been brought to theirs. These border victims have been all but abandoned by the political system, a calculated decision has been taken that Northern Ireland must move forward politically in spite of their needs. Once again it is these individuals who have been used as collateral damage, their kith and kin held the line in preventing terrorism from bringing this place to the point of civil war.
Mr Donaldson said their loved ones have watched the political system remove every possible line in the sand in the quest to placate those who brought the greatest amount of the carnage to this community, and that betrayal must cease. The Irish State has failed the innocents of Kingsmill despite their repeated promises and commitments, he said, and the Coronial Inquest process was less than satisfactory for the families, with full disclosure and transparency far from visible.
The services this weekend will provide an opportunity for the community to come together to remember the 10 men who lost their lives and to stand with the families who continue to seek justice 50 years on.
