We Shall Overcome

Bloody Sunday was a local event. All of the 28 dead and wounded came from the general Bogside/Creggan quarter of , population around 35,000. There was no one in the area who didn’t know the family of at least one of the victims. The massacre was experienced as a communal wound, the pain of which still throbs and won’t ease until all of the families can feel that truth has been told and justice done. It is this which, 46 years later, drives the annual march and commemorative programme. differs from the other massacres in the North which stand like grave-stones marking the passing of the years of conflict. The killing took place in bright daylight, watched at close quarters by hundreds of local people who had earlier marched for civil rights, stunned by horror, outrage and grief inflicted by men uniformed to represent the British State. Bloody Sunday cannot be put down to ancient Irish hatreds. It was rooted in imperial history, in the scorn of Empire for the lives of plain people and the ferocious rage of the ruling class at any uprising of the lower orders. Hence the Tory Government’s sigh of relief in 2010 when the Inquiry under Lord Saville pointed the finger of blame at a bunch of squaddies and one undisciplined officer. We want the shooters charged and tried – and the politicians and top brass who gave the go- ahead brought to book. As always we use the commemoration to give focus to other local, national and international events that resonate with the cause of justice. However, Bloody Sunday didn’t just happen to us, it happened to the world. It was a global event and its commemoration has become 's largest annual human rights event. You will see that this year’s program is the most wide-ranging and inclusive so far. We welcome debate on all these topics during the week. Everyone, irrespective of their political views, is invited to come to the events and offer their different views on how best to mark Bloody Sunday and on the connections between it and other State atrocities worldwide. We don’t have to agree on everything. It would be strange if we did in this argumentative city. But its more important than ever that we stick together. With this year also being the 50th anniversary of the Northern state’s attack on civil rights marchers in Derry’s Duke street we remember those who marched that day and all of those other people around the world who continue to march and protest for democratic change and accountability. We stand in solidarity with all who face lies and intimidation from the State and its propagandists as they continue the trek towards truth. Ballymurphy, Kingsmills, Full 2018 Programme of Events , Birmingham, Black Lives Matter, Grenfell Tower. Syria, Yemen, Kenya. And, Monday 22nd - Sunday 28th January always, Palestine. We urge everyone who seeks justice to come out and show their support and solidarity with this years programme, march and rally. Together we shall overcome. More details of events are available online at: BloodySundayMarch.org Mon 22nd Jan 2018 This ‘open mic’ event will Ruddy (one of ‘The Sat 27th Jan 2018 Denis Bradley, Co Chair of Injustice, Inequality and Panel Discussion explore the views of local Disappeared’) who was shot Radical Book Fair the Consultative Group on Poverty with the ‘victories’ 7.30pm: Imprisonment people on the issues of anti and killed by the INLA. 12 to 5pm: Stalls & Talks the Past, Eamonn of seminal campaigns without Trial. social behaviour and Chair: Goretti Horgan Due to the outstanding McCann, Journalist, activist (Bloody Sunday, This event will explore the 'community justice' in the Venue: City Hotel success of Derry’s first ever & long-time campaigner for Hillsborough & Stephen form of “punishment” justice for Bloody Sunday, Lawrence) that sought to corruption of democracy in Radical Book Fair last year, Ireland, Catalonia, and beatings and expulsions by Fri 26th Jan 2018 this will now be an annual Peter Corrigan, Solicitor hold the state to account, groups and organisations KRW Law, having little impact on Palestine, by the use of Book Launch event in the programme. who claim to be acting for radically addressing that various forms of Venue: Big Hall, Pilots Chair: Bernadette McAliskey and on behalf of “the 1pm: In The Name Of The Son triad. This session is an imprisonment without trial. Row Community Centre Venue: Pilots Row community” in pursuit of The lunchtime Derry launch opportunity to explore our Speakers include: Community Centre justice. of former hunger striker various campaigns Francie McGuiggan, new Speakers include: Richard O’Rawe’s Panel Discussion Open Forum Discussion together to prepare for the former Long Kesh internee book 'In The Name Of The William Allen, journalist, 12 noon: Due Process & 3pm: The State We're In challenges ahead. and one of ‘The Hooded Son’ , which is about the Shaun Roddy, lecturer in Accountability? Fifty years after the Duke Speakers include: Becky Men’, Omar Merino late Gerry Conlon. social work, J Why, 20 years on after the Street march was battered Shah, Hillsborough Catalonian activist, Fadl ohn Lindsay, writer & campaigner, Chair: Betty Doherty (BSMC) signing of Good Friday off the street this event will Justice Campaign, Joe Mustapha Palestinian Venue: The Central Library agreement do relatives of explore the state of civil Delaney, Justice4Grenfell, activist Deaglán Ó Donghaile, lecturer and writer victims of the conflict rights today. It will do this Suresh Grover, The Chair: Francie McGuiggan Chair: Jim Keys (BSMC) Public Lecture continue to demand due through contributions from a Monitoring Group and Venue: Corned Beef Tin process and accountability Venue: Playhouse, Artillery 7.30pm: Yanis Varoufakis - number of invited speakers: Liam Wray whose brother in pursuit of justice for their Street. Bloody Sunday, Brexit & Joe Delaney, Grenfell Jim was murdered on Tue 23rd Jan 2018 The Democratic Process murdered loved ones? Action Group, London, Bloody Sunday. Yanis Varoufakis is the Why, rather seeing British Dean Scurry & Dave Chair: Stafford Scott Panel Discussion Thur 25th Jan 2018 7.30pm: Fools Gold former Greek Finance Paratroopers standing in the Gibney, HomeSweetHome, Venue: Pilots Row Panel Discussion dock for their role in the This event will explore the Minister who resigned when Dublin, Sean Brady, PPR, Community Centre Sat 7.30pm: The Past Is events of Bloody Sunday toxic nature of development his Syriza government Belfast, Fiona Gallagher, Present must the relatives of the the will unfold if not resisted. capitulated to EU demands. Nurse & Trade Union Sun 28th Jan 2018 dead suffer the A £12million factory farm, We are honoured to be co- In 2016 he launched the Activist, Derry, Rosie March And Rally procrastination of the legal over 80,000 pigs and 20,000 hosting this legacy of the democracy in Europe 2025 Barrett, Activist for health 2.30 pm: We Shall Overcome process without any tonnes of slurry/annum. Gold conflict event with the Truth movement (DiEM 25). An rights of disabled children, We are honoured that the perceivable end in sight? mining, tonnes of hazardous & Reconciliation Platform. It acclaimed writer and Derry, and Ronan Moyne, speakers at this year’s rally dust 24/7 for 25 years. will consist of a series of economist, his lecture will And why in the case of the Welfare Rights Worker, will be Eileen McKeown, testimonies from the will link 'Brexit', the Derry. Speakers Include : victims / survivors including: democratic process and the where the Ombudsman's Fidelma O’Kane, Save Our Chair: Jim Keys Campaign, daughter of Stephen Travers survivor of lessons to be drawn from report found there was Sperrins and James Orr, Dir Venue: Pilots Row Joseph Corr murdered by the UVF's Miami Showband Bloody Sunday, for the collusion, do we now see Friends of the Earth NI. Community Centre paratroopers & Joe Delaney Massacre (1975), Eugene future we are facing into. It the state seeking to overturn (ZWNW) Panel Discussion of Justice for Grenfell, who Chair: Judi Logue Reavey whose three will be followed by an ‘In that decision in favour of an 7.30pm: We Shall lost friends & neighbours. Venue: The City Hotel brothers were also killed by Conversation’ with appeal taken by former Overcome (The the UVF (1976), Alan Bernadette McAliskey members of the RUC's Patronising Disposition Of Wed 24th Jan 2018 McBride who lost his wife before opening to a Q & A Special Branch? Unaccountable Power) Details available online at: Open Forum Discussion Sharon in the IRA's Shankill with the assemble audience. Speakers include: Communities throughout BloodySundayMarch.org 7.30pm: Brutal Justice: bomb (1993), and Ann Host: Bernadette McAliskey Professor Patrick Murphy, Ireland and the UK are Lunch will be available In The Community’s Views Morgan sister of Seamus Venue: The Guildhall Irish News columnist, faced with the triple evils of Pilot’s Row on the Saturday