I held my dying comrade, but bore no ill will at release of killers

In the past few days Northern Ireland has witnessed a gathering of leaders.
(back row left to right) Lord David Trimble, Sir Reg Empey, Lord Paul Murphy of Torfaen and (front row left to right) Seamus Mallon, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Senator George Mitchell and Gerry Adams, at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, at Queen's University in Belfast on  April 10(back row left to right) Lord David Trimble, Sir Reg Empey, Lord Paul Murphy of Torfaen and (front row left to right) Seamus Mallon, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Senator George Mitchell and Gerry Adams, at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, at Queen's University in Belfast on  April 10
(back row left to right) Lord David Trimble, Sir Reg Empey, Lord Paul Murphy of Torfaen and (front row left to right) Seamus Mallon, former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Senator George Mitchell and Gerry Adams, at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, at Queen's University in Belfast on April 10

Some of them are maligned and held in low regard for their perceived past misdeeds, but for those of us here we cannot deny the significant role they played in bringing peace to a troubled land.

For those in the UUP it has been a hard pill to swallow to see where their bravery and selflessness has led them. For it is they that have been the victims of showing the type of leadership that we are in short supply of 20 years hence.

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I patrolled the streets of the Province and held a comrade in my arms as he died on the streets of Crossmaglen.

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Those terrorists that perpetrated the crime served only a short sentence and were released under the Good Friday Agreement.

I bear no ill will at their release. If that was the price that had to be paid to stop further senseless killing and to lay the foundation for a future where the next generations can be raised in peace and prosperity, then the sacrifices that where made were not in vain.

But for those that shouted ‘never, never, never’ and then, when they had the chance of power, glad-handed Republicans – not to further the cause of peace and reconciliation but purely to seize power and then abuse the privileges that the electorate gave them – then they should hang their heads in shame.

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For it is they and their partners in crime, Sinn Fein, who have torn apart and polarised Northern Ireland.

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For Northern Ireland to remain in its present state it has to be a place for everyone, a place that no one would want to leave, a place that respects those that are willing to respect each other.

For that to happen we need a change of leadership. We now need to elect leaders who are not afraid to make the difficult decisions who will put the needs of the people first and their own needs last.

K J Turner, Connor