DUP queries IRA bomb memorial's removal

A DUP Minister is requesting to see Equality Commission guidelines which led to a picture of the victims of the Poppy Day bombing…

A DUP Minister is requesting to see Equality Commission guidelines which led to a picture of the victims of the Poppy Day bombing being removed from Enniskillen fire station.

Environment Minister and Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly member Arlene Foster said the removal of the tribute to the victims was hurtful to the bereaved and to firefighters who were on duty when the no-warning IRA bomb exploded in 1987, killing 12.

"Its [ removal] is very offensive to a number of firefighters and hurtful to the community which is about to face the 20th anniversary of the Enniskillen bomb," she said.

The picture depicts the victims of the bombing and the cenotaph in Enniskillen town centre where the atrocity took place.

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The Irish Times has been told it has hung on a wall in a private section of the station since shortly after the bombing.

However, it was not replaced after the station was refurbished recently following a complaint.

"It was objected to by a member of the fire service," Ms Foster said.

A fire service spokesman said: "tt was taken down in order to maintain an inclusive, neutral and harmonious working environment for all of its firefighters and also for all those in the community who use and visit the fire station. This complies with guidance advocated by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, which states that 'emblems or displays linked to the community conflict over the past 30 years are best avoided as they clearly have the potential to cause disruption to good and harmonious working environments'."

Ms Foster has protested to chief fire officer Colin Lammey and called for the Equality Commission guidelines to be examined to see whether they cover a commemorative photograph.

"This has caused a great deal of hurt and annoyance," she said.

"I don't know what the motivation was. I understand the person who objected has been in that station for some time and the picture has been there for some time.

"Unfortunately I can't walk in and put the picture back but I am in discussion with the fire service. I've spoken to Colin Lammey, who was very courteous, but I now want to see the commission guidelines that they are relying upon."

Bomb survivor Jim Dixon challenged those objecting to its hanging on the fire station wall to come to him and explain their motives.

"We have human rights laws which are from hell," he said. "It's despicable. The people there were innocent people that the IRA murdered. There's no grounds on any level that it can be connected to anything political.

"I would love to meet the man who wants it down and ask him his reasons why. I would ask him how he puts politics into innocent people standing at a cenotaph being murdered by the IRA."