Ex-miner speaks the truth
Ex miner, John Dunn speaks of his experiences 31 years ago at the press conference at the NUM’s headquarters in Barnsley. John’s words illustrate injustice and unlawful behaviour. Let’s hope his speech will help a little in the efforts to gain justice and truth for miners and their communities.
As an Hillsborough survivor and author of the book, ‘WITH HOPE IN YOUR HEART: A HILLSBOROUGH SURVIVORS STORY, THE DENIAL OF JUSTICE & A PERSONAL BATTLE WITH PTSD,’ I am fully behind your campaign for JUSTICE AND THE TRUTH. For many years, we as Hillsborough survivors, bereaved families and campaigners, have had to fight tooth and nail, with many setbacks on the way, to get to the TRUTH. This was finally achieved on the 12th of September 2012, with the release of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report. We are still waiting for JUSTICE, although I do believe we are getting closer to achieving that goal. Obviously, I cannot say much as regards Hillsborough due to the ongoing inquests and the investigations with Operation Resolve. However, there is one common, underlying theme as regards Hillsborough and Orgreave – namely SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE. The 1980s was the time of Thatcher’s Fascist Police State and abuse of power, of policemen being above the law. The horrific way in which they violently attacked the brave miners was an absolute disgrace, and it sickens me today just as it did back then. The miners and their families were left starving, whilst Thatcher’s bully boys received huge overtime bonuses, and many of them were even proud of it. The role of South Yorkshire Police cannot be underestimated and the cover up, the lies, the doctoring and falsifying of statements, the blame put on the victims et al. does hit home to me and sounds very, very familiar to my own personal story.
I am sure everyone involved in the Hillsborough campaign for JUSTICE are fully behind you every step of the way, as I am. Please take comfort from what we have fought for and for what we have achieved in recent years. You should get a full public enquiry and a report by an independent panel pretty much like as in our case to get TRUTH and JUSTICE. You have waited far too long for those responsible being brought to book. You deserve answers, you deserve the TRUTH, and you deserve JUSTICE. As a footnote, my late father, you passed away on the 8th of November 2013, aged 93, worked for the Coal Board for almost 40 years at Bank Hall Colliery in Burnley, up to its closure in the early 1970s.
JUSTICE FOR THE 96 & JUSTICE FOR THE MINERS
YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE