”Ice cold for Protestants”, “Protestants frozen
out” or similar phrases are in use by those leaders of
the people who include Dr. John Reid, the Northern Ireland
Secretary of State, First Minister David Trimble and the Church
of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames. Often they are
used to warn of the danger in a situation – the exclusion
or sidelining of Protestants – which would have dire
consequences for the future of the Belfast Agreement, devolved
government and the State of Northern Ireland should that feeling
of mistreatment and imbalance persist. The promises made to
Protestants and the Unionist population of an administration
whose members are totally committed to peace, free from paramilitary
linkage, have not been honoured by the Prime Minister, the
United Kingdom government and their equivalents in the Republic.
The continuance of Sinn Fein/I.R.A. in the Executive of the
Assembly is a contradiction, exasperated by the refusal of
the republicans to fulfil their commitments and obligations,
as per the Belfast Agreement, when it was promised that they
would abandon the politics of violence for the politics of
peace and peaceable co-operation in the well being of the
country. The participation of Sinn Fein/I.R.A. in lawlessness
on the streets and the mounting charges against it here and
elsewhere, for terrorist activities, means that unless that
situation changes the Northern Ireland Assembly is most unlikely
to survive. The accommodations of the governments to meet
the demands of the republicans have been so many, and so obvious,
that there can be no questioning their determination to keep
Sinn Fein/I.R.A. on board whatever the cost in honesty, decency,
not to say democracy. The sense of aloneness is always strong
with Protestants and Unionists, for they are surrounded by
those openly opposed to them, their theology, politics and
philosophy; by others who are “spectators only”
in the struggle, nationalism and republicanism with Unionism;
and by those on their own side who are so anxious to be fair
to the others that they are less than just in their judgement
of their own.
There is nothing more intolerable than the intolerance of
the tolerant. It is the more aggravating when Protestants
in the Irish Republic advise their fellows in Northern Ireland
of their better situation with Roman Catholics, and that they
should follow their example and act accordingly. The comparisons
are obvious, for the statistics show that to survive there
has meant a reduction in their numbers from some twenty per
cent at its height to three per cent of the population now.
It is imperative that Protestants and Unionists continue to
demand a settlement in Northern Ireland which does not devalue
them, or any honest citizen who shall be one with the other
equally, whatever his colour, creed or race. There can be
no acceptance of the situation that presently exists, for
distrust and disbelief of those who break their promises,
makes the demand for Sinn Fein/I.R.A. exclusion from the Executive
of the Assembly a legitimate one. While republicans remain
as they are there can be no real progress to lasting peace
in this country.
|
