British diplomat criticises unionists

BRITAIN and unionist leaders should be ashamed of the way nationalists were treated during and after the Drumcree standoff, a former leading British diplomat, Sir David Goodall, has said.

The ex diplomat, one of the architects of the Anglo Irish Agreement, in a letter to yesterday's London Times said the spectacle of the RUC, backed up by the British army, penning nationalists into their homes and bludgeoning them off the streets did more than just play into the hands of the IRA.

It has alienated even the most moderate elements within the minority community and revived all their doubts about ever being allowed to achieve equal legitimacy with unionism as long as Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom," he wrote.

"It is a spectacle of which we, in Britain, as well as unionist leaders should be ashamed," he added.

Sir David said events arising from Drumcree also had a message for the Dublin Government and the SDLP. "The Irish Government and the SDLP must find ways of demonstrating that they do not identify with Sinn Fein's long term objectives, and of convincing moderate unionism that they will accept a compromise settlement as legitimate and durable rather than as an interim step down the road to a united Ireland.

"A clear reassertion of readiness to repeal Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution would be a good start," said Sir David.

No settlement could work unless it included a significant Irish dimension as well as accommodating the unionist determination that the province should remain in the United Kingdom".