Bitter exchanges in the Assembly highlight the gulf in Northern politics, writes Gerry Moriarty
In the Assembly yesterday DUP MP the Rev William McCrea thundered against the IRA's "bloodthirsty, sectarian campaign of genocide" against Protestants while SDLP MLA John Dallat challenged him about standing in solidarity in Portadown with Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright.
The Assembly has heard similar arguments many times before but the depth and raw bitterness of the exchanges, which speak for themselves, captured just how daunting a task it will be for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair in Scotland in a fortnight's time to persuade the DUP to do business with Sinn Féin.
Mid-Ulster MLA Mr MCrea, during a debate on an Assembly report on "rights, safeguards, equality issues and victims", said the IRA had conducted a genocidal campaign over 35 years against Protestants and Sinn Féin/IRA leaders should be brought before the International Court of Justice for these crimes.
In a passionately delivered speech he said unionists were not "taking second place any more". The unionist community, he added, must be congratulated for withstanding "one of the most bloodthirsty, vicious, sectarian campaigns that were initiated against them over the past 35 years".
"Right across this province and especially to those who were residing and living in isolated Protestant areas along the Border there was a deliberate genocide - planned and purposed genocide - and the wiping out of that community, with the desire to push the Border back," said Mr McCrea.
He paid tribute to the B-Specials who "patrolled the roads for nothing" and didn't even get the money to pay for the "buttons on their own tunics".
He said many people were "butchered" by the IRA simply because they were Protestants, and that police officers and soldiers were killed "because they wore the uniform of the crown".
Mr McCrea said Sinn Féin/IRA leaders responsible for this genocide should be brought before the International Court of Justice, just as the alleged war criminals of the Balkans conflict faced such judgment.
He recalled how DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley was criticised for saying the IRA should repent and wear "sackcloth and ashes" but he asked what about the murdered innocent people the IRA had "left in ashes and in sackcloth?".
Earlier in the debate Mr McCrea's DUP Assembly colleague Lord Morrow said "Sinn Féin may be ready for government but is not fit for government" and would not be ready by the British and Irish governments' deadline of November 24th.
Mr McCrea endorsed these views, adding that Sinn Féin had a long way to go before it could be accepted into government in Northern Ireland.
"We want a shared future but let's at least be honest. Let's have an honesty about the situation and let's learn the lessons from the past because God forbid if we ever, ever repeat or replicate what our community has endured for the past 30 years," concluded Mr McCrea.
The SDLP MLA for East Derry, John Dallat, referred to Mr McCrea speaking at a rally in Portadown in 1996 in support of Billy Wright when the LVF leader, who was responsible for numerous sectarian murders in Mid-Ulster, was under threat from the UVF. At the time Mr McCrea said he was demonstrating his opposition to the threat and that no charges had been made against Wright.
Said Mr Dallat yesterday: "In relation to Rev McCrea's impassioned speech, it certainly would have conveyed greater meaning to me if he never had appeared on that platform with Billy Wright. That one incident demolishes everything he says.
"And in years gone past as a young person listening to news bulletins day by day reporting the deaths of nationalists in Mid-Ulster, I wished Rev McCrea had put the same passion into his condemnation."
Mr McCrea said he had "unreservedly condemned the murder of the Roman Catholic community, not only in Mid-Ulster, but in this province, not half-heartedly but unreservedly".