Sir, - No animal has more symbolised the potential for the transcendence of Anglo/Irish conflict than the Irish horse. Even in the darkest hours, a process that saw royal horses bred in Ireland and Irish horses win English hearts existed in stark contrast to a feeble political process.
Now, in the name of "zero tolerance", the essence of that same symbol, mutual understanding, is under attack. A well orchestrated, unilateral, selective, totalitarian onslaught by a cynical Government on the traditional rights of itinerant people to own livestock has moved into top gear.
It is totalitarian because the media too is co-operating - an example was a slot on RTE's 9 p.m. news on November 6th which contained rumour and innuendo about the danger of these horses, never once pretending to present another side to this debate.
I have lived under a totalitarian regime in South Africa and instinctively recognise its one-eyed machinations. I would urge all fair-minded Irish people to wake up to this challenge to human rights before it is too late. - Yours, etc.,
Castle Farm, Shankill, Co Dublin.