Sir, - Andy Pollak's reminder (February 4th) that the peace movement in Ireland would do well to attempt to emulate the example of South Africa is an important truth. Any who heard the leading South African representatives who visited this island last year to share their experience of peace building know that something extra ordinary has touched them. When addressing an across the board audience in Belfast last summer, Cyril Ramaposa looked long and hard at the disparate gathering before saying finally: "You can do it if you want to" (i.e. make peace).
But what has touched them has not yet touched us. At present the Rev. Ian Paisley believes that the largely Protestant town of Harryville has a right to stage protests outside the Roman Catholic church, because of the banning of the marches in nearby Dunloy. Meanwhile, the Rev. Eamonn Stack S.J. in Portadown believes that Catholics must on no account allow Orangemen to return from Drumcree along the Gavaghy Road this year. But Ramaposa and colleagues would say to them: "Maybe you will prevail so that the march does/does not go as you would wish but, while you may win that point, you will not make peace with your brother without understanding and forgiveness and offers of renewal."
As Andy Pollak has done well to emphasise, the breakthrough came in South Africa when tens of thousands of people were publicly, coming together to pray earnestly for peace. Is there enough faith left in Ireland for us to do likewise? Can we not offer this support to our frail peace process?
Yours, etc.,
Castle Court, Booterstown, Co. Dublin.