Sir, - A number of suggestions have been put forward to help solve the perplexing question of decommissioning. One wonders how many of these are either sensible or workable. It is worth noting that there are two kinds of decommissioning: the first is practical decommissioning; the other is symbolic decommissioning.
So far the emphasis has been on practical decommissioning, which raises a number of very obvious difficulties. From the extreme republican point of view, it is perceived as a defeat, especially if the British Army and the RUC are not also decommissioning, while from the British and Unionist viewpoint, verification of total paramilitary decommissioning is practically impossible. It is fair to assume that the various paramilitary groups would have little difficulty in restocking with newer and more destructive arms.
Surely some form of "symbolic decommissioning" would make more sense - given the power and influence of symbols in this area. This could be achieved if there was a symbolic burning of the weapons from all sides, in the grounds of Stormont or some other mutually acceptable location. All groups would send in token weapons as a sign of their good faith, and these would be publicly decommissioned before being destroyed.
After this very public act, the following steps should be taken: (a) a permanent monument should be erected on the spot - possibly some kind of eternal flame.
(b) Good Friday should be designated as a "a day of peace" or "a day of agreement". It would help if the day was declared a public holiday on both sides of the Border, with five minutes of silence at 3 p.m. This would help link the event with the two Christian traditions on the island.
(c) There should be a ceremony attended by the different parties to the Agreement. At this, or possibly in a television address, they could say how they felt the Agreement had worked during the previous year and their hopes for its development in the future.
I believe that something like the above could have a very positive effect. At this point we have an opportunity to leave the dreary old arguments" behind, look to the future and decide what we can best do together. - Yours, etc., Brian Corvin,
Hillcrest Park, Dublin 11.