Sir, - Your Editorial (October 1st), "Murder most foul", is timely and to the point. Nothing can justify murder and violence by whatever organisation for whatever cause.
You suggest that "the fatal shooting of Marty O'Hagan, the almost nightly rioting on the streets and the direction of the decommissioning debate at the Sinn FΘin ┴rd Fheis make the peace process, and the Belfast Agreement under-pinning it, look increasingly vulnerable at this time".
Few would disagree with this analysis.
The description of the attempts in the current situation of Mr Gerry Adams to differentiate between "freedom fighter" and "terrorist" as "verbal gyrations" is apposite. Your conclusion that "the day for fudge on the holding of IRA arms is gone, and the Belfast Agreement will fall apart if it is not addressed", merits serious and urgent consideration.
In my overview of the peace process (Intertwined Roots - An Ulster-Scot Perspective, reviewed April 22nd last year, in the Presbyterian Notes column, The Irish Times) I refer to "fudge" several times. I quote, for example, "The fudge persists in the mind of unionists . . . 'though the guns are silent', it is likely to cause concern so long as the threat of a return to violence remains".
Fudge has been responsible for increasing disappointment, dismay and disillusionment among many moderate unionists; if the agreement survives the present crisis it should be off the menu in future. - Yours, etc.,
W.A.Hanna, Belfast, 10.