Sir, The pretentious stance by the British Prime Minister, John Major, exposed the British at their evasion and skill in deceit and will be seen by the nationalist community as a further obstacle and hindrance to the search for a peaceful solution.
The travesty of what John Major is proposing makes a mockery of the Mitchell report and is nothing short of sabotage for the peace process. The pent up fury felt by nationalists was succinctly and very squarely placed at the door of No 10 Downing Street by the leader of the SDLP, John Hume, when he accused Mr Major of a betrayal for a handful of unionist votes.
The trauma of the last 26 years has led many people on this island of Ireland and in the United Kingdom to believe that Northern Ireland has failed as a political entity, and to recognise that democracy and its usual application cannot exist in a fundamentally artificial unit. Finally, while the situation in Northern Ireland moves abysmally nearer the brink, we witness the speed and grotesque sight of John Major sundering the Mitchell report in the British House of Commons. It reminds one to clearly understand what Pearse meant when he spoke about the defenders of the realm having worked well in secret and in the open.
"They think they have pacified Ireland, they think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half." Those words are as relevant today as they were when first spoken at the grave side of O'Donovan Rossa, and are being proved right with every day that passes. Yours, etc., Willington Green, Templeogue, Dublin 6W.