Sir, - David Trimble has been roundly condemned for criticising theSouth. His words may well have been intemperate. Nevertheless, there isundoubtedly some truth in what he says and characteristic reactionshere have been over-defensive and smug.
He compared the Republic to the UK, which he termed "a vibrantmulti-ethnic, multinational liberal democracy". This is hardly indispute. In contrast, he called the South "mono-ethnic" and"monocultural".
While there have been steps made towards the creation of a moreinclusive society, the recent independent report issued by 16non-government organisations in the Peace and Reconciliation Platform,based in the Glencree Centre, came to much the same conclusion as MrTrimble. It declares that we do not seriously want pluralism and thatthe State from its beginning has been primarily associated with anexclusive Roman Catholic, Gaelic nationalist mindset.
Examples of this are the abortion referendum and the broadcasting ofAngelus (highlighted by Wesley Boyd, Opinion, March 13th). In theabortion referendum, the Government and the Roman Catholic church triedto impose their monolithic ethos on the electorate. Objections raisedby the Protestant churches were ignored, as usual.
The broadcasting of the Angelus on the State public service stationsends out a clear signal that this is a one-church society. OtherCatholic countries in Europe, such as Poland, Austria, Italy, Spain andPortugal, do not broadcast the Angelus on their public servicebroadcasting stations.
Moreover, a 20-minute Orange church parade in Dublin could not betolerated, yet a military guard of honour was provided for the relicsof St Thérèse of Lisieux.
The vital point, however, is that two sovereign governments signedthe Belfast Agreement of 1998, which applies to the entire island. Thisagreement was put together to protect, promote and treasure minorities.However, the Special Adviser to the Taoiseach, Martin Mansergh, hasrevealed in a long correspondence with Reform that the oldest minorityhere, the Irish and British one, does not exist as a separate culturaltradition.
He believes Irish society is "seamless". Yet there are an estimated250,000 British passport-holders here. Also, there is a community of atleast 15,000 Ulster-Scots in the Border counties.
This ostrich-like approach may have been acceptable pre-1998, butits continuance is in direct breach of the Belfast Agreement. TheTravellers (perhaps 25,0000) are represented on the Irish Human RightsCommission, yet no one from the above communities is.
Why? The conclusion is clear: the Belfast Agreement is lock, stock and barrel for Northern Ireland.
On a pragmatic basis alone, the State should use our community as aconduit to link Southern and Northern people of the same frame of mindto build the dream of a united Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
Chairman,
DEREK SIMPSON,
Vice-Chairman,
The Reform Movement,
Military Road,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, - Which state in these islands by law has a religious bar forhead of state, head of government and head of judiciary? Was it Belfastor Dublin which elected a Jewish Lord Mayor on three separateoccasions? A Muslim was elected to Leinster House or Stormont: whichone?
One quarter of our presidents to date have been Protestant; how manymembers of the minority religion north of the Border have held theoffice of head of government or state? Where do bishops of only onetradition sit in the legislature? Perhaps David Trimble's scriptwritermight like to supply the answers.
What we need, North and South, is integration, not assimilation, socould we please leave the Angelus alone? Catholics, Protestants, Jews,Muslims and others all have rights. If we respect each other's rightsand traditions we will live in harmony. This does not mean we have toselect the lowest common denominator.
Society south of the Border has reformed, but still has some way togo. However colourful the script writer might have thought the commentsto be, the kettle is still calling the pot black. - Yours etc,
GAY MITCHELL, TD,
Dáil Éireann,
Dublin 2.
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A chara, - David Trimble's admittedly bizarre comment on the stateof the Republic does hold up for the most part, on closer inspection.
"Mono-ethnic, monocultural" is not a derogatory description and isessentially correct. As regards being sectarian, one can recall thefact that the Dublin/Wicklow lodge of the Orange Order had to cancelits parade to unveil a plaque at its place of foundation in DawsonStreet, Dublin just two years ago, to avoid the clamour of "irate"protesters.
Foremost among the latter, needless to say, were those nouveaux prophets of tolerant multiculturalism, Sinn Féin. - Is mise,
TED NEVILLE,
Carrigaline Road,
Douglas,
Co Cork.
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Sir, - Mr Trimble's comments were an ingenious political move.Together with his call for a Border poll on the day of the Assemblyelections, thus ensuring a turnout close to 100 per cent, they amountto a political master stroke.
He has ensured support from his own party members by showing that heis not just a British Government "Yes man" and by his comments hasalmost definitely garnered support from the UUP/DUP middle ground.
Finally, with reference to Martin Loughnan's letter of March 13th,apart from seeing yourself first in the mirror, you also see a reversalof the real world. - Yours, etc.,
CIARÁN O'CONNOR,
Bryansford,
Co Down.
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Sir, - David Trimble's call for a Border poll would only confirmwhat is already known. Surely of more universal interest, andsignificance, would be to poll the UK taxpayers, and ascertain theirviews of continuing to pay millions of pounds annually to prop up aparasite province incapable of sustaining itself. - Yours, etc.,
KILLIAN FITZPATRICK,
Lakelands Park,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.
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Sir, - David Trimble will obviously feel at home in a united Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
Father COLUMBA NEE,
St Patrick's College,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.