Sir, I wish to reinforce vigorously the sentiments of John Robb and John McDowell in their letter (October 16th), written on behalf of the New Ireland Group. Essentially they argue that Sinn Fein should respond positively to the restraint shown by loyalist politicians; that a permanent ceasefire could lead to a repoliticised Ireland within ten years and that, otherwise, Ireland's partitionist mindset will lead to a further era of depravity.
John Robb writes as a surgeon who has directly witnessed and treated the victims of such violence. John McDowell adds his weight as a respected educationalist, who is only too aware of the negative effects of sectarian conditioning on young people.
My own perspective is that of a democratic socialist (there are such beings in the North!), who would like to see a federal accommodation between the North and the South whereby the rights and cultural inheritance of all citizens are protected and preserved. To achieve my objective, I know that it will require a grindingly difficult process which can only be sustained if the respective defenders of their "faiths" are prepared to trust each other's motivation as representatives of legitimate beliefs and values.
With due respect to friends and colleagues in the South, I think that you must become more involved in efforts to bring about this accommodation. Assuming that the Government has not abolished the constituency in the meantime, it is my intention to take my argument onto the floor of the new Senate next year, as one of the elected representatives of Trinity College. - Yours, etc.,
Islandtasserty Road,
Coleraine BT52 2PN.