Madam, - The current halt in the peace process has provoked Sinn Féin to launch into its usual litany of recrimination. But of course Sinn Féin has only itself to blame for the breakdown. Yes, it has made concessions - but, as usual, only begrudgingly and belatedly and under intense pressure and after endless denial. In a very real sense it takes the "good" out of every concession and only engenders further mistrust.
Like everyone else in the process Sinn Féin has its own constituency to placate. Resistance runs deep. But its leaders show little sense that a process involves an accumulation of trust. They fail - or refuse - to see that other people have needs and fears too. "Others" seem hardly to exist for Sinn Féin: "Ourselves Alone" seems too close to the truth.
Some generosity of spirit is required - not because we must necessarily "like" our opponents but because a peace process without generosity is doomed to founder eventually. Indeed, this process would have foundered long ago were it not for the exceptional commitment of Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair and their co-workers. No process should depend on such an extraordinary input. - Yours, etc.,
JOSEPH McDONNELL,
Woodlawn Park,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.
Madam, - Laurence Marley (May 8th) writes that "the political process has now been forced into a stalemate on a point of semantics regarding IRA intentions".
But is it just a question of semantics? People wanted to hear that the war was over. What the Provos said was: "The full and irreversible implementation of the Agreement and other commitments will provide a context in which the IRA can proceed to definitively set aside arms to further our political objectives. When there is such a context this decision can be taken only by a General Army Convention."
In other words arms have not yet been set aside as a means of furthering political objectives. When the Agreement "and other commitments" have been implemented in a manner that is "full and irreversible", only then will the gun be given up. Even then an escape clause is added by saying that only a "General Army Convention" can make the final decision. In this context the line in that says, "We are disappointed also that the commitments in the Joint Declaration are conditional and protracted", reads as if it were written tongue in cheek.
Taking the gun out of politics is part of the Agreement. It cannot be implemented - in a "full and irreversible" manner or otherwise - without this step. Are people wrong to conclude that the Provos want to have their cake and eat it? The IRA statement is over 700 words long, but only four words were needed: "The war is over". - Yours, etc.,
SEAN SWAN,
Belfast 10.