Sir, - It is with a sense of desperation that I write to express my continuing sense of horror and outrage at the ongoing saga of civilian killings in Algeria, reported to us through the courage and tenacity of your Paris correspondent, Lara Marlowe. A few years ago a member of my congregation was of their number since she had opted, along with many other nonAlgerian religious and clergy, to remain with the people and share their lot. Many of these are also now dead.
Any government whose reaction to the latest slaughter of 412 of its citizens slaughtered is merely to try and discount the accuracy of the total deserves, at the very least, international condemnation. Fifty years ago European civilians were being deported to their death in cattle trucks. Afterwards people said: "Never again". Today, civilians of a country are being massacred in their homes and villages, sometimes within earshot and eyesight of government security forces. Yet our own Foreign Minister wishes to silence all condemnation by outsiders from afar. But who, then, will speak for the victims? Are we to leave it all to the courageous journalists of the Algerian press, who risk imprisonment or worse for doing so?
In the name of our common humanity, Ireland and the EU must leave aside their sectional interests and find the wisdom and energy to take some decisive action. As the headline to Lara Marlowe's report of January 5th said: "Hand-wringing by the EU over Algerian massacres will no longer be enough."
This letter is simply an attempt to jog consciences. If there is a will there is a way. - Yours, etc.,
(Sr) Carol DorganLittle Sisters of the Assumption, Ballymun, Dublin 9.