Madam, - It is welcome that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has recognised that the SDLP "led the way for the nationalist community" on the issue of policing (Opinion & Analysis, January 2nd). The SDLP, the Irish Government and the Catholic Church showed positive leadership in supporting the Patten report.
Since then it is the SDLP which has done the heavy lifting on the Police Board and has made the police fully accountable. Despite intimidation and threats, ordinary nationalists have shown enormous courage in participating in local District Policing Partnership Boards.
While Sinn Féin has very little to show for seven years of opposition to the police, the SDLP and others have ensured that the new beginning to policing has become a reality. Catholics now comprise 21 per cent of the PSNI. By 2010 this will be 30 per cent. On December 5th, 2006, the Oversight Commissioner for Policing Reform, Al Hutchinson, reported that more than 86 per cent of the Patten reforms had been implemented and relatively few recommendations remain outstanding. Many of these should be completed by May, 2007.
It really should be no surprise that Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin have decided to support policing: once again it is a case of the SDLP leading and Sinn Féin following.
As SDLP leader Mark Durkan said more than five years ago: "For decades it was democratic consent. SDLP led. Sinn Féin followed. For decades we called for an end to violence. SDLP led. Sinn Féin followed. For decades we called for the three sets of relationships that are now at the core of the Good Friday Agreement. SDLP led. Others followed.
"More recently it was decommissioning. SDLP called for it as a requirement of the agreement. Sinn Féin followed.This year it is policing. SDLP have led. And I bet you know what I'm going to say next. That's right. Sinn Féin will follow!" - Yours, etc,
Cllr TIM ATTWOOD, Andersonstown Road, Belfast 11.