Sir, - David Trimble has rejected the Blair/Ahern formula for setting up the new devolved government of Northern Ireland because he was being asked to "sacrifice democratic rights for expediency".
Surely he can live with such a request. The statelet of Northern Ireland was set up undemocratically as an expedient to avert violence by unionists; it has been run ever since by the expedient of gerrymandered constituencies. The democratic rights of Catholics have been ignored and their protests countered by the expedient of Orange pogroms promoted by the rantings of religious fundamentalists.
As a unionist politician and an Orangeman Mr Trimble is wellused to sacrificing democratic rights for expediency - other people's democratic rights. Trimble and unionists in general have every right to fear and mistrust the IRA but the Provos were a product of Catholic fear and mistrust generated by loyalist violence and the failure of the RUC to provide protection when they needed it. - Yours, etc.
Douglas Bain, Newcastle, Co Wicklow.