The son of a senator who was murdered in 1973 has asked the youth wings of political parties to challenge their party leaders and “reach across” communities in Northern Ireland.
SDLP senator Paddy Wilson was murdered by the loyalist group the Ulster Freedom Fighters 50 years ago.
An event was held in Stormont on Monday to mark the five decades since his death.
Mr Wilson’s family gathered at a plaque outside the old Senate chamber at Stormont that honours Mr Wilson’s memory, and spoke about the meaning behind the phrase inscribed on it: “equality, tolerance, respect”.
SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole said it was “cruel” that it took so long after Mr Wilson’s death to realise that the values he represented – of common citizenship and cooperation – represented Northern Ireland’s future.
Mr Wilson’s son Paul said that the Good Friday peace agreement was not meant as a “magic wand”, but as a building block for the future – and has been left to languish.
He said if his father was still alive, he would focus on the visions of young people and those in the youth wings of political parties.
He encouraged young people to challenge their party leadership, to put their views “on the table”, and to “reach across” communities when sharing it with the public.
“I’m sure Paddy Wilson’s memory then would live quite well.”
He said: “You convince people of new views and your new vision of how things should be.
“Take it to the hard ground, reach across, and if there was a vision that I know my dad would want, it would be… slowly we could reach through them peace walls, break those gates, and begin to demolish them bit by bit, piece by piece, as confidence in this place grows and grows and people begin to have trust again in politics.
“Unfortunately the Good Friday Agreement has been left to languish by two protagonists who are more interested in party politics than what people actually need and people actually want.”
He added: “These people outside that specifically sit on the back of the bus and have the biggest drums and the biggest flags and commemorations can’t do anything, can’t move this forward without the support of the people that are sat in this room.”
SEFF director Kenny Donaldson said it was a day of remembrance and reflection.
“There was an opportunity 25 years ago to really cement relationships in this place, and just like a candle, it flickered out.
“And we’ve had a very difficult period, particularly over the last 12-15 years, and there’s a need to recalibrate where we’re going.”
He added that organisations and institutions had to “do better” at calling out the glorification of violence.
“I would say to folk who are in this room today from all political parties: don’t get complacent, don’t think that this place is settled, because in communities on the ground it’s far from it.”
