Opinion

Loyalist gangs a scourge on communities they claim to represent

What on earth is happening in this failed statelet when the new DUP leader meets with non-elected, self-appointed men who, with absolutely no proof or evidence, claim to be representatives of the loyalist community. Their own illusions of grandeur have led them to believe that their own self-importance is enough to justify their defenceless claims. Edwin Poots met with these people, knowing the Loyalist Communities Council has links to the UVF, the UDA and the RHC. These gangs are a scourge on their very own communities whom they claim, with absolutely no evidence, to somehow represent.

They should do the democratic thing and put themselves up for election and find out if they are representative of anyone. I believe that they already know the answer, thus the reason for them not taking this road.

Then we have the farcical image of another false claimant to the role of loyalist spokesperson standing on a blue wheelie bin addressing a group of anti-protocol protesters, a scene more appropriate to a Mr  Bean movie. Once again I challenge this individual to enter the world of democracy and stand for election and thus discover whether or not he has any support among those people he claims to speak for. Once again he will not do this as he knows he would suffer gross humiliation.

The tired and entirely untrue claim from these people is that the IRA have people in government. How sadly pathetic. History has already proven that the IRA no longer exists. That organisation publicly disbanded many years ago and has completely left the scene. Many of its members joined Sinn Féin in order to carry on the struggle, using purely peaceful and democratic means, to secure a new Ireland. After years of voluntary community work some of these people put themselves up for election to the UK parliament, the assembly and local councils. Many of them have been successful, and have been democratically elected to the various institutions. No unelected republican claims to be a spokesperson for their community.


Sinn Féin elected representatives are spokespeople for the nationalist people who put them there. The challenge to these egotistical loyalists is to do the same.

SEAN SEELEY


Craigavon, Co Armagh

Constitutional change not an imperative for SDLP

The SDLP has often been described as a nationalist party. While it is true that its support has emanated almost totally from the Catholic population, it has always been a reformist party, aiming to make changes within the current constitutional arrangement.  The fact that constitutional change has never been an imperative for the party is demonstrated by the fact that the party has only ever sought endorsement in the SIX counties. Indeed its partnership with Fianna Fáil recognises that they are supportive and cognisant of their respective roles in two separate jurisdictions with no plans by either to upset that arrangement.

The record of the SDLP from its inception is as a middle-of-the-road party that is prepared to seek the middle ground in seeking compromise and as such is incapable of any radical policies. The party has never come to terms with the fact that during its whole existence it has always been prepared to accept continuous political instability around the constitutional issue rather than seek constitutional change. Constitutional instability aptly describes the whole existence of the six counties. The SDLP can’t by any means be described as a nationalist party.

When people are asked to vote for the SDLP therefore, they are being asked to vote for continued constitutional instability at a time when the constitutional question is once more coming to the fore. The SDLP has set up a New Ireland Commission but the aim is not to promote a united Ireland but to try, as the free state establishment parties are doing, to try and curb the appetite for it among nationalists.

Richard O’Rawe, a former blanket man, has joined that commission and made it known publicly that historically the SDLP was right in that armed struggle as a tactic had failed to deliver a united Ireland. What someone, who described himself as a dedicated republican, failed to acknowledge was how the republican campaign was undermined by the SDLP in its support for the British rule of law.  The SDLP always campaigned against republicanism to accept reformist policies rather than constitutional change.

SEAN O’FIACH


Belfast BT11

UVF does not represent unionism

Once again men wearing balaclavas and the carrying of a UVF flag at the so-called Protocol protest parade in Portadown makes a mockery of the war cry of the lies being said by unelected ‘loyalists’.

When someone wearing a balaclava carries a flag representing a terrorist organisation to a legal or illegal parade all credibility that might be there is lost. The UVF does not represent unionism, they represent part of the sectarian war in our country and the brutal murders of many innocent people. Now we are really seeing why so few in our unionist community are  supporting these parades. Loyalism means paramilitaries who do not speak or represent the unionist people. The unionist people will decide their way forward not paramilitaries or unelected spokespersons with their own agenda.

RAYMOND McCORD


Victims campaigner,


north Belfast

Fitting honour for a good man

What a wonderful recognition for Trevor Ringland, appointed as UK Northern Ireland representative to the US. A fitting tribute to a good and bridge-building man. In a sense he represents the whole of this island.

Well done sir.

ROBERT SULLIVAN


Bantry, Co Cork