A Chara, - Robert Barry (September 3rd) should be wary of falling into the trap that the "Real IRA" have set for themselves - namely to go against the will of the people of this island as clearly expressed in the referendums of May 22nd. He notes that "this bunkum has led to the imminent release of droves of Provos" while disregarding the fact that "this bunkum" has been approved by the Irish people. The Belfast Agreement is a finely balanced package, and the amendments to Articles 2 and 3, which he castigates the Government for not having implemented, have not been enacted because it is not yet time. When an inclusive, power-sharing executive has been established to govern the six north-eastern counties and the cross-Border bodies have been established as stipulated in the Agreement, we, for our part, shall amend our Constitution.
I fail to see why we should, as he says, "be ill with shame". Have we not (all of us North and South, Orangeman and Republican) turned history on its head and charted a course for ourselves out of the stormy seas of conflict that have surrounded us for the past 30, 75, 200, 400, or 800 years, depending on one's perspective? As for his allegations that "this State has not fought terrorism seriously because it lacked the political will", I trust that the current misguided erosion of our civil liberties being enacted by the Government will counteract that argument.
We may yet see the glory days advocated by Mr Barry when gangs of vigilantes ensure that suspected "indecent Irish nationalists" have no "safe homes" to go to. We could go down that road. But don't you think it goes against at least the spirit of the Belfast Agreement? - Is mise, David O'Donovan,
Monkstown, Co Dublin.