Fortnight Publications Ltd.

The Peace People: A Critical ViewAuthor(s): Fred HeatleySource: Fortnight, No. 142 (Feb. 18, 1977), p. 4Published by: Fortnight Publications Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25546152 .

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4/Fortnight

THE PEACE PEOPLE a critical view

Predictably, recent months have

brought both praise and criticism for

the peace movement. Some of each

has been hysterical or unconstructive. On the other hand, it is hard to offer

criticism without appearing to "knock

peace". In a previous issue (fortnight 14.1.77) Sarah Nelson suggested some reasons why neither the Peace

People, nor the security forces, have

succeeded in diminishing paramilitary violence. An article in Scope (Jan/Feb 77) reviewed the mixed

reaction by community activists to

the Peace People's movement into

community projects. Others have

questioned whether this strategy is in

fact a step towards, or a retreat from, solutions of basic political divisions: does building community centres or

co-operating on housing projects enable people to agree on a

constitution?

In this issue FRED HEATLEY raises

other critical questions which have

particular pertinence for people in

Catholic working class areas of

Belfast.

There was an inevitability about the criticism of the peace people. From the word "go" there was bound to be

antagonism from the paramilitaries, in

particular Republican ones. Much as

Loyalist gunmen may have disliked the advent of a group dedicated to

removing the gun and bomb from our

society, they realised that any peace

brought about by the movement's

efforts, must entail a disarming of the

Republicans. Thus stories of strong arm men both cursing and welcoming the Woodvale peace parade are not as unlikely as they seem.

But the hardest criticism, which needs much more to be heeded, has come not from the paramilitaries but

from people like Des Wilson, Brian

Smeeton and Desmond Mock; none

of whom could be accused of

encouraging the activities of gunmen. Nor could they be charged with

jumping in where angels fear to tread, since they all gave the Peace People a full three months before criticising them in print. In those three months there were rallies, stories of money

pouring in, and support from other

countries, but here in Ireland nothing stablised, and nothing seems to have

changed. Why?

Miracles cannot be expected over

night, yet that cannot absolve the Peace People and their leaders from

facing the fact that grassroots sup

port is drying up. That does not mean

support for paramilitaries is on the

increase, but simply that the ordinary housewife and her husband are

disheartened by the apparent inability to stem violence?and by the

seeming lack of understanding shown

by the peace leaders. Some of these criticisms have been

enunciated to the writer by folk who not only crave peace, but supported rallies far afield and in their own

localities. It is difficult to understand the

necessity for constant travelling between continents, even though there is a need to try and stop the flow of arms and money at source.

But hero-worship of Ciaran, Betty and Mairead, in such places as Oslo,

Hamburg and London, not only evokes a certain jealousy at home. It

also questions whether the trio are

aiming for those plaudits, or believe in

the naivety that what they are doing is best. Ciaran's alleged remark that

he gave up a ?8000-per-year job to

work for peace, yet wanted a ?5000

salary for his efforts, also raised doubts about his sincerity?when it is

considered that the average Northern Ireland wage is only about ?3000.

Betty's disastrous television con

frontation with Paddy Devlin, in which she practically accused poor

Paddy of backing the Provisionals and informed viewers she had better

things to do than answer criticism, did not exactly endear her to Ander sonstown folk. Her abrasiveness may

appeal to strangers, but this IS Northern Ireland ?and she must be

prepared to accept criticism and reply to it without gutter slanging.

In Catholic areas, the deepest criticism of the Peace People has

concerned their attitude to the

security forces. Memories are long. Men have been awarded as much as

?15,000, and Britain has been

condemned by the Council of

Europe's Human Rights Commission, because of post-internment brutality

by security forces. Since then, many more people have been beaten up and some killed by the same forces.

But no-one has been imprisoned for

these activities. There are constant

accusations about unnecessary roughness in searching homes and

questioning people. Though much of this may be propaganda, there are

undoubtedly many serious infringe ments. Perhaps Official Sinn Fein was correct when it recently accused Roy Mason and his security forces of

sabotaging the work for peace, in the desire for a military victory. Where does the truth lie? And where, exactly, do the Peace People fit in?

Their statement that they cannot check and pronounce on every single element may be true. But to grant (as

suggested by recent utterances

quoted in the press) carte blanche to the security forces cannot be

justifiable to those who genuinely want peace. No police force and no

army can work outside the law. If the law is bent or altered to suit their

activities, that law is a fraud. Those entrusted with the power to administer it, and who flaunt their

transgressions, merit even stiffer sentences than the ordinary civilian. The adage that the law should not

only be done, but seen to be done, must hold, or we defer to the thinking of such as Hitler, Mussolini, Franco or Stalin. Law must be sacrosanct and

everyone equal under it. The Peace People must accept this

and be willing to condemn malad ministration by government forces, as

well as bombing, shooting and murder by paramilitaries. In so doing they may well fragment their present support even faster than present erosion is doing. But what will remain

will be quality rather than quantity which, properly organised, will prove far more effective in the long term. The spirit of Gandhi must prevail and the film star treatment must politely be refused in the interests of a better

community here in Ireland. Much as

support is appreciated from Norwe

gians, Germans, French, etc., the

struggle to win hearts and minds

remains here?on the streets of

Belfast, Derry, South Armagh and

throughout this island. It rests with

the individual: Catholic, Protestant, unbeliever? Republicans, Unionist,

apolitical. No one should be

compelled to sacrifice their religious or political beliefs for the attainment of a house, a job or the right to life.

The sooner we all accept these

basics, the sooner we can all get back

to sanity.

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