The report from the southern executive of the council on social responsibility to the Methodist Conference in Belfast yesterday was critical of the "very slow progress" being made on immigration policy in the Republic. "Despite protestations to the contrary by the Minister for Justice and others, we still see much evidence of delays, bureaucratic stumbling blocks and a strong level of de facto official discrimination against black people or others who are recognisably from a different culture," it said.
This was allied to "a growth in clearly racist attitudes and actions evident all around us." The official line seemed all the stranger, it said, "when there is simultaneous evidence of severe labour shortages in many sectors. Even from purely economic grounds, we need the skills these people can bring . . . the very restrictive work permit scheme seems doubly unjust."
The conference directed that a draft covenant between the Methodist Church and the Church of Ireland be studied and discussed at district synods and circuit quarterly meetings, "where possible with members of the Church of Ireland". Ms Gillian Kingston said the document could "well be the foundation for much working together".
The Rev Ken Best expressed concern over what working "towards visible unity" meant in the document. It would create problems for some church members if it meant "organic unity". The Rev Clive Webster said the Methodists he represented in Portadown at heart were evangelical and conservative. The Rev Dudley Cooney said "visible unity" might well mean a leading to a merger but that this was not anticipated in the near future.
In another report prepared by the council on social responsibility, the conference was told that victims of the North's Troubles were "challenging all the churches to respond spiritually, theologically, ethically and practically to the consequences of 30 years of violent conflict".
The report, "Victims of the Troubles" by Mr William Patterson, said that "in one sense everyone who has lived in Northern Ireland over the past 30 years could be said to be a victim". There was also a sense in which "the perpetrators of violence are victims" it said. This was not to relieve such people of responsibility for their actions but to acknowledge that "we all, including the perpetrators of violence, have been influenced by the sectarian elements of our culture. To this extent we have all fallen victim to sectarianism." The report said the churches had responded to "every aspect of the Troubles", pastorally and otherwise, but despite all this they were not beyond criticism.
"They have been accused of forgetting about victims, failing to work for justice and being slow to acknowledge that they are part of the problem. Accusations have been made that church people may have prayed for peace, healing and reconciliation but have actually done little to bring these about. It is argued that prior to 1969, matters of injustice and discrimination were not addressed, the churches being too insular," it said.
"It has been suggested that church life and thinking are not conducive to innovation and that the lack of goodwill between some Protestant and Roman Catholic churches has reinforced the ignorance and enmity between the two religious communities," the report continued.
"Not all victims have a religious perspective of life and not all victims either want or feel the need for support. Victims may be antagonistic to the church and highly critical of the part played by religion in the life of Northern Ireland."
It acknowledged that "the structures that maintain our social relations are very much part and parcel of our experience of life. On this basis we understand sectarianism to be systematic, it is woven into the fabric of Northern Ireland society. No one has escaped its influence. It has, in part, made us what we are."
Victims "should not be pressurised to forgive or be made to feel guilty because, in all honesty, they cannot forgive. Victims need space to express rage at the injustice done to them." It recommended that the church be "sensitive and sensitising", offering a programme of support and making every effort to establish interchurch and inter-faith partnerships to help victims.
The report was received by conference.
A report on morality in politics, dealing with the need for people "of high principle and upright character" in government, was referred back to the council as it was considered too weak in its two recommendations.