Sir, - Standing outside the Catholic church in Harryville, I was reminded of the town of Derventa in Bosnia Hertzegovenia. In Derventa, the ruins of three places of worship, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim, stand as grim monuments to a hatred unleased.
As the drums of war beat, sometimes loud, sometimes softly, sometimes only their echo sounding, Northern Ireland once again takes on the military trappings of an occupied state. With British politicians bleating plaintively about the protagonists not playing the game according to their rules, and Irish ones seemingly having walked off the playing field, the issue of a lasting peace in Ireland and an end to war seems low on the list of priorities for politicians more concerned with the next election than the next generation.
With Ministers pleading scheduling problems as excuses, I watch with increasing incredulity as the political vacuum grows. The present cast of Government players on both sides has proven totally inadequate for the historic task entrusted to them. - Yours, etc.
Belfast BT14.