Building
an identity on a shared past.
From IRISH NEWS July 24th, 2000
By Roy GARLAND
WHEN I read Democratic Dialogue's suggestion, that a new flag for Northern
Ireland be commissioned, my first reaction was to dismiss it as an irrelevance.
Gary McMichael, leader of the Ulster Democratic Party also rejected the
idea as a cop out, because it fails to deal with the issue at the heart
of the flags and emblems issue. That issue, he said, is the failure of a
section of the people to recognise the status of Northern Ireland within
the UK.
He recognised however that all shades of nationalism have endorsed that
status in the Good Friday agreement, but argues that, nationalists may not
be happy about this. I am not an Irish nationalist, but I do not detect
among nationalists any real concern about the status of Northern Ireland.
It seems to me that most nationalists primarily desire that their culture,
traditions, rights and aspirations be fully accepted as legitimate, and
that there is no inbuilt obstacle to the realisation of Irish unity, aside
from consent.
The statement by the British authorities that they have no selfish strategic
or economic interest in Northern Ireland, in theory at least removes any
such obstacle. The only group of people on the nationalist side, still fighting
the old fight, physically or in words, are those usually referred to as
dissident republicans.
They and their counterparts within unionism are increasingly likely to find
themselves isolated as the institutions under the agreement begin to bear
fruit and foster consensus. A new flag for Northern Ireland would not necessarily
add to, or take from, the status of Northern Ireland. Scotland has always
had more than one flag and Wales has its flag. Neither flag detracts from
the reality of the United Kingdom.
Perhaps the old nine-county Ulster flag could become the flag of Northern
Ireland. That could appeal to republicanism that it predates and transcends
the border, but it might also appeal to unionists as it represents a region
whose shifting borders were not always coterminous with the nine counties.
Still perhaps we need to move to something new and more forward looking.
We need a symbol that has the capacity to solicit the talents and allegiance
of members of both main traditions, whatever their ultimate aspirations.
Either of the two traditions in this part of the island has the capacity
to destroy the future for the other; so each will need to feel ownership.
The Drumcree situation over the last number of years illustrates this.
What also seems clear is that each community is dependent on the other and
we need to find ways to reflect that which we have in common. For too long
there has been a tendency only to celebrate that which divides us. This
is noticeable on many wall murals, some of which cause fear and resentment
to outsiders.
Two weeks ago I wrote about the mural in the Shankill area celebrating massacres
of Catholics. Last week a new mural appeared in Twinbrook in west Belfast
remembering the young victims of plastic bullets during the troubles. These
included one youth aged 18, but omitted a Protestant youth aged 20, who
was killed by security forces in Portadown in 1986. Perhaps the cut-off
point was age 18, but it would have been much more compassionate to include
Keith White. |
