Why?
Sir: "Why? " asks The Spectator in his notebook, referring to recent Protestant violence in Ulster. Does he really not know?
For fifty years the minority ' refused to recognise the existence of the state or contribute to its well-being. Now it is regarded as ' innocent '.
For four years, the truly innocent law-abiding loyalist majority have been subjected to a campaign of vicious and often indiscriminate violence, by men whose aim is to overthtow the State. And yet for four years, the old Unionist ruling clique largely failed to see the real strength of the militant republican threat, and the forces behind it.
Then a Conservative British Government, which represented that to which they were loyal, abolished the democraticallyelected assembly. Stormont represented security to most Ulstermen. And since then, whilst the death rate increases, Mr Secretary Whitelaw seems oblivious to the feelings and passions of the loyalist population. He it was who unleashed the Protestant militancy by attempting to negotiate a settlement with the men of violence above the heads of the majority. He unleashed this ' backlash ' by constant talk of the " impartiality " of the British Government and the British Army. He does not seem to understand, or to want to understand. Only a change of attitude and the introduction of men who do understand can hope to avert the most bloody conflict.
Adrian V. J. Day 73 St Julian's Farm Road, London SE27
Previous page
