Ulster

Face realities, Mr Powell

Glenn Barr

Mr Enoch Powell is probably one of the most outstanding and brilliant English politicians of our time. His assessment of many national issues has the support of a vast section of the population throughout the entire country. Indeed, I would support most of his views and believe that what he is propagating must be listened to, and acted upon, if Britain is to survive in today's ever-changing and uncertain world.

His support for the Ulster people and our representatives at Westminster at a time when all the world was against us will never be forgotten. But when it was announced that Enoch Powell was to involve himself completely in the affairs of Ulster by contesting the imperial seat of South Down, I must admit I was totally opposed to the idea.

To be able to assess a situation is one thing, to be able to produce a viable solution once' you have reached your assessment is another. Let me state immediately that I agree with his assessment of the Ulster situation. It is the solution which he puts forward that I emphatically oppose.

His speech last weekend at Ballyhill County Antrim is so full of unrealities and contradictions that it is hard to imagine such a brilliant man producing such utterances. The only excuse I can offer in his defence is that he is a brilliant English politician. • The main context of his speech was that the British Government ,have set a trap for the Ulster Loyalists and by talking about independence we were falling into it. Mr Powell believes that the British Government have a desire to be rid of Northern Ireland once and for all, and have set this trap deliberately so that it will appear that it is the Ulster people who want to break the Union. The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland believe the same.

He believes that people such as myself are unsuspecting victims "nibbling at the proffered bit of self determination", and we should realise this, when as he says, -bang, down comes the chopper on our heads" and we are told, "okay, you want out, you shall have out, goodbye and good riddance to you."

Mr Powell says that the only "complete protection" for the Ulster people is by remaining an integral part of thern United Kingdom. How the mind boggles. How can there be "complete protection" within the United Kingdom if the United Kingdom governments have set their minds on getting rid of us?

To get to the root of the argument one must look at what type of government the Ulster people Want, and just what the British Government are prepared to offer and most important on what terms.

In a nutshell, the Ulster people want a regional parliament based on the same democratic principles as apply at Westminster — majority rule. This is not to be misconstrued that we want majority rule to the detriment of minorities; but two thirds of the population must have the right to elect and be governed by the government of their choice.. What the British Government is attempting to force on the Ulster people is a national coalition government, which vrould be acceptable in a normal situation, but not when it comprises people who are dedicated to -destroying the very state itself.

This is where Enoch Powell and I part company_ He believes that if we shout loud enough and long enough the British Government will have to relent and govern us like any other part of the United Kingdom. But I believe that the bomb and the bullet of the IRA are louder than all concerted effort and their sound has reached the ear of the British Government. Therefore, our shouts of moral obligation on the part of the British Govern ment towards her Ulster citizens receive little or no support at Westminster. So it follows, if our case is not to receive a fair hearing, and our overlords in London are committed to imposed conditions which are contradictory to the whim of the vast majority of Ulster people we must look to ourselves for our future.

have grown to distrust and detest Westminster politicians so much over the past few years, that I have no intentions of entrusting my dog's future with those people, never mind my children's.

Face realities, Mr Powell. We are not wanted and the longer we stay the more humiliation our people will have to suffer. So whether the convention is a British trap or not, maybe it's , one the Ulster people are prepared to fall into in an effort to redeem their lost pride.

Enoch Powell has taken the same line as a lot of Ulster politicians. Their priority is the link with the UK. But our people have suffered so much at the hands of the IRA and other supporters at Westminster, that the priority of the Ulster people is to keep our country out of the United Irtland, even if it means breaking the link with the United Kingdom.

Since his excursion to Northern Ireland, Mr Powell seems to have missed the main point in the whole situation. The Ulster people are not prepared to fight British troops in their effort to remain British, but they are prepared to fight anyone to keep Ulster from being annexed into a thirty-two county republic.

In concluding I would say this to the British people. Your elected representatives at

Westminster have made these decisions 01 your behalf, and if the Ulster people feel that tl safeguard their own constitutional positioi they must terminate the relationship we hay! -had during the past coupld of centuries. then L, will be your fault. You have the freedom 0 choosing your government, and it as dealt bought for you by Ulster in many wars. Ti price was never questioned. Betray us now ill our hour of need and never again will Ulstel blood be spilt in an English war.