Holy Cross drama – A seriously flawed production. Over the next few days, viewers across Ireland and the UK will have the opportunity to see a drama specially commissioned by BBC London and RTE, which attempts to portray some of the emotions and the issues surrounding the Holy Cross dispute, which was hitting the world's headlines two years ago.
This is a seriously flawed production. I saw it at the invitation of the BBC earlier this week, having had many contacts with the corporation about it over the past year, as well as having lived though the protest itself just a few hundred yards from my front door.
I do not dispute the right of the BBC/RTE to commission and make the programme. I firmly uphold the right of broadcasters to make controversial and challenging drama.
However, I do dispute their right to impose such drama on the communities most affected by it without some serious attempt to get their consent on the content.
Consultation was offered to check facts, but to the best of my knowledge, no-one affected was asked to view the script to comment on its tone and general approach.
No-one was asked to comment on when it might be shown, or the impact its showing might have on the people directly affected and the communities in which they live.
This is a dark piece of work, which seems to me to publicly humiliate both communities, for the wider audience is left with only the raw emotion of two years ago as a measure of where people are at now, and it is not a pretty sight.
There is scarcely a glimmer of hope for the future; there is no recognition of the work that has been done in the past few years to build the communities, nor any recognition of how children and families have picked themselves up. This is a grave disservice to everyone in the area.
Apart from these concerns there has been no worthwhile debate as to whether this type of drama is appropriate for the subject matter.
The drama uses some news broadcasts alongside the dramatisation of events on the ground. How is the viewer to distinguish realistically between fact and dramatised fiction? How can this be regarded as helpful when many of the people closely involved are still in the area, still traumatised by the events, and still struggling to come to terms with the legacy the protest left?
There is no attempt to look back reflectively with even limited historical hindsight, nor refer to the current situation; and certainly no building blocks are provided for improving community relations in the future.
I have met no-one on either 'side' of the community who has any enthusiasm for this drama to be shown at the present time. This is scarcely surprising, since both local primary and secondary schools have been targeted in recent weeks, and we are in the middle of a high octane election campaign.
I would love to know what advice BBC Northern Ireland gave to BBC London/RTE about the wisdom of showing this drama in the current climate. I cannot believe that they wholeheartedly endorsed it.
Over the years it has been alleged more than once that the media have a lot to answer for in Northern Ireland.
This production will add to the sense that public ratings matter much more than public responsibility. In my view this is a significant example of public disservice broadcasting.
Reverend Norman Hamilton is a Presbyterian Minster.
