Paddy Joe McClean goes to the heart of the matter when addressing crucial issues. As a former chairman of the Civil Right Association he has long engaged in radical thinking and sought change during difficult times. In a recent discussion document '1998 Agreement – eight Years On' based on pertinent questions, he suggests that the Belfast Agreement, posed new challenges – challenges that remain in the wake of St Andrews.
He takes for granted that successful power-sharing requires agreement on the territory to be governed.
On this ground he challenges Sinn Féin's apparent determination to dismantle the state, which he argues is the "worst possible basis" on which to secure agreement because it fosters intransigence.
Shortly after St Andrews, Gerry Adams spoke in west Belfast and referred to past violence as one "phase of struggle". The present phase would be judged in terms of whether it could "move us nearer to the Ireland that we have struggled so long to achieve". Republicans, he said, were about ending British rule and the present "phase of transition" was moving us "towards a national republic".
It was therefore a stepping stone towards a single Irish state. Already such words are being used to suggest that Sinn Féin is not serious about power-sharing and that Paisley has fallen into a trap.
The absolute requirement for consent to constitutional change has been accepted but Paddy Joe asks why no nationalist party north or south has actively sought unionist consent for unity? Most appear rather to have placed unity on the long finger, knowing perhaps that consent is not forthcoming. This would appear to imply acceptance of the status quo of two states on one island.
In view of this, Paddy Joe suggests that nationalists in the Republic – the majority on the island – spell out this reality to Northern nationalists so that unionist siege mentality can be lifted and normal politics begin to flourish in Northern Ireland? Failure so to do so is the single biggest factor keeping this society divided along sectarian lines.
Paddy Joe asks if Irish identity can only be expressed and enjoyed in a unitary Irish state and calls for new thinking on this. He refers to young nationalists and young unionists – beyond party structures and alongside trade unionists and others – who engaged in fresh thinking on internal reform rather than constitutional change during the Civil Rights era. This opened up new possibilities and incidentally was more effective in challenging old style unionism than violence ever was. Paddy Joe asks for similar fresh thinking so that old moulds can be finally broken. He did not expect a new approach to emerge from recent talks and has been proven right.
He now assumes that a carve up between two blocks is likely to follow to produce even more division.
Paddy Joe points out that unionists are from the same stock as the Presbyterians who founded the United Irishmen but they now seem entrenched in their thinking – as are most nationalists. Paddy Joe believes this is because nationalists withheld freedom from unionists and thus stymied fresh thinking on all sides. In seeking to push unionists towards unity they have reinforced the perception that ultimate extinction of unionism is the real goal.
In another published article Paddy Joe suggests that the actions of the two governments should be analysed in terms of their interests. These are, briefly – stability, secure borders, cooperation, European membership and partnership with America. The union as seen in this context is more secure than ever because it is protected by An Garda Siochana, the army of the Irish Republic and New Nationalism. Unionism in contrast has been deemed incapable of securing British and/or Irish interests.
The war is over and the art of politics is replacing armed combat with a more civilised verbal contest but the dismal rhetoric about unity remains to haunt us and restrict progress. Perhaps the rhetoric is designed for electoral purposes but it is not innocuous and many unionists suspect that behind the rhetoric lies a real threat. It perpetuates the impression that the war is NOT over and foments instability. The time has surely come to lift the siege and set the hostages free – unionist and nationalist alike – by a genuine commitment to a shared future for all in a new Northern Ireland intimately linked with our neighbours – to the south and east.
