A “civic unionism” group of more than 100 people from various sections of Northern Irish society has challenged what it says is a nationalist assumption that qualities such as rights, truth and equality are not inherent within unionism.
In a riposte to two similar recent letters from "civic nationalism" in the North and South they have written a letter entitled: "A positive challenge to Northern nationalists".
The 105 signatories say the letter is motivated by a desire to “build a society for the betterment of everyone”.
“We the undersigned desire a transparent and inclusive debate concerning rights, truth, equality and civil liberties and in so doing challenge assumptions that such values are not embedded within civic unionism, pluralism and other identities.”
The letter, as well as seeking to stimulate debate, is a reply to letters from civic nationalism in December and February to the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar calling on the Government to defend the legal, human and language rights of Irish citizens in the North, and warning that the British government's deal with the DUP at Westminster has become a grave threat to political progress in the North.
Collapse
It also comes at a heightened period of political polarisation after the collapse of DUP-Sinn Féin talks aimed at restoring the Northern Executive and Assembly.
Among the politicians, academics, clergy and business people and others who signed the civic unionism letter are Ulster Unionist Assembly members Doug Beattie and Mike Nesbitt, historians Peter Shirlow and John Bew, former Ireland rugby international Trevor Ringland, Presbyterian Minister Rev John Dunlop and cartoonist Brian Spencer.
Dr James Wilson from Derry said he organised the letter over a short period of 72 hours from last Wednesday, securing 105 signatories.
The group was committed to engaging with all sections of society, he said. “The aim of this text is not only to remind our nationalist neighbours that we exist, but to challenge both them and the Dublin and also British government to join with us in pursuit of that many civic values and beliefs that we share,” said Dr Wilson on Monday.
The letter states that creating a better society “cannot happen when such a commitment is perceived as being vested in one community or political persuasion”.
“We find it frustrating and puzzling that civic unionism, pluralists and other forms of civic leadership have been rendered invisible in many debates focused on rights and responsibilities.
“It has reduced our capacity to be heard and undermines the power of reconciliation to shift society away from stale and limiting notions of identity,” it adds. “We have worked for peace and reconciliation and in so doing have had open and transparent engagement with civic nationalism.
"That has included recognition of the need for equality and most importantly the urgent need for polarised communities in Northern Ireland to reconcile and deal with barriers to a better future."
The letter states that “civic unionism and other identities are not resistant to claims of equality and full citizenship.”
“These identities are central to the development of an authentically fair and tolerant society.”
It adds: “We wish to unite, not divide, and in encouraging transparency we call upon civic nationalism and others to engage with us in frank and fulsome debates about the many values and beliefs that are commonly shared and are vital to transforming the issues that we face”.
Dr Wilson in a note explaining the impetus for the letter said in recent years a group of Northern Ireland civic unionists, Greens, socialists and non-aligned activists have "engaged in both difficult and constructive conversations" with Sinn Féin and other sections of civic nationalism.
“Via these conversations we gained the impression that we were equals in terms of the expression of rights, equalities, civil liberties and reconciliation,” he said.
Dr Wilson referring to the letters from civic nationalism said it was “puzzling” that these letters did not mention those with an “alternative constitutional allegiance or identity who share similar or related concerns about rights, reconciliation and civil liberties”.
Full text of the letter: A Positive Challenge to Northern Nationalists
“We the undersigned desire a transparent and inclusive debate concerning rights, truth, equality and civil liberties and in so doing challenge assumptions that such values are not embedded within civic unionism, pluralism and other identities.
We are motivated by the desire to build a society for the betterment of everyone. This cannot happen when such a commitment is perceived as being vested in one community or political persuasion. We find it frustrating and puzzling that civic unionism, pluralists and other forms of civic leadership have been rendered invisible in many debates focused on rights and responsibilities. It has reduced our capacity to be heard and undermines the power of reconciliation to shift society away from stale and limiting notions of identity.
We have worked for peace and reconciliation and in so doing have had open and transparent engagement with civic nationalism. That has included recognition of the need for equality and most importantly the urgent need for polarised communities in Northern Ireland to reconcile and deal with barriers to a better future. To achieve this requires the recognition that withholding truth presents as such. This is not unique to any institution or section within our society but where it is a selective process, healing a pernicious and destabilising past remains as a challenge to us all.
Civic unionism, and other identities are not resistant to claims of equality and full citizenship. These identities are central to the development of an authentically fair and tolerant society.
We wish to unite, not divide, and in encouraging transparency we call upon civic nationalism and others to engage with us in frank and fulsome debates about the many values and beliefs that are commonly shared and are vital to transforming the issues that we face.”
Signatories
1. Brian Acheson
2. Ian Acheson
3. Irwin Armstrong
4. Arthur Aughey
5. Stuart Aveyard
6. John Barry
7. Doug Beattie
8. John Bew
9. Elizabeth Boyd
10. Gavin Boyd
11. William Boyd
12. Glenn Bradley
13. Michael Briggs
14. Daniel Brown
15. Jonathan Burgess
16. Paul Burgess
17. Jason Burke
18. Alison Campbell
19. Stevie Campbell
20. Lesley Carroll
21. Jim Crothers
22. Jonny Currie
23. Vince Curry
24. Glenda Davies
25. James Dingley
26. Brian Dougherty
27. Jeffrey Dudgeon
28. John Dunlop
29. Janice Dunwoody
30. Aaron Edwards
31. William Ennis
32. Brian Ervine
33. Linda Ervine
34. Isabella Evangelisti
35. Neil Faris
36. Albert Flanagan
37. Dean Farquhar
38. Stewart Finn
39. John W Foster
40. James Gallacher
41. Richard Garland
42. Brian Garrett
43. James Greer
44. Trevor Hamilton
45. Barry Hazley
46. Helen Henderson
47. Maureen Hetherington
48. Chris Hudson
49. Fiona Hutchinson
50. Mark Irvine
51. Kathryn Johnston
52. Georgina Kee-McCarter
53. James Kee
54. Julia Kee
55. Lauren Kerr
56. John Kyle
57. Paul Leeman
58. David McAloanen
59. Chris McGimpsey
60. Shirley McMichael
61. Lesley Macaulay
62. William Matchett
63. Andrew Mawhinney
64. Lindsay Millar
65. Lewis Montgomery
66. Derek Moore
67. Pamela Moore
68. Steve Moore
69. Gareth Mulvenna
70. Mike Nesbitt
71. George Newell
72. Hannah Niblock
73. Russell Orr
74. Jenny Palmer
75. John Palmer
76. Len Peace
77. Claire Pierson
78. Andy Pollak
79. Catherine Pollock
80. Dawn Purvis
81. David Ramsey
82. Chris Reid
83. Stafford Reynolds
84. Trevor Ringland
85. John Shackels
86. David Shaw
87. Stephanie Shaw
88. Peter Shirlow
89. Frank Shivers
90. Philip Smith
91. David Smyth
92. Neil Southern
93. Brian Spencer
94. David Stewart
95. John Stewart
96. Robin Stewart
97. Kyle Thompson
98. Brian W Walker
99. Garth Watson
100. David Whiteside
101. Robert Williamson
102. Steve Williamson
103. Andrew Wilson
104. James Wilson
105. Terence Wright
