Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 01:01:23 -0800 From: IRSC <irsp-AT-netwizards.net> Subject: Open letter from IRSP to Billy Hutchinson. March 16th 1997. AN OPEN LETTER TO BILLY HUTCHINSON. The following is an open letter from IRSP Ard Comhairle member and spokesperson Ciaran Mc Laughlin to the PUP's Billy Hutchinson. Dear Mr Hutchinson, On the day following the loyalist murder of West Belfast Catholic, John Slane, you made totally unsustainable comments concerning the INLA. Two of the main points you raised were; * They (the INLA) do not want to talk. * They are not interested in peace. In response Mr Hutchinson I would like you to comment on the following. During the course of the conference on conflict resolution in the Europa Hotel (Belfast June 1995.) were you approached by an intermediary acting on behalf of the IRSP seeking to initiate dialogue between the PUP and ourselves? What was your response? How many occasions since then, Mr Hutchinson, have you and your party colleagues been approached by respected individuals, politicians and clergy (again acting on the behest of the IRSP) attempting to facilitate talks to avert violence? On each and every occasion Mr Hutchinson, you and the PUP flatly refused to continence entering into dialogue with the IRSP. I would be the first to agree that the INLA are opposed to the so-called 'peace process'. They make no secret of this fact. However, being opposed to a sham that was never going to work does not mean that you are opposed to peace. Mr Hutchinson, there is something sickly ironic about the fact that while the UVF, UDA, IRA et al committed fully to this process (including the Mitchell principles) the only armed guerrilla organisation who did not were also the only group who did nothing to destabilise or undermine it! During that period the INLA did not engage in the execution of alleged drug dealers, violate the human rights of countless young people through punishment beatings and knee-cappings, have its' members arrested and convicted for widespread acts of intimidation and extortion, hijack vehicles to block off ports and roads. Finally it is not the INLA who are placing bombs under peoples cars, behind the offices of political opponents, or indeed gunning taxi-drivers and civilians down because of their religious beliefs. Mr Hutchinson your vitriolic attack upon the INLA was a poor attempt at avoiding accepting political responsibility for the actions of people who you claim to represent. Political duplicity of this nature has long since epitomised the traditional unionism from which you and your party claim to have departed. Working from the position of 'no claim means no blame' does not wash and if anything only serves to inflame matters further. There are few from this war-torn society, especially from the working-class communities, who have not suffered loss in the past 27 years of conflict. It was with a view to resolving this conflict that we in the IRSP attempted to engage in dialogue with all shades of opinion. That continues to be our position. In the spirit of enhancing dialogue, and in the absence of face to face conversation, I hope that you can find time to respond to this letter. Is mise, Ciaran Mc Laughlin.
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