Letter: Unionism must go further than challenging republicans on legacy - it must abandon powersharing

A letter from Richard Ferguson:
Ten men died as a result of the Kingsmill atrocity. The mass shooting took place on January 5, 1976 near the village of Whitecross in south County ArmaghTen men died as a result of the Kingsmill atrocity. The mass shooting took place on January 5, 1976 near the village of Whitecross in south County Armagh
Ten men died as a result of the Kingsmill atrocity. The mass shooting took place on January 5, 1976 near the village of Whitecross in south County Armagh
By Letters
Published 30th Apr 2024, 00:01 BST

Even for an organisation so steeped in innocent blood as the IRA, the Kingsmill massacre stands out as an act of the utmost brutality and cruelty. An act that would not have been out of place in Nazi Germany.

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It is my firm conviction that such an act represented (and still represents) the true face and mindset of Irish republicanism towards the Protestant people of Ulster.

That the first minister should be on public record as stating there was “no alternative” to wicked acts such as this is utterly abominable and only highlights the fact that for all the sanctimonious drivel about being sorry for every death and being a first minister for all SF are totally unfit to be in government.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Irrespective of the political strength of IRA/SF, unionism should never have even entertained the idea of powersharing with republicans let alone enthusiastically embraced it as the DUP have done.

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One of the follies of so doing is that the DUP and UUP have both facilitated a peace process which has provided SF with a platform which they have used to try to sanitise the IRA and demonise the security forces.

The News Letter is to be commended for continually challenging and exposing this blatant re-writing of history.

However I would submit that unionism must go further than challenging republicans on legacy, to the complete abandonment of powersharing with SF and treating them as the pariahs they are.

Richard Ferguson, Dollingstown

Related topics:UnionismIRADUPUlsterProtestant