The Herald says

BISHOP CAHAL DALY'S call to the British Government to spin the political wheel in Ulster again is to be greatly welcomed and supported. The policy of freezing Northern Ireland politics merely emphasises the feeling of dependency, increases the sense of frustration felt by both communities and encourages more young people to try to blast their way out of the deadlock.
It can be argued that the shattering of expectations raised by the Assembly and the Convention was so great that another failure might be Th truly disastrous. The risk Is always there but the alternatives are to go back or to stand still. To go back, that is to return to the sort of rule imposed by the old Stormont has been rightly ruled out. To stand still is the policy adopted by Britain towards Ireland for centuries and it amounts to political inaction, economic stagnation and military "pacification".
Dr Daly has pointed out one of the fundamental truths of Northern Ireland's position which is that the ultimate responsibility for the province lies at Westminster and although any resolution of the conflict must grow from within Northern Ireland the British people are deeply involved.
Just as Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland tend to hold myths about each other so British people hold myths about Northern Ireland. The first of these is the belief that were British troops to be withdrawn there would immediately be a blood bath and that therefore any talk of an Independent Northern Ireland should be ruled out. If the two communities in Northern Ireland feel that no blood bath would take place and that they could work out a living together in an independent Northern Ireland then the British Government should encourage and help finance such a plan. it has not enough support yet to be fostered but It should not be ruled out.
The second myth widely held in England is that the problem is the IRA and that were they defeated peace and prosperity would ensue. The IRA are merely a product of violence, one manifestation of the political and social dislocation. They also thrive on campaigns to destroy them.
What than needs to be done? At the broadest level there needs to be a change of attitude towards Northern Ireland. This means seeing Britain as Northern Ireland's problem instead of Northern Ireland as Britain's problem.
The second thing that needs to be done is for the media to ensure that it is never used for morale boosting or propaganda purposes but is able to tell the truth. The presentation of news, by its own superficial nature tends to tell us only what people do, it cannot tell us what they
o
are. Furthermore the fact that radio and television in Britain have never seriously tried to toll the story of Ireland is perhaps symptomatic of Britain's refusal to face up to what has happened and is happening there. A major series of documentaries on Ireland and particularly Northern Ireland today would be welcomed.
There should be, as Bishop Daly has recommended, another conference. It should be open-ended but with specific tasks.
There should also be a thorough investigation of alternatives to the British army as a peace keeping force. Anything from a United Nations force to community policing might be considered and experiments could take place in selected areas.
The Churches still have much to do. The document 'Violence in Ireland' makes a number of useful recommendations which need rapid Implementation. A thorough-going theology of non-violence Is desperately needed.