W2B-011 Crime - Initiative 92-1.txt
It's all the fault of the working class...

Having been out of the country for a few months, I canvassed acquaintances about how much they knew about Initiative '92 and the Opsahl Commission, Fiona Stelfox writes. Many knew very little and some were negative about the whole idea. Perhaps they were part of the silent middle classes highlighted in many submissions as having abdicated their civic duty.

Two themes scream from the pages of the report. The first is the utter disenfranchisement of all Northern Ireland society - neither side can claim this as their own any more. From the most trivial to the most fundamental matters, we do not make our own decisions. The result is the breakdown of the framework through which people usually participate in a democratic society. It does not even seem to occur to us to participate in anything like the numbers one would expect in a healthy democracy. Many authors of submissions were crying out for someone to address the 'bread and butter' issues which affect their lives. Let us hope that the politicians who, as was rightly pointed out, never have to make the difficult decisions (like the closure of a hospital), listen to these voices.

The second theme is the manifest common sense and pragmatism of the submissions - in contrast to the empty posturing of many Northern Irish politicians. The Sinn F&/ein issue was a good example: it was pragmatically recognised across the board that to attempt a settlement without the involvement of Sinn F&/ein was, at best, wishful thinking and, at worst, prolonging the violence. The people who have borne the brunt of this conflict, like the north Belfast women who made an oral submission, are the ones calling most loudly for a pragmatic approach. It is only the middle classes who can afford to stand on their esoteric principles, vowing never to give an inch of the ground that someone else is having to die to keep.

These two themes present a challenge to us all. The people who contributed to Initiative '92 showed a sophistication of political analysis which one has yet to hear from most Northern Ireland politicians - but then we elected them. This raises the question of the Westminster electoral system, which, as was pointed out, contributes to division by wasting the votes of all those not cast for the winning candidate. The results in an average English constituency are bad enough, but in Northern Ireland it is much, much worse, with one ethnic/religious grouping frequently feeling effectively unrepresented.

Of course, the best systems are only as good as the people who operate them. We are still left with the problem of how we 'feel' about each other - a very real problem, highlighted in many submissions. As Prof John Darby points out, there is nothing inherently wrong with conflict: what is wrong is that we seem unable to resolve conflict without violence. Part of the explanation clearly likes in mistrust between communities and we are only going to be able to overcome that by beginning to experience each other in ways that challenge pre-existing prejudices and misconceptions. The widespread support for cross-community initiatives and, in particular, for integrated education indicates that many are keen to seek the opportunity to experience each other differently.

Whatever the specifics of the submissions, the Opsahl Report is an inspiring and heartening read. The process has clearly been beneficial, creating a forum which allowed people to participate. Perhaps we are eventually reaching the conclusion that we in Northern Ireland are not a 'problem', but a people struggling through the painful process of trying to shape our society for the future. Having lived abroad for the last few months, I returned with the feeling that our 'problems' are not as bad as in other places. On the contrary: we have initiated many ideas which could offer lessons to others.

Initiative '92 has shown that the will to take responsibility for our destiny is there. But it needs a valve through which it can be articulated. We are making the choice to begin our sentences with 'A possible way forward might be...' instead of 'The problem is...' The next step is for our politicians to do the same.
