ALLAN BIENIEK is President of Detroit Irish Northern Aid.
When writing about complex issues, accurate research is essential. The article “Emerald Trials” (Maria Konnikova, Summer 2002) is a good example of why. Figuring out the alphabet soup of various groups in Northern Ireland can be daunting, but a basic understanding is required to write about them. Ms. Konnikova’s article lacked that requirement.
There are four main parties in the North: Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) for Irish nationalists and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Democratic Unionist Party for British unionists. The Progressive Unionist Party is a minor one and not Sinn Féin’s counterpart, as was asserted in the article. Additionally, the Ulster Democratic Party no longer exists and John Hume is no longer head of the SDLP.
The most incredulous error was stating that the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) was Protestant. This is akin to saying the Palestine Liberation Organization is a Jewish paramilitary group. Several INLA members died on a hunger-strike with Bobby Sands 21 years ago.
Ms. Konnikova’s inability to distinguish between the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and splinter groups like the Real IRA (RIRA) or the Continuity IRA (CIRA) was also troubling. This led to the misstatement that the IRA was responsible for the Omagh bombing when they were not. Further, the punishment assigned for the crime was not insignificant. The person convicted was given 14 years in prison, hardly a light sentence. The RIRA and CIRA are separate groups, and the PIRA has no association with them. While the PIRA supports the Good Friday Agreement, the other two do not.
Sinn Féin is not an extremist party, as implied by Ms. Konnikova. It is not only Ireland’s oldest political party, but a political force in all 32 counties of Ireland and the largest Nationalist party in the North. Its support for the Good Friday Agreement has been steadfast. In free and democratic elections, Sinn Féin has elected five members to the Irish Dail or Parliament, two Ministers for the Northern Ireland Assembly, and the Lord Mayor of Belfast—not bad for what was made out to be an extremist party.
The writer’s overall pessimistic view is not matched by the reality of the situation. Armed groups are not walking down the streets shooting people on sight. Downtown Belfast is thriving, and young Irish Nationalists and British Unionists are working together in bars and restaurants. They also gather together at hockey games and other events. The idea of Irish unity is just as legitimate as the idea of keeping the North with Britain.
Further, UUP leader David Trimble is hardly the moderate he was made out to be. When he could not get his way on issues, he fabricated crisis after crisis by threatening to pull out of the Northern Ireland Assembly, causing the government to be suspended four times.
Despite having a five-year unbroken cease-fire and historic decommissionings, the obligatory attacks on the IRA were still made. Meanwhile, the Ulster Defense Association, which killed journalists and taxi drivers in 2002 and had their cease-fire revoked by Britain in 2001, was all but ignored.
If Ms. Konnikova wants to write about Ireland, she is certainly encouraged to do so, but a little accuracy and balance is requested. From her tone, it appears she has given up on the peace process. However, the rest of us will work to see the Good Friday Agreement and democracy fully embraced in the North.
Allan Bieniek is the President of Detroit Irish Northern Aid
In acknowledgment of several factual errors pointed out by Mr. Bieniek, I would like to take this opportunity to make a few corrections to the article published in the Summer 2002 issue of the Harvard International Review. First of all, the statement that the INLA is a Protestant group is obviously wrong. The distinctions between the PIRA and the RIRA were also somewhat unclear in the article, though not altogether incorrect. The demise of the Ulster Democratic Party and the fact that John Hume no longer heads the SDLP resulted from the delay in publication. Finally, the portrayal of downtown Belfast is clearly not indicative of the city as a whole, nor is it representative of the current political situation.
As for the allegation of Sinn Féin ’s extremism, I believe that question to be entirely subjective. Indeed, the age of the party has no bearing on its radical stance.
I apologize for the article’s mistakes, but in closing, I would also like to point out that the provisional government established by the Good Friday Agreement has, in fact, fallen apart in the interim.
Maria Konnikova, Senior Editor, Harvard International Review
