Argus title : Viewing at first hand oppression that is hard to believe
In 1986, not long after the IRA bombing of the Grand Hotel in Brighton, I visited Belfast on a Labour Party delegation. We met with representatives of the unionist and nationalist political parties, but the primary focus was upon understanding the day to day experience of the nationalist community, to learn had given rise to the attack on the Government of the day.
We lived in people’s homes and heard first hand how the British occupation affected their lives. It was a fascinating and life-enhancing experience. We were amazed by the courage and resilience of the people, their political and historical awareness and their friendliness and generosity. It was an experience which shifted perceptions and led delegates, sometimes for the first time, to question the truth of British news coverage of the Troubles in Ireland. Continue reading