aspiration to a free and independent reland, they can be sala alienated' from the essential character of the state which rules them. Through discriminatory practices, eaders. have also ensured that the minority has been excluded from paracıpating in the functioning tate: participation economic process liscrimination); from the political process (gerrymandering of boundries); and from the social tess (non-recognition of the language, flags etc.)
egitimacy The lack of legitimacy of the state or the nationalist population and its iscriminatory practices has created a horoughgoing alienation spects of government and state.
particularly to odies (Stormont or Westminster), to udicial bodies (no jury courts, internnent), to enforcement agencies (secarian UDR and RUC). It also applies • the Housing Executive and Social ecurity agencies which at one time ere thought 'objective' gencies.
Since Sinn Fein decided to contest ind take seats in the district councils, he approach of the Unionist majority as been to exclude representatives of he nationalist community unning of the councils and to close own bodies on which thev sit. ritish government uch an approach and the Anglo-Irish cord gives the British government a ight to veto representatives elected by Racism The incidence of anti-Irish racisim brilaln walnessed nol scriminatory practices on behalf of aployers and housing authorities but o by an insidious racism in popular ture, is creating alientation of Irish in Britain too. The discriminaagainst Irish people by the police recial Branch in their use of the be tain (see 'Rough Justice' sion documentary on trial McGuire) have convinced many of the in the pect a fair trial. employment report electoral U1UIrish operations by both countries police, special ticularly the tourist industry.
This the legislative Violence violence arising million. state the The encouraged of multinationals.
ment, north east ONV Many immediate improvement.
tally infringed partition. PTA has created a distrust of the police. the south; unity both sides Progress education, state, riage/divorce, yays civil rights in the 1937 Constitution. In the formation of the Six County State, the idea of ple provides the ustin provided justification cultural discrimination against Catholics in the north was not mirrored by discrimination against Protestants in of church and state of the borde produced similar social inhibitions reflecting the churches' commitment to maintenance of the family and religious teaching toward secularisation introduction welfare secularistaion Illal sexual equality legisla tion, legislation giving women the right to control their own fertility through the right of access to contraception and abortion facilities, legislation opposing discrimination against of lesbians and has been impeded throughout Whilst the Emergency Legislation in Northern Ireland may attract the praise of former Apartheid Premier of South Africa, Dr. Vorster, the maintenance of partition through repression, denial of the oppression of anne coul y alages tne repula tion of Britain throughout the world. A future Labour Government should not be open to criticism of Amnesty International; the last Labour Government was tound guilty first of torture and then of inhuman and degrading treatment by the European Courts.