Where Trimble fears to tread
By SEAN Mac BRADAIGH
The Ulster Unionist Party's Executive Committee meets this
Saturday 13 September to discuss its approach to the Stormont
talks, the opening session of which begins two days later.
David Trimble's party is expected to opt for `proximity talks' as
opposed to the face-to face approach, although a complete boycott
has not yet been ruled out.
None of the unionist or loyalist parties, with the exception of
Alliance, attended the preliminary session of the talks on
Tuesday 9 September.
It now seems that there are strong and growing tensions within
the Ulster Unionst Party regarding all-party-talks and the peace
process which cut across both the leadership of the party and its
grassroots. There are those within the UUP who while they would
rather negotiations at Stormont were not happening at all, feel
at this stage that it would better to go in, while other elements
prefer a complete boycott of what they see as a slippery slope
towards political and constitutional change. The indications are
that Trimble's leadership of the party is insecure and John
Taylor in particular is reportedly snapping at his heels.
Trimble attained his leadership of the UUP through the votes of
the hardline Ulster Unionist Council by virtue of his stance at
Drumcree and did not receive the vote of even one unionist MP. He
may therefore feel somewhat in hock to the more extremist
elements within his party.
Trimble may stall in an effort to placate all sections of his
party and safeguard his own tenuous leadership position. But what
he needs to recognise is that opting for `proximity talks' is
merely delaying the inevitable by erecting an extra hurdle for
himself to jump. It would be better for him and his party to get
in to round table talks now and get through the pain barrier as
early and as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, before they enter any sort of talks at all,
unionist tactics are to wring as many `concessions' or privileges
from the British government as possible. The primary one is a
further reiteration by the British of their commitment to the
unionist definition of consent. That is what Trimble will have
sought from British Prime Minister Tony Blair during their
meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday.
While the DUP have denounced the Stormont talks and refused to
have any dealings with them at present, it is belived that Ian
Paisley and Peter Robinson fear being left totally in the
wilderness and would be quite keen to enter proximity talks if it
becomes a realistic option. Unionist mass street demonstrations
and disruption are not an appealing or realistic alternative at
this stage. Particularly without UVF or UDA support. Meanwhile
the parties to which those organisations are linked, the
Progressive Unionst Party (PUP) and the Ulster Democratic Party
(UDP), need the safety blanket of UUP involvement in the talks to
participate. If the UUP don't go in it seems inevitable that the
PUP and UDP will also stay out.
Despite what they wish to convey, Unionist opposition to sitting
down with republicans is not based on any great principle. Rather
it is a tactical position adopted in order to forestall real
political negotiations. We know this is the case because on a
daily basis in council chambers across the Six Counties unionist
councillors are talking with Sinn Féin, negotiating with Sinn
Féin and even making alliances with Sinn Féin.
Unionists do not want negotiations because the political raison
d'etre of unionism, as it has been since 1920, is to maintain the
staus quo in the Six Counties. They see negotiations, quite
logically, as the harbinger of political change and that is what
they wish to prevent.
While such a negative and predicatble unionist strategy has the
advantage of consistency it is not without flaws. Although the
union remains in place Unionist strategy did not prevent the
British government proroguing Stormont, imposing Direct Rule,
signing the Hillsborough Agreement and the Framework Documents,
all of which the unionists claimed were a ``sell-out'' and a
``betrayal'' of the union.
Unionist spokesmen continually say that they will not sit down
with Sinn Féin because they do not trust the intentions of
republicans. However, they know as everyone else does that trust
is only something which develops through dialogue and
negotiations. It is true that Unionists are suffering from a lack
of trust, but it isn't a lack of trust in republicans. They know
exactly where republicans stand on all of the major issues. Their
real fear is based on their continuing and increasing lack of
trust in the British government.
If David Trimble is to prove himself worthy of the accolades with
which some opinion-makers greeted his elevation to the
leadesrship of the UUP, he cannot forever be straightjacketed by
the most siren voices within the unionist camp.
For decades unionists have pulled away from decisions affecting
the future of the people they purport to represent and have
sought refuge in blaming the IRA and the perfidy of the British
government. Now they have a chance to take their own future in
their hands and participate in carving out a solution to the
problems facing us all. The prize is a peaceful, negotiated
settlement and securing, for those whom David Trimble represents,
an accommodation with the rest of the people of Ireland.