Economic power will shape peace in a new Ireland

John Hume

As a young boy in Derry, Ireland, John Hume saw people march down the streets waving flags and stirring up nationalistic feelings. He felt their Irish Catholic fervor. But his father wisely warned him: "You can't eat your flag, son."

Today, the Nobel laureate walks the lecture circuit, telling people around the world economic power will help shape the new Northern Ireland in the next millennium.

"The more successful we are in our economic programs, the more successful peace will be," he told an audience at the U of A March 14. And he joked, if the 50 million people of Irish descent around the world invested $5 each in Northern Ireland, just think of what the money could do.

"Now, as the foundations are laid, I hope the new century will be the first one where we won't have killings on our streets and our young will not have to leave to seek work," said Hume.

About 380 people showed up to hear the man who helped negotiate the Good Friday agreement and ceasefire in Northern Ireland last year. Hume is leader of the Social Democratic and Labor Party. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with David Trimble, head of the Protestant Ulster Unionist Party. The agreement gave Irish Catholics greater political power while still preserving Protestant demands to retain Northern Ireland under British control.

Hume took a step back in time to explain the history of the troubled territory: the siege of Derry in 1689, the revolution in 1916 "when the British drew a line down the map," and the flare-up of the centuries-old conflict in 1971. It was more than a religious conflict - it was one of identity, explained Hume. The unionists were Protestant and English, and wanted to retain their links to Britain. The nationalists were Irish Catholic and wanted to break away.

The violence, however, touched everyone. His neighbor was shot. His house fire-bombed. More than 3,500 died and 35,000 were injured.

"One wonders," said Hume, "where 'Love thy neighbor' went." Thirteen walls in Belfast continue to keep people apart. This, said Hume, in a city with the highest church attendance in all of Europe.

It's due to old mentalities. It's a mindset based on territory, said Hume. "But it's people who have rights, not territories." And it was this persuasiveness that convinced the players at the table to accept a peace agreement almost one year ago.

"We must challenge past attitudes. If they don't change, the walls remain and the attitudes remain." People are threatened by differences, said Hume, and the first step for peace is to respect differences.

"Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth. It's not something we should fight about," said Hume. The key is creating institutions that respect differences and have these institutions work together for a common goal "by spilling sweat and not their blood." Hume cited the European Parliament as "the best example of conflict resolution."

"Our agreement is a process for that. People will start working together.A new Ireland will evolve." Not everyone, however, agrees with the peace deal. Unionist preacher Rev. Ian Paisley, an extremist, refuses to accept it. Hume told Paisley recently if the word 'no' was taken out of the English language, he would be speechless.

"His response? 'No, I wouldn't,'" said Hume.

Still, the Nobel laureate is hopeful one day the only marching going on in Ireland will celebrate common achievements, not old conflicts, and the marches of anger will turn into marches of joy. Maybe the Irish can eventually market them.

"I look forward to having a Mardi Gras in Northern Ireland."

John Hume has agreed to return to the University of Alberta in the future to receive an honorary degree.
To hear a clip of his speech: www.ualberta.ca/folio/9899/03.26/hume.wav (460KB)