Nobel Prize

A chairde,

It must not be too grand an honour to win the Nobel Peace Prize when people such as David Trimble are recipients.

In northeastern Ireland today, there is still sectarian violence and more atrocities to come, because peace does not exist until there is freedom and equality for all. There is no peace, and Trimble played nothing of a viable role in encouraging peace.

The Oslo Nobel judges have disgraced themselves and the Nobel Prize by giving it to Trimble. Perhaps next year they will follow the same ridiculous ideology as this year, and give it to David Duke of the Ku Klux Klan for not lynching anyone this year. What a pathetic prize it is.

Seamus Fogarty, Patrick Riordan
Saint Louis, Missouri

A chairde,

One has to wonder why the Norwegian parliamentary committee responsible for the award of the Nobel Prize for Peace chose to name the Orange Order sectarian activist David Trimble as a co-recipient of this prestigious award with John Hume.

Trimble represents the visceral hatred that Orangeism holds for Roman Catholics in British-occupied Ireland. He has repeatedly upheld the ``right'' of the Orange Order to march through Catholic areas in order that Catholics may be reminded of their ``inferior'' political, if not biological, status within the prevailing social order.

It is indeed a shame that the Nobel Prize for Peace has gone to a person so unworthy as David Trimble.

At least the Nobel Committee had the good sense not to name the late George Wallace a co-recipient when it awarded the Prize for Peace to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

William Gartland
Wisconsin

Queen's - no Irish

A chairde,

We believe that the drive for ``neutrality'' at Queen's University Students Union has eroded it's long standing capacity to accommodate diversity. It is our opinion that the Union should be a place where ``all'' students can feel comfortable expressing their culture without fear intimidation or resentment.

Concerned students have informed us that they are unable to receive liquid refreshments at the Union bars if they are wearing GAA jerseys.It has reached a point where wearing a Manchester United top could lead to a refusal of drink.

Following the removal of the bilingual signs, commitments to promote Irish culture have not been honoured; No full time Irish language officer has been appointed. The proposed language lab is inaccessible.

To our dismay the long established and highly popular Folk music night and the traditional Irish music session have been omitted from the entertainment calendar.

With the upcoming Students Union elections and Unionist domination imminent we urge all students who cherish cultural diversity to make their voice heard.

Nationalist Students for Common Sense

Demilitarisation

A chairde,

In your article on demilitarisation of the region of South Aramgh it is worth noting that the Good Friday Agreement did not state the principle of complete withdrawl from the Six counties of the British army.

The infrastructure of this military force is likely to remain in place for many years to come. However, providing the risk of terrorist attacks by breakaway paramilitary forces either loyalist or as was seen in August, by republican groups, reduces then firstly the British army will progressively be withdrawn to barracks and then gradually sent back to Great Britain. Will this not amount to de facto demiltarisation and therefore is it not one of the responsibilties of Sinn Fein and the IRA to control and if necessary squash dissident Republicans such as The Real IRA and Continuity IRA in order to achieve demilitarisation as well as the broader aims of Irish unity within the new political frameworks?

Robert Webber
undergraduate in politics and economics,
Lincoln College, Oxford, England

Support teachers

A chairde,

I write to object very strongly to the recent statement by the National Parents Council on the question of industrial action. If the teachers in my children's school went on strike because a service was cut I would be the first down to support them.

The National Parents Council (Primary) should get off their high horses and challenge the Minister for Education Mr Martin on cutting services to poor inner-city schools.

Brendan Archbald
Sutton
Dublin.