Handshakes and gestures make peace

BY JIM GIBNEY

Personal qualities, handshakes and gestures were topics for discussion at several of the debates I attended during the West Belfast Féile an Phobail, as was the role of the British media in covering the conflict here. Joe Cahill, the 83-year-old republican revolutionary, came from his hospital sick bed to speak at the 11th Frank Cahill Memorial lecture, in memory of his brother. The annual lecture is sponsored by the West Belfast Economic Forum.

Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor Marie Moore and Joe Cahill's biographer, Brendan Anderson, set the scene for an emotional presentation by Joe. Marie Moore spoke about Joe's contribution to the freedom struggle and also highlighted the work of his two brothers, Frank and Tom. All were active republicans.

Frank had concentrated his efforts on encouraging community activists to change life for their communities as well as setting up local self-help projects. Tom set up his own business and employed local labour and Joe devoted his life to the republican movement to bring about political change.

Brendan Anderson described in detail the background to researching and writing the last three chapters of Joe's biography a lot of which was done with Joe in Brendan's house in the Short Strand last year while it was under attack from loyalist bombs.

Brendan said he felt like a 'war correspondent' from the front line. But despite the obvious threat, Joe was unfazed by the attacks on the house and street. He said Joe put principles and ideals before his family and home life. He and his partner Annie had not shared a family home for 30 years until 2000.

Joe talked about being haunted by people with the surname Murphy: "Murphy was the name of the RUC man shot dead in the house (for which Joe and six others were sentenced to death and Tom Williams was hanged). The Head Constable who arrested me at the shooting was also called Murphy, as was my interrogator. The judge who sentenced us to death was Murphy; the PO (warder) in charge of us was Murphy, as was the screw who served Mass on a Sunday."

Joe recalled the comments of Fr Alexius from Ardoyne, who was with Tom Williams when he was hanged in September 1942: "This morning I have witnessed bravery. There wasn't a quiver from Tom. Everyone else, including the hangman, shook. Tom walked proudly to his death. Don't pray for him, pray to him."

HAND SHAKES

To shake or not to shake the hand of a political opponent preoccupied this year's panel at the Féile's very popular 'West Belfast Talks Back' event. Almost 700 people packed into St Louise's Girls' School and gave DUP MP Gregory Campbell their equivalent of a mass hand shake, spontaneous, warm and prolonged applause, when he was introduced by the BBC's award winning presenter Noel Thompson.

Gregory Campbell's presence was a first for the Féile and a welcome breakthrough into the 'no' unionist camp, further evidence of political shift by the DUP towards a direct engagement with Sinn Féin, despite their denials.

The other panellists were Susan Mc Kay, journalist and author of a brilliant book, 'Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People'; Dr Ismaal Al-Hinti, a Palestinian exile; and Sinn Féin Councillor and last year's Mayor of Belfast, Alex Maskey.

The hand to be shaken or not in a peace process was Ariel Sharon's, Prime Minister of Israel. Ismaal was unequivocal. He said 'No' and accused Sharon of war crimes, Alex Maskey and Susan Mc Kay said yes, if it would help peace and Gregory Campbell gave a qualified 'No'.

The audience were surprised when a former RUC man from East Belfast stood up in the middle of the crowd and said he had recently shaken Joe Cahill's hand and had not lost anything as a result: "We have to show respect to each other," he said. His comments were well received.

Campbell was disparaging of such gestures and was personally opposed to meeting and greeting one's opponents until they reached his standard of approval. I noticed this extended to eye contact as well. He had earlier refused to even look at Gerry Adams in the reception room when Gerry, up close, welcomed him to the event. But then Gerry Adams knows the value of patience and the part it plays in making peace. Five years ago, David Trimble refused to look at him as they passed each other in Castle Buildings during the negotiations, which led to the Good Friday Agreement. Now they are in regular contact.

I was thinking while the debate was taking place about President Mary Robinson's handshake with Gerry Adams in West Belfast, which helped the peace process even before there was one.

Of the handshake between Yasser Arafat and Yitzak Rabin on the White House lawn. Of Alex Maskey as Mayor laying a wreath at Belfast's cenotaph in memory of all those who died during the First World War. Who knows? Maybe in time Gregory Campbell's presence at Féile will be seen as a peace gesture from fundamentalist unionists?

Other issues, such as inquiries into state killings, gay rights and the political direction of the DUP, were also debated. Those attending thought it a great night and a lot of that was down to the skill of the chairperson, Noel Thompson, and the humour he generated around the panellists.