Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - News - Excerpt from Dr Norman Hamilton's Address to the Presbyterian General Assembly

08 June 2010

Taken from Presbyterian General Assembly 7-10 JUNE 2010 Media Release Issued: 07-06-10

One of the most pungent areas where we desperately need a recovery of righteousness in public is in the area of community relationships, both inside communities and across communities.

You might expect me to say this, coming as I do from 22 years in North Belfast, but the healing of relationships is a real Christian priority for every single one of us here this evening, whether we live in the city, the town or in a rural area, - whether we live in Cork or in Coleraine – Dublin or Derry.

Let me give you an example from the areas OUTSIDE of Belfast.

The latest figures from the PSNI - and I have them here - show that in 10 of the 25 District Council area outside Belfast, there had been a rise of over 25% in sectarian motivated incidents between 2008/09 and 2009/10. In only 2 of those councils had there been areduction of more than 25%.

There is a problem with sectarianism right across much of Northern Ireland, and it is acute in what might be seen as some very surprising places.

The failure to agree a community relations agenda and community relations strategy is, in my view, a public disgrace, given our history. That disgrace is heightened by the apparent failure of much of wider society to even be concerned about it, never mind outraged by it.

And it is a huge discouragement to the many individuals and groups whose vision and work for a healthy and integrated society over the years continues to be so unappreciated and undervalued. Our apparent contentment with widespread social apartheid is, to quote again those words from the book of Proverbs, a disgrace to the nation.

For further information contact Presbyterian Church Press Office, Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast BT1 6DW

Telephone: 028 9032 2284