N. Ireland Dispute
Re “Marchers Vow to Beat Blockade in N. Ireland,” July 6:
The blockade on Garvaghy Road is a great testament to the apparent desire of Tony Blair’s and Mo Mowlam’s government to create a real peace in Northern Ireland. Any lasting peace will exist only when Protestant Orangemen realize that they can no longer trample upon their Catholic neighbors.
The Orangemen’s historic march on Garvaghy Road, which they have persisted upon despite the availability of other routes, is designed not to celebrate an ancient military victory, but to assert dominance of their culture over another. While it is unfortunate that Garvaghy Road must be surrounded with barbed wire, it is a victory for all Irish Republicans who for years have fought to be recognized as equal citizens with undeniable rights. The approval of the peace treaty in Northern Ireland suggests the desire of the majority of citizens to achieve this equality.
ERIN LACEY, Los Angeles
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