Urgent action required for Language Charter - 28-04-98
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
The Herald (23/04/98) carried a story entitled "Gaelic Faces Ulster
Threat". It stated that a leaked document from the Northern Ireland
Office
suggests that it is now unlikely that the government will ratify the
charter
in respect for Irish or Scottish Gaelic despite the views of the Gaelic
community and the minister for Gaelic. The leaked memo, drafted by Tony
Canavan, senior civil servant at the Northern Ireland office says:
"Welsh clearly will be specified. Mr Wilson [the minister
for
Gaelic] - other Scottish Office Ministers have not yet considered the
issue
- is keen to specify Gaelic also at the time of ratification. This
could
present serious problems for us. If Irish was the only Celtic
indigenous
minority language not to be specified, nationalists and Irish language
supporters would be critical. A special position for Welsh is
justifiable
as the Welsh Language Act 1993 effectively created bilingualism.
OUR PREFERENCE SHOULD THEREFORE BE FOR IRISH AND SCOTTISH TO BE
UNSPECIFIED,
AT LEAST AT THE TIME OF RATIFICATION."
This must not be allowed to happen! Scottish Gaelic is not a pawn in
the
Irish peace process and should not be denied official status merely
because
of the prejudice of Ulster unionists against Irish Gaelic. If the
charter
is not signed for this reason, there is very little chance of Comann na
Gaidhlig's broader "Secure Status" package for official status ever
being
supported by the government.
ACTION:
Please write to some or all of the following:
-
Your M.P, House of Commons, London, England SW1A 0AA.
-
Donald Dewar, Secretary of State for Scotland, House of Commons,
London,
England, SW1A 0AA.
-
Mo Mowlam, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland
Office,11
Millbank, London, England SW1P 4QE.
-
Robin Cook, Foreign Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
London,
England, SW1A 2AH.
Sample letter:
Dear sir/madam,
I am highly concerned by the report in the Herald which suggested
that
it is unlikely the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
will be signed for Scottish Gaelic due to current events in Northern
Ireland.
I support the signing of the charter for Scottish Gaelic as does the
Minister
for Gaelic, the Gaelic language organisations and the Gaelic community
as a whole. Scottish Gaelic should not be a pawn in the Northern
Ireland
peace process and I call upon you to ensure that the charter is signed
for Scottish Gaelic regardless of the decision made regarding Irish.
yours faithfully, etc.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO WRITE TO SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE
As ever, the Scottish branch of the Celtic League would welcome
copies
of your correspondence.
Alasdair MacCaluim
fon: 0131 652 0240
4/2 Sraid Mhioltain (Milton St.), Cnoc na h-Abaide (Abbeyhill), Dun
Eideann (Edinburgh) EH8 8HF.
