MacBride Principles will end 75 year Sectarian Time-Warp - 08-04-97

 However should, as seems likely, Sinn Fein recieve an expanded mandate from the minority community in the six counties the pressure on the United Kingdom government to accede to talks will be irresistible.

 The major factor driving change is unlikely to be a "new British government" or indeed the ongoing disruptions to English life caused by the IRA campaign. It will come from seemingly mundane and fairly low profile (in British terms) economic boycott being stimulated in the United States by the Irish National Caucas.

 The MacBride Principles were initiated, proposed and lauched by the INC thirteen years ago. They aim to ensure that US companies which operate and trade in N. Ireland, via the Principles, will confront the endemic anti-Catholic employment discrimination which is inherent in the six counties. The principles were defined by Nobel Prize winner Sean MacBride and seem to be born out of frustration with the stagnation of political progress and the failure of so called fair employment legislation to get to grips with the inherent inequality of employment bias in N. Ireland.

 Whatever the background or motives behind MacBride, and depending on one's political leanings these can vary, one fact is unescapable; via the painstaking publicity, lobbying and hard work of the INC and its President Father Sean Mc Manus, the Principles pose a major threat to the ability of the British government to sustain the imbalance and inequality that is present day N. Ireland.

 The MacBride Principles are now endorsed by over 100 major US companies and have been passed into law in sixteen States and 30 main cities. Legislation is pending in several other States and was only blocked in two others (California and New Mexico) by governors veto.

 The straightforward ideal on which the principles are based, their promotion of change and the application of fairness via economic rather than physical means, undoubtedly have great potential in other situations. Economic sanctions via International bodies, such as the EU or UN, are not new and yet the MacBride Principles seems to be achieving, with little more than principle and ideal, more than the grander sanctions of those Regional and International bodies. The Macbride Principles also enjoy the distinction of being initiated not by States but by individuals. In this respect they rival in success even the sanctions programme invoked, some years ago, against the racist South African State.

 Hardly noticed when they were first mooted, the MacBride Principles via the INCs campaign have a momentum to drive change in N. Ireland and move the six counties out of its 75 year sectarian time-warp.

 J.B. Moffatt
General Secretary Celtic League

 For more information on the MacBride Principles and work of the INC contact:-

 Irish National Caucus,
Capitol Hill,
413 East Capitol Street, SE
Washington, D.C. 20003-3810
U.S.A.

 Tel. (202) 544-0568 · Fax (202) 543-2491