Dear Madam, - It was a sad morning here in Fermanagh after the elections, not because of who won, or who lost, but just to be so harshly reminded of how divided our community is. Apparently, we are either green or red white and blue. There are no winners when people are so deeply divided.

Dare any of us dream of a day when our community is united for what people have in common, health, wellbeing, a beautiful clean environment, fairness, inclusive education, equality, accessible health care, renewable energy that keeps the profits and sustainable clean jobs local, retaining our young people in good jobs here, but above all, for a community that has resolved its past and can pull together for what is fundamental for all.

Instead we are subjected to the same old ways of being divided by those who thrive on deciding what side you are on, raking up the past, winding people up by stirring up painful wounds, and at times creating fear and alarming people, into a tribal headcount. Such is the peer pressure, some people are afraid to say what they think is right if it’s against their parties stance. Do politicians thrive on exploiting and feeding off our community’s painful past and ongoing division to stay in power, get paid and keep control? If so, that is so sad, as this community is long over due better leadership from both sides. It is simply appalling that so many issues that are vitally important to a community’s wellbeing get labelled, owned or hijacked as ‘green or orange’ issues, transforming them into a political football, dividing support, halting actions that could resolve issues, and alienating people from critical issues needing support.

Ultimately, this makes the vulnerable people at the centre of any issue victims twice over, as they endure their difficult situation and also become enslaved by the past, as old divisions, power and control, become the focus and factors, rather than the real issue at the heart of the matter, or any consideration of a better future. It’s a really unhealthy way to gain and maintain power and control over any issue and any community, and for a community, it also makes any issue twice as hard to resolve. It’s all reflected in many negative impacts including our high rate of suicide and young people fleeing NI.

Maybe someday people will campaign and vote based only on what someone is going to do about what’s really important or even how this community is going to be healed from the past about the future, not the past, about what we are responsible for and custodians of for future generations. Perhaps about bigger issues, global warming, the world being on course in a few decades to have serious shortages of food and fresh drinking water, and local issues of a contented community not a distrusting, beleaguered, divided one. Not one triumphing over another, or gearing up to regain green or red, white and blue power, addicted to power and control, but pulling together, respecting difference, coexisting for supporting mutual wellbeing, learning from the past and moving to a better future genuinely united, stronger, and making NI a better place. Imagine what we could achieve if all the energy fighting against a colour went to fighting together on all the challenges we have in common. We are facing huge problems in our future for example; both communities and our beautiful landscape could become brown if fracking is licensed, our division is being exploited and making us vulnerable to being mugged, our health, homes and heritage stolen.

We need and deserve to move into the future, stronger not divided. Whilst I acknowledge it was good to see UU propose integrated education, I can’t see any proposals from any main party to help this community heal the deep pains of the past, carried by both sides. As we endure the failure of our elected representatives to facilitate reconciliation, and we continue locked in this sad reality, just imagine, if, every time, we heard, or saw, either side wind up and exploit the divisions, we thought of something to do, action to take, someone to visit or talk to, some way to reach through the divide to make us stronger together, now that, would be victory worth celebrating.

Yours faithfully, Dianne Little Dear Madam, - It was a sad morning here in Fermanagh after the elections, not because of who won, or who lost, but just to be so harshly reminded of how divided our community is. Apparently, we are either green or red white and blue. There are no winners when people are so deeply divided.

Dare any of us dream of a day when our community is united for what people have in common, health, wellbeing, a beautiful clean environment, fairness, inclusive education, equality, accessible health care, renewable energy that keeps the profits and sustainable clean jobs local, retaining our young people in good jobs here, but above all, for a community that has resolved its past and can pull together for what is fundamental for all.

Instead we are subjected to the same old ways of being divided by those who thrive on deciding what side you are on, raking up the past, winding people up by stirring up painful wounds, and at times creating fear and alarming people, into a tribal headcount. Such is the peer pressure, some people are afraid to say what they think is right if it’s against their parties stance. Do politicians thrive on exploiting and feeding off our community’s painful past and ongoing division to stay in power, get paid and keep control? If so, that is so sad, as this community is long over due better leadership from both sides. It is simply appalling that so many issues that are vitally important to a community’s wellbeing get labelled, owned or hijacked as ‘green or orange’ issues, transforming them into a political football, dividing support, halting actions that could resolve issues, and alienating people from critical issues needing support.

Ultimately, this makes the vulnerable people at the centre of any issue victims twice over, as they endure their difficult situation and also become enslaved by the past, as old divisions, power and control, become the focus and factors, rather than the real issue at the heart of the matter, or any consideration of a better future. It’s a really unhealthy way to gain and maintain power and control over any issue and any community, and for a community, it also makes any issue twice as hard to resolve. It’s all reflected in many negative impacts including our high rate of suicide and young people fleeing NI.

Maybe someday people will campaign and vote based only on what someone is going to do about what’s really important or even how this community is going to be healed from the past about the future, not the past, about what we are responsible for and custodians of for future generations. Perhaps about bigger issues, global warming, the world being on course in a few decades to have serious shortages of food and fresh drinking water, and local issues of a contented community not a distrusting, beleaguered, divided one. Not one triumphing over another, or gearing up to regain green or red, white and blue power, addicted to power and control, but pulling together, respecting difference, coexisting for supporting mutual wellbeing, learning from the past and moving to a better future genuinely united, stronger, and making NI a better place. Imagine what we could achieve if all the energy fighting against a colour went to fighting together on all the challenges we have in common. We are facing huge problems in our future for example; both communities and our beautiful landscape could become brown if fracking is licensed, our division is being exploited and making us vulnerable to being mugged, our health, homes and heritage stolen.

We need and deserve to move into the future, stronger not divided. Whilst I acknowledge it was good to see UU propose integrated education, I can’t see any proposals from any main party to help this community heal the deep pains of the past, carried by both sides. As we endure the failure of our elected representatives to facilitate reconciliation, and we continue locked in this sad reality, just imagine, if, every time, we heard, or saw, either side wind up and exploit the divisions, we thought of something to do, action to take, someone to visit or talk to, some way to reach through the divide to make us stronger together, now that, would be victory worth celebrating.

Yours faithfully, Dianne Little