State Papers: Community relations language ‘too euphemistic’ and we tend to shy away from terms like ‘bigotry’

A senior civil servant observed the language around community relations was ‘sometimes too euphemistic’ and we ‘tend to shy away from terms such as bigotry, intolerance and sectarianism’, newly-released state papers show.
By Kevin Mullan
Published 2nd Jan 2024, 12:42 BST
Updated 2nd Jan 2024, 14:50 BST
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Dick Mackenzie, who was Joint Secretary (North), of the North/South Ministerial Council, made the observation in letter to Dr. Jeremy Harbison, of the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister and Department of Finance and Personnel.

Mr. Mackenzie was responding to a working paper on a 2001 ‘Review of Community Relations Policy’.

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“I wonder whether the language we use in this debate is not sometimes too euphemistic and comfortable. It is easy to sign up for ‘community relations’ as a good thing.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 03, 2023. A local resident walks along the so called peace wall on April 3, 2023 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, ended most of the violence during the decades-long conflict known as The Troubles. The Peace Walls protect the communities from attacks from one another, some have been removed but in some instances other walls have become higher and longer since the Good Friday Agreement. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 03, 2023. A local resident walks along the so called peace wall on April 3, 2023 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, ended most of the violence during the decades-long conflict known as The Troubles. The Peace Walls protect the communities from attacks from one another, some have been removed but in some instances other walls have become higher and longer since the Good Friday Agreement. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - APRIL 03, 2023. A local resident walks along the so called peace wall on April 3, 2023 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998, ended most of the violence during the decades-long conflict known as The Troubles. The Peace Walls protect the communities from attacks from one another, some have been removed but in some instances other walls have become higher and longer since the Good Friday Agreement. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

"But we tend to shy away from using terms such as bigotry, intolerance and sectarianism. We hear and read of their violent manifestations almost daily in the media – after 30 years of official community relations effort. Is the main issue for consideration not how we address this issue of sectarianism in a deeply divided society?’” he asked.

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The newly released memo also includes comments about the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) and community relations.

Whilst Mackenzie notes he has ‘no specific evidence’ about its impact on community relations, he believed ‘the NSMC is, no doubt, a chill factor for some sections of the Protestant community’.

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The NSMC was established under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement (1998), to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland.

The papers were released over the festive period under the 20-year-rule.

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Related topics:First MinisterNorth