Beware the sleeping giant in paradise
(This story appeared The Belfast Telegraph on 26 June 2004)

FRANCIS PABAI, a journalist from The Gambia, shares his thoughts on Northern Ireland after a recent visit

KEN McIlroy, a tour guide, was perfectly right to have called Northern Ireland a land of contrasts during our orientation tour of west Belfast and Laganside regeneration. It would perhaps surprise many visitors to learn that this seemingly quiet city holds great claim to being the birthplace of the industrial revolution and the diversity of the Province's socio-political and religious history, also make Northern Ireland a unique case study for global education as well as a thorough scrutiny of its political and religious terms of reference.

Coming in from a tiny impoverished West African State called The Gambia with a population the same as Northern Ireland, I find the urge to start comparing things on both sides irresistible, even though I know full well there is no basis for comparison. Notwithstanding the fact that Northern Ireland has as much the same problems as people in other parts of the world, the Irish have scored an A in conflict management. Outwardly, the people of Northern Ireland are surprisingly pleasant and receptive to people they meet. They work hard and play hard and, unlike many other countries, theirs is a prosperous community.

Only the menacing graffiti on walls and offices carrying slogans of political liberation struggles likened to that of the Palestinians and Red Indians betray any speck of animosity lurking anywhere in their breasts.

As the history of IRA bombings and bitter memories of the highly controversial marching season are recounted, one gets the feeling of a D-Day scenario belonging to the distant past but, when reality resurfaces, the image of a sleeping giant is what comes to mind.

My visit to Stormont revealed the undercurrents of what could be referred to as Northern Ireland's fair share of political troubles.

Back in Africa I had associated the term terrorism with religious extremism and violent political groups of the Orient. I was shocked to listen to the secretary of the Ulster Unionist party, Norman Hillis, refer to Sinn Fein and the IRA as "a terrorist group involved in acts of murder, violence and thuggery".

That is politics alright but why is it regarded a miracle in Northern Ireland for Catholics and Protestants - sects of the same Christian faith - to live harmonious- ly together and see themselves, not as rivals but as one big happy Christian family?

In West Africa, especially The Gambia, people are very religious Muslims pray five times a day and Christians attend evening Mass every day. Yet, you find inter-mar- riages and inter-faith meetings among religious leaders from different religions commonplace. Muslims are invited to Christian ceremonies and vice-versa. And these are two different religions. There are lessons to be learnt here. Many people in Northern Ireland use and abuse religion. This is evident in the fact that many people have become disillusioned with religious people and so very few people here go to church.

So, why are we at each other's throats in the name of religion? Surely we are all guilty of the religious hypocrisy we claim to shun.

My visit to Oakgrove Integrated College, Gransha Park, in Londonderry, however, opened a window of hope for religious tolerance in Northern Ireland. For many of the students I interviewed, the student sitting next to him or her was not a Catholic or Protestant or Jew or Muslim. He or she was simply a classmate, a friend and a brother or sister. If religion is put above the love that it preaches in Northern Ireland, this paradise of immeasurable beauty and prosperity will vanish forever.