Fourthwrite .......................Issue No. 7

Raising awareness

by Patricia Campbell

As the current process continues, so does the constant intimidation and killing of Nationlists by Loyalist groupings in a process of conditioning people to lower their expectations. It is inevitable that many people remain unpoliticised despite years of struggle. Many have reached the conclusion that our situation is hopeless and it is not uncommon to hear the phrase, "things will never change". What they really mean is that we will never have Rights and the oppressive regime will always be intact.

We have failed to raise consciousness and promote freedom of thought. Steve Biko, a black activist in South Africa saw the need to raise consciousness amongst his people. Black consciousness represented a liberation movement of the mind. Biko believed that black survival hinged on the psychological battle for the minds of his people and that war raged in the subconscious. At the heart of this thinking was the realisation that the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.

Lets look at the mindset of our own people after 30 years of war. Apart from participating in a partitionist settlement, it would appear the oppressor has that most potent weapon, the ability to direct the mindset of the oppressed. Take policing for example. People campaigned vigorously  for years calling for the disbandment of the RUC. They were motivated by the fact that the RUC is a military force which has waged war against republicans. Many of us have personal experience of the hurt they have inflicted on us. The goal of disbandment was not achieved  (were they ever going to be disbanded in a partitionist settlement?) and it was never part of the agreement. So while people stood in the rain and cold calling for this very reasonable demand, politicians and the Governments knew they were wasting their time. A few years later people have accepted that the RUC will not be disbanded and now are beginning to use the same language as the oppressor; reform and concessions. Many have forgotten (or choose to forget) it was never about reform or concessions. Many seem to have forgotten that the Patton Report was rejected in the first place by those who then called for it's implementation and will have to accept much less in the end. Look also at the recent Hayes Report which recommends the closure of hospitals and the loss of almost a third of our acute services across the Six-Counties. On the day of it's publication, sectarian strife erupted at Ardoyne in Belfast. Children were prevented from attending school. Riots and unrest, some of the worse in recent times, were brought to our TV screens on a daily basis. Just a mile down the road from the disputed area, their hospital acute services , as recommended by Hayes, was being taken away from them. 

Not one politican or community leader suggested that the people come together and demand that the services needed by all concerned be kept in place. More recently, there was an announcement that millions of pounds will be paid out to health chiefs in bonuses. ( The smallest bonus being 25 thousand pounds - more that the average worker will earn in a year). On the day this was announced the Health Minister was interviewed about the appearance of  pop band, Atomic Kitten at the West Belfast Festival. The reporter failed to raise the more serious issue of health budgeting.

Surely the health chiefs would agree that  money would  best be spent on the health care needs of the people. More importantly, the people who wait on trolleys for a hospital bed, would agree that  budget controls are not in their interest. We must set out to raise consciousness, empower people to demand what is rightfully theirs. Biko¹s movement suceeded in freeing black people from the shackels of mental oppression. His goal was to win the most important battle - the battle for control of one¹s own minds. The oppressor feared Biko. They knew the potency of his message and they could not deal with a people armed with awareness and freedom of mind. They murdered him in police custody. Biko's vision was not about rights, privileges and wealth for a select few. His vision was not for Black townships to remain in poverty without the basic human rights of something as simple as running water. Nor did he advocate that his people remain in low paid jobs and without jobs at all while others prospered from their new found power. He was driven by a true sense of justice and love for his people. He endeavoured to empower them and build their self worth.

It is up to all of us to raise the consciousness of our own people, especially in this atmosphere of conditioning the mindset of people to accept less and less. Then perhaps one day the two sectons of our community will learn to live together without peace walls. People may focus on social issues instead of sectarian hatred which only serves to allow politicians to implement Thatcherite policies that bring private finance companies to our schools and hospitals which in turn promote low paid jobs and profits for the rich.