Desmond Tutu has been bringing together victims and perpetrators of Northern Ireland's conflict. I managed to catch the program tonight on BBC2 - it was incredibly touching and challenging to see people, on both sides of the table, display such honesty and courage. It wasn't twee, it wasn't sensationalised. It was very calm, very dignified and very real. It wasn't comfortable viewing, not to hear someone say they had no remorse for their involvement in terrorism, not to hear a young man in his early teens whose brother had been shot dead by the UDA to ask a former UDA member why he had chosen that path - no it wasn't comfortable at all. But it was necessary to witness. Maybe it can help us all a little further down the road to understanding.
The last of the three part series is on BBC2 at 8pm tomorrow (Monday). I hope they are repeated. They should be compulsory viewing for anyone with any contact with Northern Ireland whatsoever. More info about the series & an interview with Desmond Tutu here.
4 comments:
I'm missing all three of them! I missed last night's because I was seeing Walk the Line (go and see it everyone!). Tonight because I was on stressful powerpoint in church. Tomorrow night because I'm at GB.
WHY?!?
VCR?
No one but me can use it. Despite me setting it all up so they just have to press a button, they forget.
Thanks for this link. I teach a class on South Africa and have had a long standing interest in Northern Ireland, so I really am moved to hear about this. I'm also a Quaker blogger and happy to have found your blog.
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