Letter: Sinn Fein's voice must be heard

Sir: The Joint Declaration of the British and Irish governments refers frequently to the need to end the divisions in Northern Ireland on the basis of agreement and co-operation through a process of dialogue. While Sinn Fein is being talked to by all manner of intermediaries, the citizens of the Republic of Ireland and of the UK are prevented from hearing Sinn Fein freely express its views, and thus are prevented from judging it for themselves.

The Irish government has signalled the possible lifting of the Republic of Ireland's television and radio ban on Sinn Fein. To facilitate the dialogue that is being called for, the British Government should immediately lift its broadcasting ban on Sinn Fein and 10 other Irish organisations introduced on 19 October 1988.

Yours faithfully,

MARY HICKMAN (Irish Studies Centre, University of North London); SYLVIA STEVENS, DAVID FOX (Faction Films); PETER BENENSON (Founder of Amnesty International); JEREMY RICHARDSON (Warwick University); JOHN PILGER; HOLLY AYLETT (Luna films); KEN LOACH (Parallax Pictures); SONIA MAZEY (Cambridge University); LIZ CURTIS (Information on Ireland); RONAN BENNETT; TONY PALMER, MIKE BLUETT (Ladbroke Productions); DAVID MUNRO (film-maker)

Screen Forum

London, EC1

20 December