The Workers Party West Belfast representative John  Lowry has welcomed the holding today by the Community Relations Council of a conference focussing on the persistence of sectarianism in Northern Ireland. The conference entitled No More Them and Us is being held as part of Community Relations Week 2012.

John Lowry added: "This conference today is a timely reminder and wake-up call as to the continuation of sectarianism and segregation as unacceptable features of NI society. It is staggering to think that the number of interfaces and so called Peace Walls has actually quadrupled since the ceasefires. The CRC have correctly linked this to segregation in housing and the education system".

 

"Whilst we welcome today's conference as a very important event in keeping the issue of sectarianism and segregation to the fore, the reality is that there will be no progress on this front for as long as we have a sectarian and segregated political system and institutions. It is in the interests of the sectarian political blocs of unionism and nationalism to maintain the status quo which is of course why there has been no movement on this important issue from the Stormont Executive and Assembly".