Anti-agreement axis hollowing out
peace process - Declan Kearney
22 September, 2014
Writing in today's Belfast Telegraph
newspaper Sinn Féin National Chairperson, Declan Kearney said:
"A lazy
narrative has gained increased currency over recent months about the political
situation in the north. Disagreement on welfare cuts is portrayed as the cause
of the current political impasse.
"Both ignored that the political
process faces its greatest challenge since the Good Friday Agreement (GFA)
talks in 1998. Peter Robinson's call for new talks is code for removing the
safeguards and protections enshrined by all of the agreements.
"The DUP leadership's position
is now completely subordinate to an anti-Agreement axis within unionism.
"Charlie Flanagan's comments ignore that the democratic
core of the GFA is now being hollowed out by this anti-Agreement axis; which
includes important DUP figures, the TUV, Ukip, others in the Orange Order, and
loyalist paramilitaries.
"The DUP leader asserted the
political arrangements set up under the Good Friday Agreement, and other agreements,
were no longer fit for purpose, and wants new negotiations. Charlie Flanagan
said there was a failure by parties to deliver basic services.
"The political landscape is
being polarised between pro and anti-Agreement positions. Disagreement over welfare
cuts is a by-product of that; but also reflects an ideological division on
socio-economic issues.
"Democracy in the north is now
under direct threat from the unionist anti-Agreement axis. This reality goes to
the heart of the impasse, which increasingly exhibits the potential for
developing into a full crisis.
"There is an urgent need for
popular and democratic opinion, along with the Irish, British and US
governments to develop a pro-Agreement axis as a counter to the
extremists.
"The model and momentum used in
the past should become the strategy to empower the positive constituencies
which support political stability."
Sinn Féin Mountmellick – Serving The Community
Political process in perilous
situation – Michelle Gildernew
21 September, 2014 - by Michelle Gildernew
Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew speaking
at a Labour Party
The full text of Michelle
Gildernew's speech tonight
This year marks the 16th anniversary
of the Good Friday Agreement, a watershed in Irish politics and surely one of
the British Labour Party’s greatest recent achievements.
Much work was put in by many people
to get the Agreement and to slowly and painstakingly work to get it
implemented.
That implementation is far, far from
over – but to continue with that task needs momentum – the bicycle syndrome
where at least slow pedalling is needed to keep moving forwards.
However at present, our political
process is in a perilous – I would actually say untenable - position.
And this is because not only is the
bike not being moved forwards, but there are significant elements looking to
find a reverse gear.
Over the last two years, political
unionism has clearly moved into an anti-Agreement mode.
In 2012 we saw the violent unionist
and loyalist reaction to the lawful, democratic decision of Belfast City
Council to reduce the flying of the union flag to ‘designated’ days – the same
as in the Assembly, where unionists accept this state of affairs quite quietly.
In 2013 we saw the violent unionist
and loyalist reaction to the lawful decision of the Parades Commission to
prevent an unwanted Orange Order march to pass nationalist Ardoyne in North
Belfast.
And then in 2013, DUP leader Peter
Robinson reneged on the agreed Programme for Government commitment to develop
the Long Kesh/Maze site – by way of a letter sent from Florida, not to his
joint First Minister Martin McGuinness, but to DUP party colleagues.
This approach has increasingly
defined the nature of DUP participation in the political institutions in the
north.
We see no genuine willingness to
share power with republicans in a real partnership government, or to embrace
things like mutual respect, parity of esteem or reconciliation.
And the reasons for this are clear.
Many in the DUP entered the arrangement unwillingly back in 2007, and are still
lukewarm – to say the least - about the new dispensation. But since the May
elections, we have seen the makings of a pan-unionist coalition of the unionist
political parties – including those aligned to the paramilitary UDA & UVF.
It is primarily focussed on the
parades issue, and trying to reverse the Ardoyne decision - but it’s wider than
that – it is an anti-GFA axis, aiming to subvert the GFA’s principles and
processes.
So we have seen a refusal to agree
the compromises emerging from the talks chaired by Richard Haass & Meghan
O’Sullivan later last year; a walkout from reconvened party leaders’ talks in
July, and threats to bring down the institutions over the issues of ‘On The
Runs’, the Parades Commission decision, and now most recently on the issue of
welfare reform – or what are in reality welfare cuts.
I will return to welfare cuts in a
minute, but what does need said very clearly is that all of this unionist
obstruction, delaying, sitting on their hands and seeking reverse gear back to
the 1960’s is being facilitated and allowed to happen by the behaviour of the
government in London.
It has repeatedly shown its
willingness to capitulate, and an unwillingness to stand up to unionist threats
and intransigence. Reasons or explanations are various – a total lack of
interest or engagement? Possibly, but it can be argued they are engaged –
engaged in doing the wrong things. An ideological sympathy with where unionists
are at? Remember, the Tories did not negotiate the GFA or St Andrews – to them
republicans are still the enemy. And the small matter of eight DUP seats – and
votes – post 2015 general election cannot be ignored.
As I said earlier, this situation is
untenable, and it is for the British and Irish governments – with support from
the US – to step up, get engaged positively and get things moving again.
We need to talk - there are too many
issues sitting unresolved and unagreed - and I welcome signs in recent days
that we may be moving into full and inclusive negotiations on all of this.
To return to the issue of welfare
reform, let me be brief and clear.
The British Welfare Reform process
has not been implemented in the north.
This is due to our party stalling the
passage of the Welfare Reform Bill, which the Assembly must pass.
We had hoped for much more
cross-party efforts to fight the London government on this.
This has not happened. Unionism are
content to bring this insidious Bill into force, and all that flows from it –
and I do not need to tell people here just what welfare “reform” really means.
Last week Martin McGuinness made it
clear – the DUP minister responsible should bring the Bill to the floor of the
Assembly for debate and votes, and let them explain how foisting this welfare
cuts agenda on their own working class constituents, as well as everyone else,
is in any way desirable.
If they refuse to bring the Bill,
then this issue should go to the people, by way of an election to the Assembly.
We fear no election.
Sinn Fein will not deliver the cuts
demanded by a cabinet of millionaires in London, who have not one vote in
Ireland, and we stand alongside the poor, the low paid and the disadvantaged in
this battle.
So things are not good. What
unionism’s aim is is not always clear – to collapse the institutions so as not
to be handcuffed to Sinn Fein in the run-up to next year's general election?
Possible, but again let me be clear,
that is not our agenda. We do not want direct Tory rule from London. We want
local politicians making the decisions and doing proper government and
delivery.
These institutions are part and
parcel of the Good Friday arrangements, and those need developed and
strengthened, not thrown to the side.
To conclude, as I remarked at the
start, the GFA must be seen as one of Labours biggest achievements, and we
certainly believe that there is a big onus on the present Labour party to help
in ensuring that things do not go down.
And I know Ivan and his colleagues
have been at the heels of Theresa Villiers and the government here to step up
and to engage positively – in an even-handed way. That is sorely needed as we
find ourselves in the choppiest of political waters, and those demands need to
be louder and stronger.
Next year could see Labour return to
power, and of course there are many issues we would wish to see them working on
in preparation for that, and once in power – the transfer of more fiscal powers
to the Assembly, the completion of the many (still) outstanding elements of our
Agreements and much else, including Labour's previous public commitment to a
public inquiry into the assassination of Pat Finucane.
So we have much to deal with –
crunching down on all the difficult issues; ensuring the very survival of our
institutions, and standing up against the Tory cuts.
I’ll leave you with all of that, and
I look forward to Ivan’s contribution and to the discussion.
Sinn Féin Mountmellick – Serving The Community
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