13.12.04
Irelandclick.com
Political fall out continues
The SDLP has launched a bitter attack on Sinn Féin following the publication last Wednesday of the proposals by the British and Irish governments for a comprehensive agreement.
In a scathing verbal volley, SDLP party leader Mark Durkan claimed that Sinn Féin has compromised "Irish national democratic interests".
"I have no political ego. But what I absolutely resent is when the Irish national democratic interest is compromised and when people pretend that there have not been changes to the Agreement and worse yet to come,” he said.
"Sinn Féin’s priority has been about the self-image of the IRA, not the proper democratic interest of the nationalist people. That’s what I am annoyed about," blasted Mr Durkan.
Repudiating the criticisms, Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy said that the SDLP "is in no position to lecture Sinn Féin about the defence of the Agreement".
"While the SDLP have been unhelpfully sniping from the sidelines Sinn Féin have been defending the rights of nationalists, the equality agenda and the all-Ireland architecture against the objective of the DUP to achieve a veto.
"The approach of the SDLP to a relatively small number of key issues demonstrates that they are increasingly directionless," said Conor Murphy.
Sinn Féin highlighted a range of issues to support their criticism. According to the party, these are: the SDLP’s decision to rubber-stamp the purchase of plastic bullets on the Policing Board; the SDLP’s support for the Independent Monitoring Commission (which even IMC members admit is outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement); the SDLP’s demand for the introduction of electoral fraud legislation which has led to 200,000 voters being wiped off the voting register; and the SDLP’s decision to support, then oppose, then abstain, when the so-called Mandelson Police Bill was going through Westminster.
Reacting to Sinn Féin’s comments, the SDLP leader Mark Durkan accused Mr Murphy of relying on "spin and untruths".
Meanwhile the prospect of positive political progress has been left open by the IRA leadership, after the organisation issued its first public comment on recent political developments.
In a statement issued to An Phoblacht last Thursday the IRA restated its commitment to the peace process.
"For his part, Ian Paisley demanded that our contribution be photographed, and reduced to an act of humiliation,” the statement from P O’Neill said.
"This was never possible. Knowing this, he made this demand publicly as the excuse for his rejection of an overall agreement to create a political context with the potential to remove the causes of conflict.
"As the IRA leadership has said before, this is a context in which Irish republicans and unionists can, as equals, pursue our respective political objectives peacefully.
"We restate our commitment to the peace process. But we will not submit to a process of humiliation," said the IRA.
Journalist:: Jarlath Kearney
Political fall out continues
The SDLP has launched a bitter attack on Sinn Féin following the publication last Wednesday of the proposals by the British and Irish governments for a comprehensive agreement.
In a scathing verbal volley, SDLP party leader Mark Durkan claimed that Sinn Féin has compromised "Irish national democratic interests".
"I have no political ego. But what I absolutely resent is when the Irish national democratic interest is compromised and when people pretend that there have not been changes to the Agreement and worse yet to come,” he said.
"Sinn Féin’s priority has been about the self-image of the IRA, not the proper democratic interest of the nationalist people. That’s what I am annoyed about," blasted Mr Durkan.
Repudiating the criticisms, Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy said that the SDLP "is in no position to lecture Sinn Féin about the defence of the Agreement".
"While the SDLP have been unhelpfully sniping from the sidelines Sinn Féin have been defending the rights of nationalists, the equality agenda and the all-Ireland architecture against the objective of the DUP to achieve a veto.
"The approach of the SDLP to a relatively small number of key issues demonstrates that they are increasingly directionless," said Conor Murphy.
Sinn Féin highlighted a range of issues to support their criticism. According to the party, these are: the SDLP’s decision to rubber-stamp the purchase of plastic bullets on the Policing Board; the SDLP’s support for the Independent Monitoring Commission (which even IMC members admit is outside the terms of the Good Friday Agreement); the SDLP’s demand for the introduction of electoral fraud legislation which has led to 200,000 voters being wiped off the voting register; and the SDLP’s decision to support, then oppose, then abstain, when the so-called Mandelson Police Bill was going through Westminster.
Reacting to Sinn Féin’s comments, the SDLP leader Mark Durkan accused Mr Murphy of relying on "spin and untruths".
Meanwhile the prospect of positive political progress has been left open by the IRA leadership, after the organisation issued its first public comment on recent political developments.
In a statement issued to An Phoblacht last Thursday the IRA restated its commitment to the peace process.
"For his part, Ian Paisley demanded that our contribution be photographed, and reduced to an act of humiliation,” the statement from P O’Neill said.
"This was never possible. Knowing this, he made this demand publicly as the excuse for his rejection of an overall agreement to create a political context with the potential to remove the causes of conflict.
"As the IRA leadership has said before, this is a context in which Irish republicans and unionists can, as equals, pursue our respective political objectives peacefully.
"We restate our commitment to the peace process. But we will not submit to a process of humiliation," said the IRA.
Journalist:: Jarlath Kearney
