Sinn Fein Ard Fheis

John Stewart, Hackney North and Stoke Newington CLP, reports.

Sinn Fein's Ard Fheis was dominated by discussion of the peace deal, with the final decision delegated to a special conference next month.

Gerry Adams got a thunderous reception. News came through that Trimble had won his vote in the Unionist Council and Adams sent a "well done David" message. He stressed that the SF leadership was reporting back to the Ard Fheis on the negotiations and that ordinary members would have time to examine the peace document before any agreement.

Adams stated that the document was a recognition that the days of unionist supremacy are gone forever, and that it was not a final settlement but the basis for a settlement. It made constitutional changes towards a republican position. The unionists had moved but will need to move further. He reassured unionists about their future: "Unionists are nervous...we mustn't force them into a corner. We must understand their fears and worries and, as people who have suffered ourselves, must not take lightly unionist fears". He said that nationalists had no wish to dominate, marginalise or drive unionists from the land of their birth.

Martin McGuinness gave a detailed explanation of the agreement. He reaffirmed SF's commitment to a united, democratic, secular republic and insisted on the right of the Irish people as a whole to national self-determination. He paid tribute to the IRA for its ceasefires of August 1994 and July 1997 which made the peace possible. He concentrated on the "touchstone issues" which directly affect people's lives like policing, justice and equality and the release of prisoners. The UK no longer has any constitutional claim on the Six Counties. The union would last only for as long as the majority of people want it to -- "a bit like partners splitting up but agreeing to stay together until the children have grown up". The SF team had also successfully negotiated the removal of any unionist veto on joint north/south bodies. He believed the SF team had successfully moved republican analysis to the top of the political agenda.

The Ard Fheis called for the release of all political prisoners -- loyalist as well as republican -- even though many Sinn Fein supporters wouldn't recognise the actions of some loyalist paramilitaries as political. The release had to be seen as part of the ongoing peace process. It demanded the repatriation of Irish political prisoners held in British prisons pending their release.

Speakers saw the agreement reached at Stormont as part of a transitional process moving towards an ending of the political and constitutional status quo in Ireland. Justice and equality have to be seen as matters of right -- not concessions to be negotiated.

Sinn Fein wants to see policing, human rights provisions and the legal system to come under the remit of joint north/south institutions; equality for the Irish language, fair employment and equal housing rights and an end to discrimination against nationalists in the north.

previous article ·  May '98 index of LLB ·  write to LLB ·  LLB home page ·  next article