Sinn-Fein

Seeing Ian Paisley, the representative of everything wrong with my tribe, and Gerry Adams, the representative of everything wrong with his, trying it seemed to find a “final solution” to the “Irish question” - was for me not surprising. It was what both Sinn Fein and the DUP wanted all along, not peace necessarily, but power - the former to join Northern Ireland with the Irish Republic to fulfil the “1916 prophecy” and the latter to “keep Ulster free from Dublin interference”. Two polar opposite positions have now been brought to the middle ground, which sounds good for Tony Blair and Peter Hain, but is not the reality as far as I can see.

Of course I welcome any move to bring our province into the 21st century, and peace is what I desire, but I am not convinced (yet) that Paisley and Adams can bring that about. Watching them together, I felt a nervous hope, but for a brief moment I wished it would have been David Trimble and John Hume! Not because I like Trimble or Hume, but because I believed they could have had a genuinely equally beneficial working relationship, that they would truely have embraced the middle ground - rather than just talking about it.

Ian Paisley has not fundamentally changed his position, he himself said it was more pressure and threats from Peter Hain and the British/Irish governments, than a genuine desire on his part to make a deal. Gerry Adams has also not fundamentally changed, he has made it his lifes work to destablise and destroy Northern Ireland, he is not seeking reconciliation within our country but a United Ireland “by any means necessary” - even if it does mean turning his back on certain, what Republicans wrongly call “principles”, he will do it all for a United Ireland and more.

I am more of a realist, I do not believe a few photos and nice words are enough, as the British and Irish governments do, to hear them you’d think Paisley and Adams peacenik photo-op was the solution in and of itself. Of course I’d welcome the reconciliation of Loyalism and Republicanism (Paisley is no Unionist) but are these polar opposite idealogues the way of the future or the past?

Paisley is still the old fundamentalist preacher who sees Rome and Leinster House as one, and perhaps believes the devil is behind both, there is a conspiracy behind it all involving the Republican movement as well perhaps?

Republicans accuse him, quite rightly perhaps, of living in the 17th century - of course their enlightened socialists and revolutionarys? Perhaps Adams and his comrades spout Wolfe Tone quotes (a man of the 18th century) about uniting the religious communities, but it means little in reality, they are a sectarian movement with little or no support from Protestants - and their campaign of murder…”armed struggle” has set back their cause by decades - yet Adams and the Volunteers cannot admit that it was a complete and utter failure; Paisley may well live in the 17th century but Adams and Sinn Fein are right there along with him: of course Republicans think living in the 1960s/1970s makes them so much more…”groovy”?

Hugging Fidel, supporting Basque separatists, drawing support for Fatah/Hamas isn’t about ebracing the future; its about clinging on to the past. Fidels Cuba is a relic of the 1950s, complete with that unwashed revolutionary zing, its funny when Republicans talk of the UN Charter on Human rights - when possessing such a simple document in Cuba can get you thrown in prison - as for the Basques, their decades behind the Provos, and for the anti-semites in Fatah/Hamas who strap bombs to small children - their light years away from the 21st century. You can always know someone by their friends, Sinn Fein are not representative of the future or of the 21st or any other century, so the question remains on mine and i’m sure others, lips:

Can Yesterday’s Men Become Today’s Future? We’ll have to wait and see…

Sunday, April 15th, 2007 // Northern Ireland: Politics

I don’t want to get into the ins and outs of collusion or make too much of a judgement without evidence, as many in Northern Ireland no doubt will or indeed have already done. I am not surprised by the supposed “revelation” of RUC collusion or that certain members of the old Police force colluded with paramilitaries. Nobody can claim that our conflict was in anyway clean, even the terrorists called it a “dirty war”, and so to claim surprise when a dirty little secret is revealed makes little sense outside of political point scoring. I am not attempting to justify the crimes of people in the past or excuse them but to highlight that they were not uniquely evil. Policemen, many of whom came from the communities targeted by Republicans could not have all remained as decent as the majority of rank and file officers did, its just the impossibility of human nature, just like those Catholics in 1969 who watched their homes being burned by Loyalist gangs could not all have remained decent as the majority of Catholics did.

Within the context of our conflict the informants system was tragically going to fall prey to the instances of murder highlighted, however collusion is different from turning a blind eye, in order to collude the officers in question would have had to set up or help organise the murders - which some may well have done - but I don’t possess the evidence. However accepting that terrorists are going to kill and turning a blind eye to those few murders may have prevented greater acts of terrorism. Within the context of the dirty war we cannot see what was necessary from what was morally unjustifiable and plain sectarian murder with regards to the RUC. If evidence suggests otherwise then no one can morally argue against it.

What I will say is I am not surprised by the Republican hypocrites reaction to the whole sordid affair who of course jumped on the moral high ground.

Calling for heads to roll, people to be fired, prosecutions, justice and using the murder of 15 people to excuse or justify the terrorism of Nationalists. In an ideally moral country yes, certainly evidence of murder and collusion should be fairly dealt with, in an ideally moral country paramilitaries who murdered innocent civilians for sectarian reasons would be jailed and serve their full sentences for those crimes…but you see, we don’t live in either an ideal or a moral country, we live in Northern Ireland.

I will agree with Martin McGuinness that ex-RUC members, Special Branch officers, former Chief Constables and the like be imprisoned for acts of supporting or overlooking acts of murder; when Mr McGuinness is put on trial for his crimes, when OTR terrorists are hunted down and locked up. When those who did not serve their full sentences thanks to the GFA are returned to prison or when Mr McGuinness gives up those members of his organisation who were not prosecuted for acts of sectarian murder. Until then Sinn Fein members and supporters have no moral high ground on which to stand to accuse others or hold people to standards of prosecution they themselves feel exempted from because of their ‘political idealism’ or supposed ‘cause’.

If I may indulge my own idealism: we should have an amnesty for all those involved in the 30+ year conflict, if we cannot be consistent with our standards, and should seek to build a better future for all of us and our future generations. I cannot change the dark days of what we allowed to occur in our country, nor do I wish to go on a moralistic revenge trip, rather I’d be happy to remember only so that it spurs us on to never again allow ourselves to return to such a dark place. I don’t believe a South African style “Truth & Reconciliation” commission would be anything more than a sop or a cynical exercise, but perhaps we require something similar, which allows a blanket amnesty for those who partake in it in order that it is firmly placed in the past once and for all, I believe it would be a welcome relief for many…apart from of course most Republicans and most Loyalists.

Wednesday, January 24th, 2007 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Did you not know? Not content with bringing peace to these Emerald Shores, the venerable Gerry Adams has been applying pressure on other terrorist groups to come in from the struggle, wipe their feet and get involved in politics.

According to the Sinn Fein website:

“Sinn Fein has been in dialogue with all of the Basque political parties and in particular Batasuna. [Gerry has] also written to the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero.

Sinn F�in’s objective has been to promote conflict resolution and to assist in whatever way we can the development of a peace process.”

It’s a bit like one of those annoying ex-smokers running around trying to get everyone else to stop smoking too, isn’t it?

As you would expect, Gerry lapses into a bit of Provie-speak that wouldn’t sound out of place in our own peace process. “The government needs to respond creatively and stop political policing trails, etc, etc.”

Part of me is sceptical about this, but another part is thinking “Fair play to Sinn Fein if they’re serious about the political path.” Let’s face it, after the Denis Donaldson business, the party could have faced an almighty backlash from supporters who felt they had been duped into accepting a political solution. I’m glad that didn’t happen.

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Well, this one’s been up for a few weeks. I’ll admit I forgot that the poll was there for a while! Having said that, 87 people had their say on the matter…

All counted, we have a slim majority (51%) of folk who think it’s time to sever the MLA salaries. 23% disagree and want to keep paying good money for no results. 26% didn’t give a toss and were probably here for the post about Paperdoll Heaven instead!

Anyway, I think it’s all academic. Stopping MLA salaries is a good idea, but it’s never going to happen.

The politicians will continue to run around in circles, chasing the same old issues but ultimately doing nothing productive. The DUP will drag the peace process out for years before grudgingly going into Government with Sinn Fein. And for some reason - science will one day explain - we will all sit passively by and watch as it all happens.

Friday, February 24th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

El Blogador has posted a very interesting biography of the DUP’s Deputy Leader, Peter Robinson.

What an eye-opener!

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of Northern Irish politics, or its ‘personalities’, but seeing a man who refuses to talk to terrorists and criminals dressed up in his beret and toting a rifle is frightening.

What’s much more frightening is that the electorate are so blinded by their own biggotry that they can’t see this blatant hypocrisy staring them straight in the face. Yes, that goes for Loyalists and Republicans!

It has been famously said that Sinn Fein aren’t fit for government in the Republic of Ireland. Well, neither Sinn Fein or the DUP are they fit for government in the North. Both parties are populated by extremists who cannot empathise with the ‘other side’, and in all the years of this conflict they still haven’t matured enough to learn to compromise.

And yet - much more shameful - are the great biggoted masses who vote by flag and nothing else. What can be done about educating the public about political deceit and double standards? Or are these things sanctioned by the voters themselves?

Over to you….

Friday, February 17th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

On to more serious matters for this week’s poll. ‘Big’ Peter Hain’s threatening to crack down on playground politics by taking away our politicians’ pocket money.

What do you folks think? Will a loss of salary sharpen Unionist appetites for a power-sharing executive with Republicans?

I’ll confess to having a quiet smirk at the volley of responses to Hain’s threat/statement. Not sure if it’ll hold water, or if he’ll even act upon it (since he hasn’t given any deadline for progress). However, people need to be aware that there’s currently no penalty for political dithering - these arses could debate until the Apocalypse and still get paid for it. Over to you…..

Sunday, January 15th, 2006 // News & Media, Northern Ireland: Politics

The airline industry will be reeling this evening with the news the Peter Hain has finally and sensibly withdrawn the On The Run legislation. Flights to Ireland are most likely being feverishly cancelled as you read this.

Of course, the motives for doing this are Sinn Fein-led. They got their cake, but just as they were tucking into it, they discovered an extra ingredient that..erm…disagreed with their collective digestive system. “What’s this?” thundered Gerry (presumably) “They’ve slipped in an amnesty for army bollockses! Tony didn’t mention that before…honest…”

Except, of course, they must have known. For one thing, the British Government are many things, but they are not (completely) stupid. Don’t you think the brains at Downing Street might have expected an SF backlash?

Double Standards

Aside from the hilarious PR cock-up, the episode exposed the nasty side of Sinn Fein. All that talk of ’spirit of reconciliation’ turned out to be completely one-sided. You forgive us for past attrocities. We reserve the right to dredge up any event by Loyalist groups or state forces, but just don’t mention the ‘Ra, OK? What happened to the election fodder of “Building An Ireland Of Equals”, Gerry? B.U.L.L.S.H.I.T.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but what differentiates one set of killers from another? I thought we were putting the past behind us, moving on and growing up. The dilemma for Sinn Fein was, do they give up one of their trump cards - state murders of Republicans - to allow ‘the boys’ safe passage home? That must’ve been a hell of a decision to make.

But it’s not over yet. No. Hain thinks this will be back on the agenda as an anomaly that should have been dealt with at the time of the Good Friday Agreement. I don’t. Got the guts to kill for your cause? Then stay behind and take the consequences. Face the families you left bereaved across the courtroom and take the sentence you deserve. Only a coward runs away…why should we turn a blind eye?

Thursday, January 12th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

After a truly stunning 20 votes (none of which were mine, BTW), the people have spoken on our first ever poll.

Almost half of you believed this to be the work of the dreaded Securocrats, an evil, lurking menace whose sole intention is to snatch well-deserved power from the hands of Sinn Fein. Well, I don’t know about that. I almost felt sorry for Sinn Fein at the time the news broke, but part of me believes in Karma and that if they’re getting dirty tricks now it’s because they’ve played enough of their own.

A third of people believe there’s someone higher up in Sinn Fein whose identity was covered by the sacrifice of Denis Donaldson. Unionists would be rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of this. Did you consider this might be fuel for dissident republicans to reorganise? I mean, if there have been agents in Sinn Fein pressing a ‘peaceful’ agenda, then that implies the leadership were duped into taking a political path. Yes, I agree that Sinn Fein should be put under instense scrutiny, their agenda is one-sided and unrealistic if you ask me, but at least it’s relatively peaceful. What happens if they lose control of that dissident element?

Stormontgate And The Collapse Of The Assembly

As you know, I don’t have a lot of respect/trust for the boys and girls in Sinn Fein. I heard an interview between Martina Purdy and Martin McGuinnes on the radio back when this broke.

When pressed as to why Sinn Fein weren’t pressing for an inquiry, McGuinness said something strange. He said that an inquiry wouldn’t suit Sinn Fein’s position (or words to that effect). What? What does that mean, exactly? I translate it as “We’re pretty sure there’s more dirt out there and we’d prefer if people didn’t do too much digging…” Very suspicious…

But what about the larger implications? We don’t have an assembly. We’re being governed by direct rule (remember water charges?).

Perhaps we needed Stormontgate to move the IRA toward disarming, but society has suffered in the meantime? The extreme parties are flourishing in a period of political uncertainty.

At least when the Assembly was running, the politicians were earning their money! We could see them and assess their abilities as real politicians - how they handled policies, the foot and mouth crisis, education, etc. They were finally accountable to us on real issues!

Stormontgate gave politicians a much needed reprieve from the need to prove themselves to the electorate. They went back to good old partisan politics, like putting on a comfy old pair of slippers. I don’t care how the Assembly was wiped out, we need it back, if only to watch how our politicians perform in normal society. Whether you agree with the posturing and point-scoring of the other major parties, the losers in Stormontgate are the people of Northern Ireland. Yet again.

Questions need to be asked. And I’m surprised that Sinn Fein are on the frontline.

Sunday, January 8th, 2006 // Northern Ireland: Politics

Yes, folks. I know I’ve been laying the boot into Sinn Fein lately. It’s not as if I’m alone in doing that.

After all, it does seem that the British Government is pulling out all the stops to make life easier for the party. We’ll shortly be welcoming back our old “On The Run” muckers. The Northern Bank and McCartney investigations appear to be on a go-slow. Sean Kelly walking the streets after a very shady re-arrest. Etcetera, etcetera.

Anyway, it was with some amount of glee that I read about Francie Molloy being suspended from the ‘thought-police’ party this week. Molloy, as you probably all know, opposed the review of public administration in Northern Ireland. Well, not all of it. He was in favour of 15 councils instead of 7. That’s still a reduction from the 26 councils we currently have.

Molloy’s concerns were that the 7 council model would be an effective re-partitioning of Northern Ireland and that the proposed reforms represented a “sectarian headcount”. And then he was suspended.

Now, I’ve long held that Sinn Fein are a control-freak kind of political party (almost like Mr. Blair’s crowd). You don’t make up your mind, it is made up for you. And never deviate from the position as you have been told it. The suspension of Francie Molloy adds weight to this notion.

Sinn Fein supporters should look at this issue carefully. Why should Molloy be silenced? What is wrong with voicing an alternative opinion? Surely this is healthy?

Ask yourself - when was the last time a Sinn Fein member publicly opposed the official party line?

Friday, November 25th, 2005 // Northern Ireland: Politics