Sinn Fein Press Statement 5-Oct-97/Adams Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source:Paddy Newell Oct 05 1997 Sinn Fiin Press Centre Falls Road, Belfast FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 05 October 1997 The Challenge Facing Tony Blair Sinn Fiin President Gerry Adams MP speaking less than 48 hours before the commencement of substantive negotiations has urged the British Prime Minister to "build a partnership for peace," by adopting a "radical new approach" which seeks to change current British policy. Mr. Adams said: "The aim of democratic Irish opinion must be to seek change in British policy from one of upholding the union to one of ending the union. The working out of this policy change and the transfer of sovereignty should be done in co-operation with and consultation with the Irish government and the parties here. This is the main challenge facing Mr. Blair and the rest of us." The Sinn Fiin President welcomed the British Secretary of State recent remarks on the issue of discrimination, "but she must do much more than simply talk about this problem." Mr. Adams called as a first step for the implementation of the 140 recommendations contained in the recent report by the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights. Referring to the British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's concern about human rights matters Mr. Adams said the British government "should remember that those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. In this case its moral indignation at human rights abuses would take on a greater and more believable import if it tackled human rights abuses closer to home." The Sinn Fiin leader warned against the British government thinking "they can get away with introducing minimal change in order to minimise unionist objections." Finally Mr. Adams said the British government "has the major responsibility and role in initiating a strategy which will bring a democratic resolution and a lasting peace. This must involve the British government joining the ranks of the persuaders in seeking to secure agreement between all sections of our people." The full Text of Mr. Adams statement: The Challenge Facing Tony Blair A lasting peace in Ireland will only be established if Tony Blair and his government are committed to that objective and to building it on a solid foundation of justice and freedom. Mr. Blair' generation of political leaders may feel little responsibility for the historic and contemporary state of affairs in Ireland. But if we are to build a partnership for peace which ushers in a new era for the people of Ireland and Britain then this British government must face up to that responsibility with absolute honesty. It is not necessary to rehearse the long history of injustice and conflict which the British connection has visited on the people of Ireland. It is enough to say that all that has passed so far has failed. There is a need for a new beginning. This includes a radical new approach by the British government. The aim of democratic Irish opinion must be to seek a change in British policy from one of upholding the union to one of ending the union. The working out of this policy change and the transfer of sovereignty should be done in co-operation with and consultation with the Irish government and the parties here. This is the main challenge facing Mr. Blair and the rest of us. No half measures - Equality is a Right This is not the only issue of course, there is a need for the equality agenda to move beyond aspirational rhetoric into a programmatic approach which practically seeks to right the wrongs which are part and parcel of the political, social and cultural life in the north of Ireland. The British Secretary of State has spoken out on the issue of discrimination and I welcome that, but she must do much more than simply talk about this problem. We have had almost thirty years of reports and committees and legislation and agencies on this issue. The impact has been negligible. In its recent report the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights reaffirmed that catholics are over twice as likely to be unemployed as protestants. And it found that the main British government policies specifically aimed at tackling inequality - Targeting Social Need (TSN) and Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment (PAFT) - 'left a lot to be desired in their effectiveness. Indeed research indicated that few government departments and public bodies have pursued these policies in a pro-active way.....it is disappointing to find that it (TSN) has not been taken seriously in Government Departments and agencies.....PAFT too was introduced in 1994 as a major government initiative to build issues of equity and equality into policy formation and the implementation of public services. The research for this review revealed very patchy but largely ineffective implementation.' The SACHR report makes more than 140 main recommendations. The last time it produced such a comprehensive series of recommendations the British government ignored it. If this government is serious about righting wrongs then it must implement these recommendations. What is required here is change. Change in the short term. Change which is sustainable. What is required is the goals and timetables for that change. What is required is significant, positive and lasting effect. What is required is an end to discrimination and the provision of equality of opportunity. Justice Issues There are around 400 killings involving British forces which are described as 'disputed.' Investigations into these, information about them, and criminal charges against those involved, have all been subject to a process of cover-up and legal protection which has sought to shield the state and its military wings from the legal consequences of their actions. The families of the victims of Bloody Sunday; of plastic bullets and of shoot-to-kill, and many other similar incidents have had to watch as the British state has conspired to conceal the truth. Since the creation of this statelet there has been collusion between those 'official' forces tasked with protecting it and a variety of loyalist organisations who killed, butchered and terrorised nationalists. This collusion has become particularly sophisticated during this period of conflict as British intelligence has put the counter-gang strategies of past colonial wars into effect. There is an enormous amount of information and evidence available to this British government on this issue. Probably the best known is the case of Brian Nelson, a self-confessed and acknowledged British agent who plotted the deaths of Catholics, including that of civil rights lawyer Pat Finucane. In addition Nelson was involved in a combined effort by the UVF, UDA and Ulster Resistance with the knowledge of British Military intelligence, to import arms illegally into Ireland. Little wonder the British Attorney General - at the time Sir Patrick Mayhew - authorised a 'deal' during Nelson's trial which saw murder charges dropped and Nelson given a minimum sentence. Collusion, which saw hundreds of catholics killed by loyalists and the role of British intelligence and elements of the RUC, UDR/RIR and British Army provide information for loyalist death squads must be thoroughly examined. Those responsible for this must be made publicly accountable for their actions. An independent, internationally based judicial inquiry, with wide ranging powers of investigation, is essential. This British government, through its Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, has taken on to itself the mantle of protector of human rights. It should remember that those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. In this case its moral indignation at human rights abuses would take on a greater and more believable import if it tackled human rights abuses closer to home. Unionists It would be easy to get angry at the unionists but there is little point in that. English politicians should not look down their noses at the unionists and sneer at their antics. The more extreme unionists behave as they do because for a very long time indeed English politicians told them that they were special. They were so special that English politicians gave them their own little statelet. The rest of us didn't matter. We were inferior. That is what British rule in Ireland has meant this last 70 odd years. So English politicians should resist the temptation to go on about tribal hatreds and sectarian bitterness as if Unionist extremism was nothing to do with them. A convenient cop out! For a long time now I have worked on the basis that people respond to the political conditions in which they live. Improve the conditions and you empower the people. Therein lies our future. Unionists cling to the old order because they think it protects them. They believe their advantage is rooted in nationalist disadvantage. And so it has been. So is their loyalty to the union. They are unionists because that made them top dog. Change that and everything changes. For they are really no more loyal than I am. Equality will be a great equaliser. And that is over very much to Mr. Blair. It isn't enough for Labour Ministers to think that they can get away with introducing minimal change in order to minimise unionist objections. Responsibility of British Government Britain created the problem in Ireland. Current British policy sustains the conflict and divisions. It therefore has the major responsibility and role in initiating a strategy which will bring a democratic resolution and a lasting peace. This must involve the British government joining the ranks of the persuaders in seeking to secure agreement between all sections of our people. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytire-10.09.97-04:31:19-4428