Detailed examination needed
Sinn Féin has pledged to give the proposals from the two
governments - announced by Tony Blair on Wednesday - their
``fullest attention and consideration''. They are quite right to
examine them in detail.
The most obvious question is whether decommissioning will become
an obstacle at a further stage in the process. It has always been
a false obstacle, erected by those who do not want any change to
the status quo. It has held up the process and it is to be hoped
that the two governments have now learned from conflict
resolution processes in other areas of the world. Decommissioning
has nowhere else emerged as an obstacle in the way it has in the
Irish peace process.
Further questions must be asked about the section in Blair's
speech where he said: ``The outline of a settlement is clear''. The
key elements of this are, according to the British Prime
Minister, devolution and ``sensible cross-border arrangements''. It
must be asked if this is also the position of the Irish
government and whether Blair is laying down a pre-determined
outcome to the negotiations.
These and other questions must be answered with clarity.
Orange intimidation
There is an air of foreboding in many nationalist areas in the
Six Counties as the Orange Order seeks to rack up the tension in
advance of their Drumcree march. They have filed for numerous new
marches and already they have begun to target nationalist areas
for provocative parades.
Isolated nationalist communities have the right to live free from
this type of intimidation. Their protests are a dignified and
determined response to Orange triumphalism and they are to be
commended for turning out in numbers to register their
opposition.
It is time that the Orange Order realised that the days of
coat-trailing are over. And let's hope that the New Labour direct
ruler realises that also.
Congratulations Caoimhghín
Today Caoimhghín O Caoláin TD takes his seat in Leinster House.
He is a former manager of An Phoblacht and all the staff on the
paper wish him the very best as the voice for freedom in that
assembly. He will be a superb advocate for the republican cause.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/harp.gif)