Europa rocked by republican applause
By Mick Naughton.
Once called the most bombed hotel in the world, last Sunday
evening the Europa hotel in Belfast's city centre witnessed
another explosion, this time of the political kind.
One thousand republicans gathered to hear the party's leadership
give an update on the present state of the snail-like peace
process at Stormont.
The main theme of Gerry Adams's address was that `the people of
no property' need to take ownership of the process.
``You people are absolutely undefeatable,'' he told the packed
ballroom. ``I want to appeal to you not to allow under any
circumstances this struggle to be reduced to a room at Stormont.
Don't be duped or hypnotised into spectatorism. Don't sit back
and leave it to the negotiators, the future of this island is too
important to be left to politicans. We, my friends, are first
class citizens and we are going to have a first class future.''
He said that the peace process was just another phase of struggle
and was not an end in itself. Peace had not been achieved, only a
process and the opportunity for peace.
``Republicans will not rest until we have achieved Irish unity.
Part of the balancing act is bringing new people into the
struggle who are being educated, while at the same time keeping
our older republicans, our more experienced activists focused on
the prize. No-one knows how it's going to work out, but what we
do know is the tide of history is going towards an Irish
republic.''
Thunderous applause followed this reaffirmation.
Further applause greeted South Armagh Ard Chomhairle
representative Des Murphy from Camlough who threw the weight of
that area into the ferment when he declared from among those
standing, unable to get a seat in the 900 seater room:
``On behalf of South Armagh, and I have some authority there, we
are 100%, 110% behind the leadership of Sinn Fein. If there was -
which there wasn't - 35 people who left the republican movement
in south Armagh, there would be 350 people to take their place
tomorrow morning.''
During the following question and answer session, when Adams
joked about handing over the ``hard questions'' to Martin
McGuinness, concern about the pace of the peace process surfaced
rom several relatives of POWs, among others. No substantial
criticism of the movements direction emerged apart from a former
member of People's Democracy, John McNulty, who spoke about Sinn
Féin being ``in bed with the wrong people''. That his question was
heard politely after Adams had insisted he be heard, was a
testimony to the fairness and time made available for any
dissenters.
As the historic evening drew to a close Martin McGuinness sent
out warnings to the unionists and British government.
``It's make your mind up time,'' he said before admonishing
unionist leader David Trimble not to try to set up an alternative
talks process, excluding Sinn Fein.
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