ger and determination in Cavan/Monaghan
BY Mícheál MacDonncha
ger at the expulsion of Sinn Féin from the
multi-party talks and determination to assert the
party's mandate were much in evidence in public
meetings called in response to the current crisis in
the peace process and held in Counties Cavan and
Monaghan this week.
There was lively discussion in both Monaghan town on
Monday evening 23 February and in Cavan town the
following night. Speakers from the floor made clear
that the integrity of the current negotiations had been
undermined by the expulsion and that a reconstructed
process was now essential.
Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin addressed both
meetings and said it was a ``sad, sad, day for Irish
democracy when this deed was done in Dublin Castle and
when, in Stormont last Friday, an Irish government
joined a British government in expelling from talks the
representatives of 172,535 citizens of this nation''.
Tracing the background of the peace process since the
publication in 1987 of Sinn Féin's document A Scenario
for Peace the TD pointed out that the Ulster Unionist
Party, who threatened a walkout from the talks if Sinn
Féin was not expelled, had opposed the process at every
stage.
Despite the obstruction of the Major government Sinn
Féin had persisted and, with others, had rebuilt the
process:
``Those efforts won ringing endorsement from the
electorate North and South last year, not least in this
constituency where the people of Cavan and Monaghan can
say with confidence that they have played, and continue
to play, a pivotal role in the sometimes painful search
for lasting peace. We entered 1998, the 200th
anniversary of the 1798 Rising, with the strongest Sinn
Féin mandate in decades and with growing support.
``I reiterate here that we will continue to use that
mandate in the cause for which it was given - to play
our part in the negotiation of a lasting peace
settlement, with justice and equality for all our
people. That has been our pledge through the most
difficult times in this process. And now is perhaps the
most diffucult period that we have faced to date.''
O Caoláin said the Sinn Féin expulsion showed that
there had been a democratic deficit in the negotiations
and that what needs to be established firmly is that
Sinn Féin's involvement is ``based on our mandate and on
that alone''. He said the expulsion was ``also in accord
with the failure of the British government over the
last four years to make any progress whatsoever on
demilitarisation and equality''.
On the shape of a possible agreement that some
commentators were painting O Caoláin said:
``The British government is deceiving itself if it
thinks for a moment that nationalists will swallow a
half-baked settlement, a Stormont with green paint,
with prisoners still in jail, the armed RUC on the
streets, the British army on the hillsides and the
Orange Order marching down Garvaghy Road. It's not on,
Tony. And it's not on, Bertie.''
Turning to the role of the Dublin government the Sinn
Féin TD called on it to promote the national interest:
``The Irish government realises that nationalists look
to it to secure their interests against any possible
Unionist/British government axis which will seek to
deliver minimal change with minimal effort. The
government needs to realise also the tremendous support
and goodwill there would be for a more determined and
vigorous approach to the British government. It needs
to realise that there is also a political price to pay
for failing in its duty.''
The Monaghan meeting was chaired by Sinn Féin County
Councillor Brian McKenna and the platform also included
Sinn Féin Councillors Pádraigín Uí Mhurchú, Gene Duffy,
Jackie Crowe and Owen Smyth. On the platform in Cavan
were Paddy McDonald, County Cavan Sinn Féin chairperson
who chaired the meeting, and area representatives Tina
Tully, Pauline Tully and Peadar Neary.
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