British are protagonists, not neutrals
By Seán Brady
There is no getting away from the fact that the entire
Peace Process is in now jeopardy and that what people
should concentrate on is how we can rescue the
situation so as to move forward towards a democratic
peace settlement. But it is useful to examine the
series of events which led us to the current precarious
position, so they can be avoided in any future attempts
to build a real Peace Process.
The mosts recent and most damaging crisis was caused by
the expulsion of Sinn Féin - representing over 40% of
nationalist opinion in the Six Counties, as well as
many more voters throughout the island - from political
negotiations. We have been plunged into a national
crisis on the word of one Ronnie Flanagan Chief
Constable of the RUC, a discredited and sectarian
militia whose word is accepted at face value by the
British Prime Minister.
But in many ways what is worse is that a Dublin
government and also the SDLP accepted the view of the
British Prime Minister acting on advice from the RUC.
This incident, as well as precipitating what could be
total disaster for the current process, highlights the
core of the problem in Ireland and the way in which the
current process has failed to come to grips with that
core issue.
At the heart of the conflict in Ireland is the legacy
and current reality of the British government as
protagonists to the conflict and the central,
over-riding role of the British state in sustaining the
causes of conflict.
The RUC, on whose advice the British Prime Minister
acted, are recognised not only by republicans but by
majority opinion in Ireland and abroad as being part of
the problem here. They have no support within the
nationalist community. They are an overwhelmingly
Protestant and entirely Unionist force which over seven
decades has maintained unionist privilege and political
power through repression and force of arms. It is from
such a force that Tony Blair takes advice regarding
events on the ground in the north of Ireland. No Irish
government and no Irish nationalist party should
acquiesce in such a charade. That they have done so
makes the prospects for moving forward more difficult.
Prior to the expulsion of Sinn Féin the multi-party
talks were in a seriously sterile condition. There was
no movement towards any sort of substantive
negotiations. The unionists refused point blank to
engage in any serious way, not only with Sinn Féin but
with Irish nationalists in general. They merely sat on
their hands and opposed everything in the manner which
has become their political hallmark.
Meanwhile unionist killer gangs, some of whom were
represented at the talks, launched a sustained killing
campaign against the civilian nationalist population.
Pressure on both fronts by the combined forces of
unionism resulted in the British government caving in
and producing the Propositions on the Heads of
Agreement, yet another proposal for an internal
settlement. Faced with taking on the unionists or
pressurising nationalists to accept less than their
due, they chose the well-worn path of all their
predecessors.
The incorrect assumption which has underlain much of
the commentary and analysis around the multi-party
talks part of the current Peace Process was that the
British were neutral brokers between warring Irish
factions. But it is the British government which must
provide the impetus for Unionists to politically
engage. The failure of successive British governments
to do this over the years has been the main factor in
sustaining conflict. Until they change this policy the
British government are choosing to remain in the role
of colonial occupier, underwriting Unionist hegemony in
the Six Counties.
It would be a mistake on the part of the
representatives of Irish nationalism to miss this
point. For if our political leaders are not to point
out to the British their responsibilities for resolving
the situation who will?.
Mary Nelis was unable to write her column this week
due to injuries received in a recent accident. All the
staff at An Phoblacht wish Mary a speedy recovery. Click here for the full story.
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