To a future of change
Sinn Féin is supporting a Yes vote in the referenda on the Good
Friday document in the Six Counties and on constitutional change
in the 26 Counties this Friday. It seems clear that the result
will be a majority yes vote in both referenda.
Republicans have severe reservations and concerns about several
aspects of the Good Friday document. While the party is
supporting a Yes vote North and South it recognises the
individual right of any republican to Vote No if that is their
wish.
Sinn Fein has acted decisively and taken its responsibilities in
this whole process very seriously and has lived up to them. The
Good Friday document does not represent a settlement. The
republican struggle continues and must be strengthened and
expanded in the days, weeks and months ahead.
The commitment of republican activists is the only sure guarantee
of further progress towards the democratic goal of Irish unity
and independence.
The Good Friday document and the referenda are only the beginning
of a political process. It is the intention of republicans to
turn that process into a transitional phase towards Irish unity.
It is the intention of our political opponents to prevent any
such forward movement or to overturn whatever gains have been
made.
Many sections of unionism wish to halt progress in a future
assembly and in the establishment of cross-border bodies. There
will be great efforts from such quarters to prevent the type of
change which has been promised and which has the potential to
move the situation towards a peace settlement.
Republicans are the only force which can turn the referenda and
the new structures into avenues for political progress. We are
commited to our republican objectives and that commitment will
remain whatver the outcome of the referenda this Friday.
Real democracy and a lasting peace will be achieved when the
British government has removed itself from our shores and when
the Irish people- Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter take charge
of our own destiny and map out a future as equals on this island.
Irish must not be left behind
The Irish language must not be ignored when the British
government are confronted with the European Charter for Regional
and Minority Languages in the next couple of weeks.
It will be essential, to fortify nationalist confidence and
correct the failed repression of the past, that the British
government deliver on their committments and sign all three
segments of the Charter in respect of the Irish language.
A recent leak from the NIO exposed an apparent intention to
placate unionist intransigence by only signing up in respect of
the Welsh language.
In the terms of the Good Friday document it was clearly stated
that ``active consideration'' would be given to the issue of the
Council of Europe Charter. If the British government wish to
redress their failed policies of hostility and neglect towards
our native tongue, then they must practically afford ingenuity
and resources to the equality agenda.
For too long community workers have been forced to struggle, with
little or no state funding, to maintain the lifeline of
meanscoileanna and bunscoileanna in Derry, Belfast and elsewhere.
Any successful equality agenda must allieviate such difficulties
and not prolong them, regardless of bigoted sectarian opposition.
Tokenism is not good enough.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/harp.gif)