A Yes to effective change
But referenda votes are only a beginning
Sinn Fein intends to push the ``Good Friday'' document to its
outer limits and beyond
Pat Doherty
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Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has welcomed the Yes vote in the
two referenda, but has reminded people that it represents only a
beginning. He said the mechanisms of change encouraged by the
document had to be put in place as a matter of urgency.
He called on David Trimble to begin talks, saying it was the wish
of the people who voted Yes to see their leaders engage in
inclusive dialogue. ``There is a responsibility on all of us now
to deliver on the hope which the people of this island have voted
for in such overwhelming numbers'', he said during a press
conference on Sunday.
Talking about the other issues that needed to be tackled, he
renewed his appeal to the Orange Order to re-route a dozen of
sectarian or so provocative marches away from nationalist areas
and said nationalists on Garvaghy Road should not be forced to
``lie down in front of the Orange boots on 5 July.
``That means the Orange Order not going into these areas. That
means the British standing up for the rights of the people in
those areas and not using the RUC to batter people in their own
neighbourhoods'', stated Adams.
Gerry Adams also raised the question of decommissioning. ``There
is clearly a need for urgent movement on the entire
demilitarisation front and Sinn Fein has consistently called on
armed groups, whether they are the British army, the RUC,
loyalist groups or these other republican groups to follow the
IRA's example'', he concluded.
On Monday 25 May, Sinn Fein vice-President Pat Doherty called for
a formal voting arrangement with the SDLP which ensures that
nationalist voters act in their own interests by voting for
nationalist candidates. His comments came hours after SDLP MP
Seamus Mallon hinted that his party could call on it's supporters
to vote for unionist candidates.
``It is essential that nationalist representation in this new
situation is maximised to ensure effective and immediate change,
to secure equality, justice, cultural rights, demilitarisation,
the release of prisoners, a new police service, a new judiciary
and an end to sectarian Orange marches in areas like the Garvaghy
Road and Lower Ormeau Road'', he said before adding: ``Sinn Fein
intends to push the ``Good Friday'' document to its outer limits
and beyond.''
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