March deadline must be met
Sunday's rally in Belfast is a demonstration of nationalist
discontent.
``Nationalists must send the message to the British and Dublin
governments that they will not allow unionists to bring down the Good
Friday Agreement'', Sinn Fein national chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin
told AP/RN on Wednesday 24 February.
``Nationalists are angry that unionists have been able to block the
implementation of the Agreement. The overwhelming majority of people
in Ireland voted for the Agreement. They voted for change yet the
unionist veto has prevented change and unless the British government
ensures the unionists live up to their responsibility then the
Agreement will collapse'', warned McLaughlin.
The Sinn Fein chairperson went on to say: ``There are no preconditions
in the Agreement and the Executive and All-Ireland Implementation
bodies must be set up by the March 10 deadline. The next couple of
weeks represent a crucial phase in the peace process and it is
essential that the March 10 deadline is not missed''.
McLaughlin added: ``It is time to end the unionist veto and implement
the Agreement in full. Sinn Fein's mandate must be respected. 175,000
Sinn Fein voters cannot be silenced, our voters are not going to be
treated like second class citizens. We are calling on all people to
attend the rally this coming Sunday February 28 and demonstrate for
an end of the unionist veto''.
The march and rally on Sunday is a demand for democracy, the unionist
veto and failure to implement the agreement is anti-democratic. The
British and Dublin governments cannot allow the unionists to
undermine what is a basic right. We are all equals, and our votes,
the Sinn Fein mandate cannot be subjected to a unionist veto. Add
your voice to the demand for democracy, be there on Sunday.
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