Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Maskey attends Presbyterian General Assembly

Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey carried out his first two official engagements this week. When he attended the opening of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church on Monday night, 10 June, he was the first Sinn Féin representative to attend the body. Then on Tuesday night, 11 June, he was present at a Palestinian Cultural night in An Cultúrlann MacAdaim Ó Fiaich on the Falls Road.

Maskey's attendance at the opening of the Presbyterian General Assembly, attended by over 1,200 people, was not without controversy, with some unionists threatening to picket the event.

In the end, when Maskey arrived at Church House in Belfast City Centre, he was confronted by just one protestor.

All eyes were on Maskey's visit given the negative unionist reaction to the Sinn Féin councillor's election as Lord Mayor of Belfast last Wednesday, 5 June.

Some members of the Presbyterian Church itself objected to the invite while the Reverend Ian Paisley attacked the Presbyterian Church accusing it, "of plumbing new depths", by issuing the invitation. "The fact that the Irish Presbyterian Church are to receive, without protest, a Sinn Féin representative shows the depth to which ecumenism brings a church," he stormed.

The Church said the invitation is a longstanding one issued to the sitting Lord Mayor of Belfast and it wasn't prepared to withdraw it.

The incoming Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, the Reverend Russell Birney speaking to the media said that he was aware Maskey was taking a risk in accepting the invitation but that Presbyterians would make him feel welcome.

For his part, Maskey said: "This is an invitation that has been long standing to all Belfast mayors. I am delighted to be able to take up this opportunity.

"As I have said I will do my best to be representative of all the citizens of Belfast," concluded Maskey.

On Tuesday, Maskey attended a Palestinian Cultural night in An Cultúrlann MacAdaim Ó Fiaich on Tuesday 11 June.

The event, jointly hosted by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Falls Community Council, saw many members of the Palestinian community in Belfast coming together to meet people from West Belfast.

"We see too often the negative side of the conflict and the turmoil of the people trapped by it. This event will highlight the other side of the coin, the vibrant culture that is inherent in the Palestinian Community that is sadly overlooked, said organiser Feilim Ó hAdhmaill.

During his speech, Maskey announced that in his time as mayor he intends to set up a civic forum aimed at bringing people from all ethnic minorities living in the city into the life of Belfast.