Republican News · Thursday 3 April 2003

A Future of Equals

BY ÁINE Ní BHRIAN

Sinn Féin has recommited itself to building an Ireland of equals, and that includes supporting the role of women within and without the party.

Gerry Adams stated in his presidential address that the party must increase its political representation of women at all levels

"This party needs to continue with radical and political change to facilitate this," he said, "that includes male members moving over in order to empower women comrades. It means recruiting more women into our ranks. I do not want to be a member of a party which is not conscious of this."

As expected, the debate on an amendment to Rule 21 and its related motions - which would ensure that in future the Ard Chomhairle would be made up of six men and six women - was intense and animated.

At the previous Ard Fheis, the amendment was struck down, with some party members, including many women, arguing that it would mean women were not being selected based on their ability or personal skills and strengths, but to facilitate a party quota. Many expressed the belief that those selected for the Ard Chomhairle should be the party's best representatives, regardless of gender.

However, the debate continued this year, with both male and women delegates arguing for and against the amendment with vigour.

"I am not a second class citizen," one female delegate said passionately, as she urged the Ard Fheis to vote in favor of the amendment, "and I am not a second class republican."

"How can we expect to build an Ireland of equals," asked another profoundly, "if we cannot build a party of equals?"

But when it came time for delegates to cast their votes, the results were stunningly close.

In order for the amendment to be passed, it needed the support of two thirds of the assembled delegates. The motion was so tightly contested that Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness, who had been called away just prior to the vote, rushed back into the hall waving his delegate card high above his head to ensure his vote would be counted.

In the end, the amendment was passed by a breathtakingly narrow margin. The vote was 104 in favor and 52 opposed.

Opening the equality debate, Bairbre de Brún had said:

"From the outset of negotiations that lead to the Good Friday Agreement Sinn Féin put on record our position that comprehensive, systematic, effective and entrenched protection of human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural - must underpin any new institutions and structures.

"We also stressed that particular attention must be paid to the protection of the rights and identity of any community that finds itself in a minority position. That remains our position in respect of both present and future constitutional arrangements. One thing that the period from partition has proved is that exclusion, discrimination and inequality do not work."

The expansive and diverse range of all the motions put forth at this year's Ard Fheis was truly inspiring and reflects Sinn Fein's commitment to ensuring a high quality of life, freedom, and equality for all Irish citizens and the larger International community as a whole.

The Ard Fheis welcomed its many international guests with great enthusiasm and sent its support and solidarity to the people of Palestine, the Basque Country, and other oppressed nations and peoples throughout the world.

During the equality section of the programme, the Ard Fheis also voted to protect and advocate the rights of women, Travellers, asylum seekers, and gay and lesbian parents.

Delegates called for free or low cost childcare, equality of housing and visiting rights for men and women who are separated, and for concerted action to eliminate fuel poverty, poor housing, child poverty, and other forms of social exclusion such as the differential in unemployment rates between the two main communities in the North.

There were also motions passed which supported government-sponsored care and after-care programs for victims of drug abuse - including a review of methadone programmes in Dublin city, a campaign to combat alcohol abuse and a ban on advertising directed at young children.

In another energetic debate, a motion which suggested that Sinn Féin should not lay wreaths at British War Memorials or honour British dead in any way in the future, was struck down.

Its sister motion, which called for the removal of all remnants of British occupation of Ireland, including monuments, symbols and titles, was also defeated, and many delegates enthusiastically praised Belfast Mayor Alex Maskey's decision to place a wreath at a memorial dedicated to the men who died in the battle of the Somme during WWI. Most delegates saw this as an inclusive and progressive effort to respect all traditions of the city equally.

"We always said that we would never treat unionists as we have been treated," said one delegate, "and I applaud Alex Maskey's decision to represent all the people of his city in his capacity as mayor."

Waterford's David Cullinane told delegates that the decision to lay a wreath "was not a justification of the British war machine. Nor were we saying that we believed it was right that millions of men and women, including tens of thousands of Irishmen from both traditions were wasted in an unjustifiable imperialist conflict. They went to war not for Empire, but for a decent wage unavailable to them here and because the leaders of constitutional nationalism betrayed them.

"The actions of Alex Maskey demonstrated to the world the inclusive approach of Sinn Féin and our respect for the traditions of others. I believe he has raised the bar for the Mayor who follows him and I hope that the Unionist community's choice for Mayor will take a similar approach to reaching out to our community."

Sinn Féin also called for the Human Rights Commission to be governed by the basic minimum standards established by the UN, such as the Paris Principles, and called on the Dublin government to incorporate the European Convention on Human Rights into law.

It noted that the Bill of Rights required by the GFA has not been enacted in the Six Counties and that there is still no strong anti-sectarian legislation that upholds "the right to freedom from sectarian harassment" and the right to "freely choose one's place of residence".

By the way, motion 258 was also passed - which accepts the dangers and determental health effects of smoking, including passive smoking - and ensures that it will be party policy that all offices, shops and buildings owned and managed by Sinn Féin will be smoke-free zones.

So, drop that butt, comrades.