WE WANT PEACE TOO: SF
We want Peace too: SF
By BRIAN DOWLING and GENE McKENNA
SINN Fein moved to shore up its backers and convince its detractors it is genuine in its wish to take the gun out of Irish politics for ever when it released a statement yesterday saying violence must now be "a thing of the past, over, done with and gone".
On the eve of the visit of the United States' First Lady, Hillary Clinton, and tommorrow's return trip to the North of President Bill Clinton, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outlined his views on the peace process - falling short only of using the craved "war is over" formula.
In a statement widely welcomed for its potential to break the logjam in the deadlocked process, Mr Adams said: "We have to work politically to make the Omagh bombing the last violent incident in our country, the last incident of this kind. We are committed to making conflict a thing of the past."
Paradoxically, the attempts by dissident republicans to wreck the peace process has resulted in creating the opposite effect. The West Belfast Assembly member and MP opened the statement with: "My position on what happened in Omagh on August I5 is quite categoric. I have condemned it without equivocation.
"This appalling act was carried out by those opposed to the peace process. It is designed to wreck the process and everyone should work to ensure the peace process continues, as is the clear wish of the people of the island. Sinn Fein has called for a complete halt to such actions and has urged all armed groups to stop immediately."
Shouldering Sinn Fein squarely with the pro-Agreement elements North and South, on both islands, across Europe and in the States the statement was clearly aimed at isolating groups like the Real IRA.
'EXCLUSIVELY PEACEFUL MEANS'
"Those responsible (for Omagh) are aligning themselves with the forces opposed to a democratic settlement in the conflict here. Sinn Fein is committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means to achieve a way forward."
All eyes will now be cast in the direction of the decommissioning issue and the resumption of the new Stormont Assembly in two weeks time. If the form of words employed yesterday satisfies First Minister David Trimble's hardline rump then Sinn Fein will be primed to take up their two seats in the new Executive.
The statement said: "There is a shared responsibility to removing the causes and to achieving an end to all conflict. Sinn Fein believe the violence we have seen must be for all of us now a thing of' the past, over, done with and gone.
"In particular the two governments have the principal responsibility, as do the party leaders. I am committed to play my part, as is Sinn Fein."
'CRUCIAL PRINCIPLE'
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night welcomed Mr Adams's statement as marking "an important advance" in the consolidation of the Good Friday Agreement.
He said it represented "a further positive contribution" by Sinn Fein to the building of confidence and trust.
The Taoiseach said a central principle of the Agreement was the commitment by the parties to it "to exclusively peaceful and democratic means of resolving differences on political issues".
He said Sinn Fein's statement had further underlined its commitment, and that of the mainstream republican community which it represented, to "that crucial principle".
Mr Ahern said he also endorsed the Sinn Fein view that there was a shared responsibility in removing the causes of, and to achieving an end to, all conflict and to making the Omagh bombing the last violent incident of its kind.
The best means of ensuring the achievement of that objective, he said, was the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects.
IRA STATEMENT
But Fine Gael leader John Bruton was more cautious in his response, saying he did not see anything "particularly new" in what Gerry Adams had said.
"But I can understand why the Taoiseach would want to see something new in it because of the Clinton visit coming later this week," he said.
All Mr Adams was expressing in his statement was a "wish" that violence was over but he had expressed that wish before, he added.
Mr Bruton recalled the IRA statement of earlier this week re-affirming an earlier statement that there would be no decommissioning of weapons.
And, he said, that IRA statement was "a clear rejection" of the Good Friday Referendum result.
Labour leader Ruairi Quinn welcomed the Adams statement as "a positive development at this crucial stage of the peace process".
Democratic Left leader Proinsias de Rossa also welcomed the Adams statement as "a step forward".
Republican Sinn Fein, led by Ruairi O Bradaigh, last night distanced itself from the "violence must be a thing of the past" statement by Gerry Adams, which. Mr O Bradaigh claimed, ignored the basic cause of the centuries-old conflict in Ireland - the unjust and undemocratic British government presence here.
By BRIAN DOWLING and GENE McKENNA
SINN Fein moved to shore up its backers and convince its detractors it is genuine in its wish to take the gun out of Irish politics for ever when it released a statement yesterday saying violence must now be "a thing of the past, over, done with and gone".
On the eve of the visit of the United States' First Lady, Hillary Clinton, and tommorrow's return trip to the North of President Bill Clinton, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams outlined his views on the peace process - falling short only of using the craved "war is over" formula.
In a statement widely welcomed for its potential to break the logjam in the deadlocked process, Mr Adams said: "We have to work politically to make the Omagh bombing the last violent incident in our country, the last incident of this kind. We are committed to making conflict a thing of the past."
Paradoxically, the attempts by dissident republicans to wreck the peace process has resulted in creating the opposite effect. The West Belfast Assembly member and MP opened the statement with: "My position on what happened in Omagh on August I5 is quite categoric. I have condemned it without equivocation.
"This appalling act was carried out by those opposed to the peace process. It is designed to wreck the process and everyone should work to ensure the peace process continues, as is the clear wish of the people of the island. Sinn Fein has called for a complete halt to such actions and has urged all armed groups to stop immediately."
Shouldering Sinn Fein squarely with the pro-Agreement elements North and South, on both islands, across Europe and in the States the statement was clearly aimed at isolating groups like the Real IRA.
'EXCLUSIVELY PEACEFUL MEANS'
"Those responsible (for Omagh) are aligning themselves with the forces opposed to a democratic settlement in the conflict here. Sinn Fein is committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means to achieve a way forward."
All eyes will now be cast in the direction of the decommissioning issue and the resumption of the new Stormont Assembly in two weeks time. If the form of words employed yesterday satisfies First Minister David Trimble's hardline rump then Sinn Fein will be primed to take up their two seats in the new Executive.
The statement said: "There is a shared responsibility to removing the causes and to achieving an end to all conflict. Sinn Fein believe the violence we have seen must be for all of us now a thing of' the past, over, done with and gone.
"In particular the two governments have the principal responsibility, as do the party leaders. I am committed to play my part, as is Sinn Fein."
'CRUCIAL PRINCIPLE'
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night welcomed Mr Adams's statement as marking "an important advance" in the consolidation of the Good Friday Agreement.
He said it represented "a further positive contribution" by Sinn Fein to the building of confidence and trust.
The Taoiseach said a central principle of the Agreement was the commitment by the parties to it "to exclusively peaceful and democratic means of resolving differences on political issues".
He said Sinn Fein's statement had further underlined its commitment, and that of the mainstream republican community which it represented, to "that crucial principle".
Mr Ahern said he also endorsed the Sinn Fein view that there was a shared responsibility in removing the causes of, and to achieving an end to, all conflict and to making the Omagh bombing the last violent incident of its kind.
The best means of ensuring the achievement of that objective, he said, was the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects.
IRA STATEMENT
But Fine Gael leader John Bruton was more cautious in his response, saying he did not see anything "particularly new" in what Gerry Adams had said.
"But I can understand why the Taoiseach would want to see something new in it because of the Clinton visit coming later this week," he said.
All Mr Adams was expressing in his statement was a "wish" that violence was over but he had expressed that wish before, he added.
Mr Bruton recalled the IRA statement of earlier this week re-affirming an earlier statement that there would be no decommissioning of weapons.
And, he said, that IRA statement was "a clear rejection" of the Good Friday Referendum result.
Labour leader Ruairi Quinn welcomed the Adams statement as "a positive development at this crucial stage of the peace process".
Democratic Left leader Proinsias de Rossa also welcomed the Adams statement as "a step forward".
Republican Sinn Fein, led by Ruairi O Bradaigh, last night distanced itself from the "violence must be a thing of the past" statement by Gerry Adams, which. Mr O Bradaigh claimed, ignored the basic cause of the centuries-old conflict in Ireland - the unjust and undemocratic British government presence here.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/204
Published Date: 02-Sep-98
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