DON'T LET THE MONSTERS WIN
DON'T LET THE MONSTERS WIN
By Dr BRIAN FEENEY, Irish political commentator
THIS atrocity is the result of the Republican split last autumn.
Senior IRA men rejected the peace strategy of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
Since then they have timed a bombing campaign to embarrass their former colleagues.
Unionist disquiet at the direction David Trimble was following reached a climax as the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
Now only two of his nine MPs back him and there is talk of a new Unionist alignment if he goes into a cabinet with Sinn Fein.
Yet the Good Friday Agreement received more than 70per cent support at the referendum in May.
I know I speak for the majority of people in Northern Ireland who voted for the Agreement when I say: "Stop worrying about trying to mollycoddle the disaffected and get on with implementing the Agreement that the people voted for."
People in the North and South have overwhelmingly rejected the dissidents in a simultaneous vote.
Omagh was a setback. Its potential to derail the peace process should not be underestimated.
Trimble fears two or three of his Assembly members may defect and deprive him of the majority he needs to implement contentious parts of the Agreement.
Adams and Trimble should realise they need each other. Adams needs to now swiftly distance himself from violence, now and in the future.
Trimble should acknowledge Adams' existence as the leader of a large proportion of the electorate.
Both men owe it to the people killed and injured in Omagh to move the peace process forward now.
Don't let the bombers win.
By Dr BRIAN FEENEY, Irish political commentator
THIS atrocity is the result of the Republican split last autumn.
Senior IRA men rejected the peace strategy of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
Since then they have timed a bombing campaign to embarrass their former colleagues.
Unionist disquiet at the direction David Trimble was following reached a climax as the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
Now only two of his nine MPs back him and there is talk of a new Unionist alignment if he goes into a cabinet with Sinn Fein.
Yet the Good Friday Agreement received more than 70per cent support at the referendum in May.
I know I speak for the majority of people in Northern Ireland who voted for the Agreement when I say: "Stop worrying about trying to mollycoddle the disaffected and get on with implementing the Agreement that the people voted for."
People in the North and South have overwhelmingly rejected the dissidents in a simultaneous vote.
Omagh was a setback. Its potential to derail the peace process should not be underestimated.
Trimble fears two or three of his Assembly members may defect and deprive him of the majority he needs to implement contentious parts of the Agreement.
Adams and Trimble should realise they need each other. Adams needs to now swiftly distance himself from violence, now and in the future.
Trimble should acknowledge Adams' existence as the leader of a large proportion of the electorate.
Both men owe it to the people killed and injured in Omagh to move the peace process forward now.
Don't let the bombers win.
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/010
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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