Sinn Fein
Week in Review
23-30 October 2014
Sinn Féin team urges `credible talks’ and reasserts commitment `to find a way forward’
On 28 October Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said that a party delegation led by Martin McGuinness had held its first bilateral meeting with the DUP since preparatory talks began two weeks ago.
Conor Murphy said the delegation met Peter Robinson and the DUP’s talks team `for comprehensive discussions across a wide range of issues’.
However he expressed `disappointment’ that the DUP `has yet to participate in a plenary session of talks’. He called for `a credible talks process involving all the parties, the two governments and the support of the US administration’.
He said Sinn Féin was `committed to finding a way forward’ and planned `a series of meetings tomorrow with the two governments, former Senator Gary Hart, the UUP and the Alliance Party.’
Earlier on 27 November Mr Murphy said that despite entering the third week of preparatory talks, called for by the DUP, there was still `no agenda, no timetable, no programme of work or no structure for chairing.’
- * Public meeting – building a pro-Agreement Axis
ADVANCE NOTICE: Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy will be among speakers at a Westminster public meeting on Tuesday 25 November, 7.30pm, on the current stakes for the peace process and the need to assert pro-Agreement politics. The meeting will take place in the Boothroyd Room, House of Commons Further speakers and details to be announced, or via fisherj@parliament.uk
Unionist ultimatum on parade holding talks to ransom – Murphy
Conor Murphy last week said that unionist ultimatum over an Orange Order parade in North Belfast continued to hold all-party talks at Stormont to ransom. Despite progress not being made after weeks of preparatory talks, British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers `continues to engage with the DUP on the issue of the North Belfast Orange Order parade’, Mr Murphy said.
He added, `The British government is clearly playing political footsy with the DUP under the table. We made it clear that Theresa Villiers that is a mistake on her behalf and it’s the wrong way to go about this process.
He concluded: `We have held talks with both governments, the Alliance and the SDLP and agreed a meeting with the UUP.’
Sinn Fein MPs continue lobby to highlight the anti-agreement threat to the peace process
Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew was in London last week where she met a number of MPs and briefed the media, including the Irish Post, on the current political difficulties in the political process in the North and stressed the need to ensure that the pro-Agreement majority in Britain saw a more visible and vocal expression, to exert some pressure on the British government and political parties, in particular in the run up to next May’s election. Ms Gildernew said her meetings had been `very useful’ and underlined the necessity to continue to assert a pro-Agreement axis, particularly in Britain.
Ms Gildernew said she and Sinn Fein’s other MPs would be in London on a weekly basis, and at the end of November would host a key public meeting on the issue in Westminster.
British government must face responsibilities on the past – McGuinness
This week Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has said the British government `must face up to its responsibilities on dealing with the past’. Speaking to relatives of victims of state violence at Stormont ahead of a human rights conference in Belfast next Thursday Mr McGuinness said it had been `a particularly difficult year for many families from across this society seeking truth and justice about the death of their loved ones’
He added, `We have witnessed families being denied an inquiry into the Ballymurphy massacre, the inaction of the PSNI to investigate the actions Military Reaction Force, the call for a public inquiry into the deaths of 18 people at the hands of loyalists in Mid Ulster, the PSNI refusal to co-operate with the Gerard Lawlor inquest, the ongoing refusal to honour their commitment to hold an inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane and the destruction of documents relating to shoot-to-kill deaths just weeks before an inquest was due to begin.’
He said it was `clear that the British government fears the truth.’
He concluded, Sinn Féin `will not tolerate the British government seeking to rewrite their role in the conflict’ and added `there are many differing perspectives on the causes of the past conflict, what happened and who was responsible. We are up for a comprehensive discussion about the nature, causes and consequences of conflict. The question is, is the British government? In all of our deliberations we have sought to put the needs of victims first.’
Homes attacked in Short Strand but calm must prevail – Ó Donnghaile
On 28 October Sinn Féin councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile called for calm after two homes were attacked in the Short Strand area with an elderly woman suffering cuts and bruises.
Speaking after visiting the homes which were attacked Niall Ó Donnghaile said it was `yet more evidence of the fallout from the ongoing orchestrated attacks taking place in East Belfast’. He said he had visited two women who had homes attacked, including one in her seventies `who had to receive treatment from paramedics for shock and cuts to her head and feet after glass shattered in on top of her’.
The Sinn Fein councillor said he also attended an emergency meeting of the East Belfast PCSP `which was forthright in its unity and determination to see an end to recent incidents’.
He urged `proactive and joined-up political, community and statutory leadership to face these issues but also resources and support for those on the ground who are working to deal with the issues and make the East safer for all’ and concluded by repeating `all incidents at the interface in East Belfast should end now and residents there should be left to live in peace.’
Sinn Féin discuss welfare cuts with main church leaders – Maskey
A Sinn Féin party delegation including Conor Murphy MP, Assembly Members Mickey Brady and Fra McCann and Alex Maskey Chairperson of the Social Development Committee has met church leaders in Armagh today over concerns around Welfare Reform cuts.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Maskey said it was `most constructive and in depth’ and he welcomed the opportunity `to discuss the current impasse on proposed Welfare Reform legislation in the Assembly’.
He said discussions covered the `widespread public concern and confusion about what impacts there will likely be, if the legislation is passed unamended in the Assembly’ and concluded: `All of us at the meeting agreed that tackling poverty and protecting the most vulnerable in our community is the responsibility of all of society whilst the Assembly parties have the responsibility to seek agreement on the way forward in protecting the most vulnerable while also helping to make politics work better for everyone.’
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