It was in this month a year ago that the Sinn Fein national chair Declan Kearney began sprinkling the seeds of a reconciliation initiative. The setting was the Waterfront Hall and his party’s first ever Ard Fheis to be staged in Belfast. Kearney urged republicans to step outside their comfort zones: 'to take new and thoughtful initiatives in the interests of reconciliation.'
'We need to use new language and consider new compromises to reconcile our society’s divisions,' he said.
Then, six months later, he penned an article for the republican newspaper An Phoblacht introducing the word "sorry"
That article, more than the speech a year ago, is what began the behind-the-scenes conversations with people from the Protestant, unionist, loyalist community; People such as Rev Lesley Carroll, Rev Harold Good, the former IMC Commissioner Lord Alderdice, loyalists Jackie McDonald, John Bunting and John Howcroft, victims’ campaigner Alan McBride and others.
Those conversations, in terms of building new relationships and friendships, are, of course, important, but what progress is being made on reconciliation, on building a new future, and on answering the questions of the past?
One source – a republican – talked about 'playing handball against a haystack', another, this time in the Protestant community, describing political unionism’s response, talked about the flowers that are put in the bin as a statement of rejection.
So, there is still too much suspicion and cynicism attached to this initiative; a questioning of what the ‘Provos’ are up to.
Inside the republican community there is also a questioning of why Kearney and Martin McGuinness are saying what they are saying about Bloody Friday, Claudy and the Shankill bomb with no obvious or apparent reciprocation.
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams pictured at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast 2011
Credibility is being stretched in an initiative in which it seems political unionism’s only interest is questioning the actions and orders of McGuinness, Gerry Adams and the IRA
Republicans also argue that narrow questioning of the past is found within chunks of the media; that, primarily, the focus is on what the IRA and republicans did wrong and the wider frame is ignored.
A future cannot be built on the sinking sands of the past, and unless there is some comprehensive answering of that past, then the future will always be unstable.
So, it is not just about Adams, McGuinness and the IRA; the questions to them and their answers. It is about questions for everybody, all sides – republican, loyalist, political, governments, security, intelligence, media, churches and others. It is about all questions or no questions. This is the choice, and the decision to be made. If we want to quiz Adams, McGuinness and the IRA, then we must expect the return questions and be prepared to give the answers.
At a recent summer school in Cork and in the presence of Alan McBride, Declan Kearney said there was no excuse for the human loss and suffering caused by the Shankill bomb. Amanda Fullerton was also part of that panel discussion. Her father Eddie, a Sinn Fein councillor, was shot dead by loyalists during a supposed truce in 1991. That period of the early 1990s saw a surge in loyalist killings; by re-armed organisations using weapons smuggled and supplied by Ulster Resistance. Yet there is nothing like the same political and media focus on those events; those killings within which the Fullerton story is a part.
Almost four thousand people lost their lives, many more were injured, and what happened, happened. Part of this building towards a new future, has to be an examination of not just what, but why; an examination of that statement Mr Nesbitt made at the weekend.
If we go there, into that type of process, then it will be every question, for every side, at the same time, with the same rules. The continuing Price/Adams saga on London bombs and the ‘disappeared
The reconciliation talks are happening and continuing, but they need direction and focus.
This cannot become more talking in circles – talking that goes nowhere.
Truth and justice are anathema in this rotten little statelet and will always be so, has been like this since its inception born out of the threat of violence maintained by violence and gerrymandering it is rotten to the core. quisling $inn £ein have the right to say sorry as often as they like in as many ways as they like,but as an Irish socialist republican I say to them NOT IN MY NAME!
ReplyDeleteThe excessive apologising of Kearney et al is nothing more than psychological manipulation.
ReplyDeleteIf only the sheep could see it, but instead they'll be convinced that its the right thing to do and be lining up to say sorry.
let them sign confessions and do their whack if they are sorry.
ReplyDeleteMarty, Belfast bookworm and Larry Hughes - couldn't agree more....perhaps you could help me in trying to determine which imbecile will be buttered up and sacrificed to publicly appear and say sorry and tell all at any of these truth and reconciliation tribunals..the term 'tribunal' sort of gives it credence doesn't it...don’t say Kearney for he is the public driving force and he won’t certainly be dropped in it although Adams et al have been known!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI believe that this little public exercise is a subterfuge to mask some other ulterior motive….perhaps to take their seats at Westminster after the next British General election…..need to lay the ground work now for the current British Coalition could collapse at any moment....sure why wouldn’t they?
Kearney remains completely unconvincing, I dunno how anyone other than the sheep could take him serious. Their strategy is so bankrupt, it is something the Shinners have to attempt to do. But it also means some of them have to put their head above the parapet too and which carries some considerable personal risk for some of them
ReplyDeletethe dirty protest was ignored by a SF that pissed and shit on all the dead who put them in Stormont (of all places ffs) people were fed up with it. But instead of being pro active in denying jail issues to radicals they sat in Stormont doin fuck-all. An xray machine would have saved Marty Mi6 and his piss-process. Any deaths and collapse of Stormont is SF own fault. McCartney the wee shit was on tv for 5 mins last night, never mentioned the jail or the protest. Only mentioned guns for screws and save passage to and from work for them. SF are exposed...to hell with them all. If it starts again and i lose a child i wont be blaming Colin Duffy!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like snake-oil being sold by snakes.
ReplyDeleteNiall; Tom Hartley will definitely be one of the first in the queue. But I don't think he'll need any buttering up, he'll be clambering to do it.
ReplyDeleteI'd also say one of the 'hard men' too. Seanna Walsh read the 'biggy' statement in an effort to bring credibility and get buy-in so it'll be someone like him.
Tom Casidy
ReplyDelete'Sounds like snake-oil being sold by snakes'
ive been the biggest crtic of so called dissidents on here but things have been let fester so bad that your description is unfortunately what i see and hear every time a SF gobshite gets on tv these days.
SF political stance is like yer woman in little britain...
ReplyDeleteyeagh but no but yeagh but no but yeagh but... yeagh!
they should pull Robinson aside and say just introduce xray machines in jail ffs and give them status like in the H-Blocks...sure we cant have people lookin up our wee Pagraig Wilson's hole or slapping him around too can we...?
job done and the piss-process back on track!
McGuinness calls for a conviction after Duffy arested today and calls 'dissidents' criminals tonight on tv. Gerry Kelly says the Padraig Wilson charge is politcal policing by the RUC...Wilson was covering up a criminal stabbing in a pub.
ReplyDeleteIs anyone esle seeing SF delusion here?
A new Provo jail 'staff' has just been elected.
Liam Adams. Padraig Wilson, Gary Glitter and Freddie Starr. I rest my case...
I think it is important for republicans to apologise for any wrongdoing they committed during the Troubles, e.g., war crimes like the Kingsmill massacre, the Enniskillen bombing and, indeed, the bombing of all commercial targets. At the same time, if the Provos do not believe that they were wrong to fight an armed campaign against British state forces in Northern Ireland for the guts of 25 years, then what exactly are they apologising for? Moreover, given that British state forces and loyalists essentially started the conflict, why are republicans the only ones who should apologise?
ReplyDeleteAlfie
ReplyDelete'I think it is important for republicans to apologise for any wrongdoing they committed during the Troubles, e.g., war crimes like the Kingsmill massacre, the Enniskillen bombing and, indeed, the bombing of all commercial targets'.
nice guys always lose. Its only mnor collateral damage. chillax.
The brits never apaologised for Dresden, the yanks for the Nukes in Japan and they were all DELIBERATE. The war was supposed to be over but the RUC with redundancies safely in the bank are back cherry picking victims with the historical crimes unit...? Apologise for nothing!!
ReplyDeleteThey are still attacking nationalists and even with SF full support in doing it they can't help going after SF...must say though that bit does my heart no end of good. Laughter is good medicine after all.