Contained in this section are many of the key documents detailing the evolution of Sinn Féin's peace strategy over the last 15 years, from the report of the Sinn Féin/SDLP talks in 1988 to the discussions leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
During the negotiations leading up to the Good Friday Agreement Sinn Féin published A Bridge to the Future. (8th March 1998) It set out Sinn Féin's long-term goals as an Irish republican party and the absolute minimum requirements for nationalists from any agreement. This talks process will be judged on whether it effectively tackles and removes the causes of conflict, and whether it moves us all, as part of a rolling process, or on a transitional basis, towards Irish unity and independence.
Following the IRA cessation, the British government failed to honour their commitment to hold all-party talks. Under international pressure, 15 months after the IRA cessation, the British government agreed to a twin track approach, which had as its objective the removal of pre-conditions to all-party talks. The Mitchell International Body was established to tackle the arms issue while the political track was to prepare for inclusive talks. Despite our grave reservations Sinn Féin engaged positively in the twin tracks process. This is our submission to the Mitchell Body.
A line of communication existed between Sinn Féin and the British government throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It was re-activated by the British government in mid 1990, leading to a period of protracted dialogue. At all times Sinn Féin acted in good faith. The British government response was to abuse this channel of communication through fabrications, lies and leaks. In order to set the record straight and to restore integrity to the process Sinn Féin published a record of communications between the party and the British government between October 1990 and November 1993.
On January 8th 1994 Sinn Fein established a Peace Commission to assess the Downing Street Declaration in terms of the party's overall peace strategy and to consult with the widest possible spectrum of public and private opinion on how to establish a lasting peace in Ireland. Five public meetings were held and 228 written and oral submissions received.
For many years Sinn Féin was involved in trying to build a consensus in Ireland around the need for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. Towards a Lasting Peace in Ireland was presented to the 1992 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis as a discussion document. Its main purpose was to develop the debate on how best to develop a strategy for peace in Ireland both within the party and externally.
On 11th January 1988 Sinn Féin and the SDLP begin a series of discussions in an attempt to find common ground on the conditions for an all-Ireland settlement. These talks lasted until September 1988.
Sinn Féin's peace strategy evolved over a period of ten years. It began with the key documents, Scenario for Peace (1987) and Towards a Lasting Peace (1992). At the core of the peace strategy was the need for a peace process to resolve the causes of conflict. The basic tenets of this were: to politically engage with our opponents, to bring about the exercise of the right to national self-determination and to put a peace process in place to bring this about.
The Irish government established the New Ireland Forum on 30 May 1983 as an all-Ireland forum to consult on the manner in which lasting peace and stability could be achieved in a new Ireland. While it excluded Sinn Féin, it took submissions from a wide range of opinion. The Forum published its report on 2 May 1984 and concludes that 'the desire of nationalists is for a united Ireland in the form of a sovereign, independent Irish state'.
