Sinn Féin South Down MLA Caitríona Ruane - opening Equality and Human Rights section Ard Fheis 2006
'Equality is the touchstone issue for everyone'
Lá i ndiaidh lae
feicimid pictiúir uafáis ó achan carn den domhain le sárú ceart, déileáil
táirthe agus mídhaonnachúil, céasadh, tragóid, bochtaineacht.
Anseo
in Éirinn, is í fís s'againne ná Éire Aontaithe ina bhfuil cearta gach duine
faoi chosaint agus curtha chun cinn.
Tá Éire deighilte le
teorainn bhréagach a chruthaíonn agus a bhuanaíonn bochtaineacht agus le
teip iomlán rialtas na hÉireann agus rialtas na Breataine araon cearta
daonna gach duine a chosaint agus a chur chn cinn ar bhonn cothrom.
The
gap between the haves and the have-nots is growing. The wealth that should
enrich the nation and create huge opportunities is being squandered.
The
right to a fair wage, to education, to a decent home has not been upheld.
The
rights of immigrants, of the Travelling community, of people living in
poverty, of older people, of the gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender
community are being ignored and undermined.
Yet, the rights of
the rich and powerful - the vested interests - are being protected at the
expense of all others. Here in Ireland the two governments have declared
that rights are for sale to the highest bidder.
But people can
challenge the status quo. The civil rights movement rocked the British and
Irish establishments to their foundation. The rise of Sinn Féin has also
created profound challenges for the establishment.
There has been
progress. There is still a long road to be travelled.
We need to
stand shoulder to shoulder with campaigns like the Rossport 5, workers
rights campaigns, campaigns on the rights of immigrants and Asylum Seekers,
the rights of nationalists in the Six Counties. People with disabilities,
people in our psychiatric institutions, Travellers, young people in the
criminal justice system.
Violence against women and children
knows no borders and Sinn Féin will stand with those who protect their
rights.
We need to fight for the rights of people in Tallaght, on
the Shankill, Tralee and the Bogside.
Our activists are
passionate and committed. Working at local level with communities whose
quality of life needs uplifted but who continue to find themselves among the
poorest and most vulnerable.
Equality is the touchstone issue for
every republican everywhere. Its achievement is the key to unlocking the
stranglehold of discrimination in the North.
In the Six Counties
we still have councils like Larne and Lisburn where unionists refuse to
share power, where discrimination is alive and kicking.
We still
have government agencies like Invest NI that refuse to invest equally in
border areas and councils like Newry and Mourne, South Down, West of the
Bann, north and west Belfast.
Whether it is on the grounds of
political affiliation, religion, gender, disability, race or sexual
orientation - Sinn Féin will fight discrimination wherever it exists.
At
the heart of our vision for an Ireland of Equals we must build on the work
of the civil rights movements, we must connect with people who are being
excluded and marginalised.
This means that all of our working
must be built upon a rights based approach and it means that we need to work
to strengthen the tools and mechanisms that allow us to win the key rights
battles by those who are being forgotten and ignored.
I want to
move motions 25, 26 and 27.
Because we need an effective Bill of
Rights that can protect the rights of all rights across the island and we
need a Human Rights Commission that has the powers and remit to challenge
the failures of the British and Irish governments, and an all Ireland
Charter of Rights.
Sinn Féin will not tolerate discrimination in
any of its forms. I charge everyone leaving this hall today to go out and
use these tools, campaign on the ground, confront discrimination and make
change.