Adams - Unionism will not stop process of change
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP today addressed a rally in Letterkenny to mark
the end of the 1981 hunger strike. Mr Adams spoke of the 10 hunger strikers
but also of the current political crisis in the process and the approach of
the DUP.
The hunger strike ended on October 3rd 25 years ago
after 217 days. By that point 10 men had died inside the prison and almost
50 more people had been killed on the streets. This year Irish republicans
have been commemorating the events of that year but in particular the
heroism and generosity of the ten hunger strikers.
Mr Adams said:
"The
huge generosity of spirit, self-sacrifice and unselfishness has made
Bobby
Sands and his 9 comrades role models for Irish republicans everywhere.
Their
titanic battle against great odds and over five difficult, harrowing
years,
caught the imagination and touched the hearts of millions.
"The
determination of the men in the H Blocks and the women prisoners in
Armagh
ultimately defeated the British government's criminalisation
strategy.
The enduring legacy of the hunger strikers is to be found all
around
us. Like the Easter Rising 65 years earlier it is a watershed in
modern
Irish history. The political growth of Sinn Féin and of Irish
republicanism
is in no small measure a result of their courage.
"But more
importantly, their legacy is to be found in the peace process and
the
positive transformation it has wrought in Irish society in recent years.
That
process of change continues. It is taking place every single day. For
many
the twenty fifth anniversary of the deaths of the H Block hunger
strikers
has been a personal as well as a political time of remembrance. But
for
everyone interested in freedom and justice and peace in Ireland it has
been
a time to reflect on the lessons of the past and to commit to
continuing
the struggle to achieve a free, democratic and united Ireland."
Speaking
on the current situation Mr. Adams said:
"Republican remains
firmly focused on building a nationwide movement for
change not only to
end partition but for social justice and equality across
the island of
Ireland.
The big challenge in the short term is to get the political institutions of
the
Good Friday Agreement back in place. Obviously this cannot be down
without
Ian Paisley's DUP agreeing to share power with the rest of us.
"While
most people are justifiably sceptical about the DUP's intentions no
one
should be in any doubt about the limits to the DUP's options in the time
ahead.
"Of
course, Ian Paisley may decide not to participate in the power sharing
government
but what does that achieve in the longer term for his party or
their
constituents?
"It condemns them to living in a second-class
society with second-class
public services undermined by punitive fiscal
policies administered by
unaccountable British Ministers.
"Not
only is that counterproductive but it will have no long term effect on
Sinn
Féin's efforts to develop our vision for the future. So the DUP's
approach
is limited to delaying tactics that may give the fundamentalists
some
respite in the short term but it will not stop the process of change.
"That
process will continue including on an all-Ireland basis and across a
myriad
of cross-border measures and agreed partnership arrangements. If and
when
unionism decides to come back to the negotiating table in the future
the
progress that will have been made in those areas cannot and will not be
undone
or wished away.
"Irish republicans will be generous and
magnanimous in our outreach to
unionism because that has to be the mark
of our vision which includes a view
that orange and green can be united
on the basis of equality. The demands of
this time need more than King
Canute like tactics. Unionism also needs to be
generous and
magnanimous." ENDS