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There
has been a great deal of inaccurate speculation about
the current round of talks between the British and
ourselves. The effect of these leaks may often to
be to put unfair pressure on the other side, and so
it is with some reluctance that I feel compelled to
set out in brief the contents of our modest proposals
for reviving the Good Friday Agreemnt, a succinct
document which I had the privilege of helping to carry
into Stormont last week. As Ireland's leading civil
rights organisation, it is incumbent upon Sinn Fein
to make sure that certain core principles are enshrined;
1.
The institutions must be safeguarded. They have repeatedly
been suspended at the whim of the unionists. Consent
is at the very heart of the peace process and therefore
logically it follows that unionists cannot be permitted
to withold it.
2.
Judicial reform; we are keen to see judges from the
South sitting in the North. To those who point out
that the law is different, we say that this will result
in decisions which are less pedantic, and more based
on common sense. We also want new disciplinary procedures,
to cover unacceptable conduct, words, or indeed verdicts.
This can be extended later to cover witnesses and
jurors, as part of a comprehensive reconciliation
strategy. Judicial independence is a fundamental issue
in our society. Sinn Fein will oppose it vigorously.
3.
We have called for an all-island sex offenders register.
Contrary to reports, this is not a gratuitous swipe
at Vincent McKenna. That's just a bonus; the register
will cover all non-CRJ-approved child abuse.
4.
Continued spying is undermining trust between the
parties. It is therefore imperative that all British
agents within the civil service be removed forthwith.
For monitoring purpose we will require names and addresses
of all such individuals.
5.
We require further movement on policing to make it
acceptable to the urban guerrilla community.
6.
Symbols are a vital issue. We are happy to consider
issues such as flags with an open mind, but to be
acceptable, any such flag should give equal prominence
to the colours, green and orange, associated with
our two communities.
7.
Who the hell says 'Londonderry' anyway?
8.
S. Armagh installations; what you don't know can't
hurt you.
This
is merely the baseline and represents the minimum
requirement if the London and Dublin governments are
to be seen as credible partners for peace. Let there
be no mistake. We are at the edge of the abyss. It
is time to move forward.
Jimmy
Sands
Ceann
Comhairle
Caribbean Sinn Fein
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