3 February 2005 Edition
IRA offer withdrawn
3 February 2005
In August 1994, the leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann announced a complete cessation of all military operations. We did so to enhance the democratic peace process and underline our definitive commitment to its success. Free article
Adams responds to IRA statement
3 February 2005
In an initial response to Wednesday night's IRA statement, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams told An Phoblacht: "The IRA statement is obviously a direct conseqence of the retrograde stance of the two governments. It is evidence of a deepening crisis and I regret that very much. Free article
What line did Mary McAleese cross?
3 February 2005
Inappropriate, unfortunate, clumsy, embarrassing, over the top, offensive, outrageous, irrational, fanning the flames, spewing out hatred, deeply sectarian, wanton abuse. These are just some of the condemnations that have followed Mary McAleese's modest suggestion that there exists a culture of irrational hatred of Catholics in the North of Ireland. Free article
Government by Super Quango - The IMC & the Ten Commissioners
3 February 2005
Sinn Féin's commitment is to a peaceful future and to demonstrate that politics work. But the attitude and public pronouncements of the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister recently are making our job so much harder. I am beginning to believe that they also know how much more difficult they are making it. But any attempt to exclude or marginalise Sinn Féin will not work. Scapegoating republicans for the present state of affairs is dishonest, offensive and destined for failure. Free article
Huge nationalist anger at two governments
3 February 2005
Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness, speaking after leading a Sinn Féin delegation in a meeting with Paul Murphy and his senior officials in Hillsborough on Wednesday, said that the British Secretary of State was under no illusions about the huge anger within the nationalist and republican community at the current mishandling of the situation by the two governments. Free article
Time hasn't dimmed the demand for the truth
3 February 2005
As John Kelly, whose brother Michael was murdered on Bloody Sunday, stood before the 10,000 people who had gathered at Free Derry Corner to mark the 33rd anniversary of the killings, he began his address with three simple sentences that eloquently summed up the pain and injustice he and his family have had to suffer since 1972. Free article
Arch-reactionaries are Bertie's new admirers
3 February 2005
The heated exchanges between the Taoiseach and Sinn Féin in the Dáil last week provided a rare flash of steel in the normally dull corridors of Leinster House. Bertie Ahern's string of baseless allegations against Sinn Féin were straight out of the same bag of tricks deployed by the Fianna Fáil Press Office before the EU and local elections last year. Free article
Maskey slams point-scoring over tragic death
3 February 2005
South Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor Alex Maskey has said attempts by politicians to turn the tragic stabbing of a man outside a bar in the city at the weekend into a political point scoring exercise is shameful and despicable. Free article