A corner has been turned...

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday March 10, 2009 11:46 by Community Activist - Ógra Shinn Féin

The Irish peace process has brought massive transformation to Ireland and its people.

It has witnessed the early release of hundreds of republican political prisoners, it has ensured a peaceful stable society, it has opened up massive cross border co-operation, it has ensured the right to referenda for a United Ireland, which now gives Irish Republicans the real opportunity to achieve freedom and equality through democratic means.

The British War Machine has been massively reduced, with British soldiers no longer patrolling our streets, country roads or setting up checkpoints, there has been significant changes to policing, with ongoing campaigns and negotiations on Demilitarisation and transfer of policing and justice.

Sinn Féin have overtaken the SDLP as the largest party representing the Republican/Nationalist community in the north, and are the third largest party across Ireland, demonstrating popular support to our republican strategy for re-unification.

The politics of the north have been transformed from conflict to nation building, with Republicans now heavily involved in community struggle and outreach to the unionist community with even the former biggest block to the peace process, the DUP, sitting in power sharing government with Sinn Féin.

It is not perfect, struggle never is, and at times testing scenarios are thrown up, but progress and popular support for Sinn Féin and Irish unity is constantly on the rise.

At this time of huge economic decline and the re-alignment of support to the left, Sinn Féin are focussed on challenging the massive budget cuts in the 26 counties, and making the most of a limited budget in the North.

They are ensuring that working class families, and the most deprived in society needs are met, and are constantly highlighting the failings of a partitioned arrangement in the north, especially on the lack of economic sovereignty and ability to set our own taxation.

Great hope and expectation reverberated from the last Ard Fheis as Gerry Adams key note address appealed to Labour and the Greens to form a Left Wing alternative and coalition that could challenge the mis-governance, incompetence and brown envelope negligence of Fianna Fail.

Fianna Fail have tried on numerous occasions to sort the current economic down turn out, and things have gotten worse each time, and so has their support. Their failure to accept any responsibility for the terrible state of the 26 County economy has alienated them from a large section of the electorate who are now considering voting left for the first time ever.

If Sinn Féin can open constructive progressive alliances with Labour in advance of the local and European elections, this could mean even bigger and better things for the next General Elections – a progressive Left Coalition, with a real opportunity of success, and a Left Republican Government.

I note all the above progress because, Sinn Féin’s All Ireland Agenda, and strategy for Irish Unity is being worked on, and gaining popular support all the time. Massive gains have been made and huge opportunities are there for the taking.

Sinn Féin have demonstrated their commitment to achieving our republican objectives consistently and many Sinn Féin activists have paid the ultimate sacrifice, in the ongoing struggle for Independence.

Sinn Féin have defended the right to armed struggle in the past, but always said that it was a last option when all other means had been exhausted.

Today, a peaceful and democratic means of achieving our objectives exists, it is a clear strategy (The All Ireland Agenda), it is being vigorously worked on, and is gaining massive popular support.

There are many opportunities for us in the time ahead, we are close on the road to freedom, now is not a time to be deflected from achieving what so many who went before us died for.

A corner has been turned, and freedom is on the way!