Opportunists 'have exploited terror attacks'

Opportunists have exploited the terror attacks on the United States to attack Irish republicanism, Sinn Fein national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin claimed today.

In the opening address to the party’s annual conference in Dublin, Mr McLaughlin claimed the attacks have had repercussions around the world, not least for the Irish peace process.

Before discussing the claim, delegates expressed condolences to murdered Sunday World journalist Martin O’Hagan’s family and colleagues,

Mr McLaughlin said: ‘‘Political opportunists and some within the media will use this awful event to attempt to equate the struggle for freedom and justice in Ireland with these attacks - attacks that serve no cause and which can only succeed in bringing untold misery on more innocent civilians in other parts of the world.

‘‘We must not allow these opportunists to succeed in deflecting us from concentrating on what has to be done to ensure success for our peace strategy.’’

Mr McLaughlin said while the peace process might seem ‘‘inconsequential’’ following the events in the United States, if its problems could be resolved it would provide hope to others around the globe.

The Sinn Fein chairman was speaking amid criticism of the party’s decision to invite Basque political representatives as well as Palestinians to its conference.

Republicans have also been under pressure in Britain, Ireland and the United States to explain the arrests in Colombia of three Irishmen - one of them a former member of the Sinn Fein ruling executive - on suspicion of training left wing FARC rebels.

Mr McLaughlin told delegates the peace process was facing many challenges in the week ahead.

Unionists, he claimed, were trying to ‘‘block and stall’’ the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in every way.

The Foyle MLA accused the British and Irish Governments of failing to

"vigorously defend" the Good Friday Agreement, claiming this had given rejectionists in unionism the impression that they could renegotiate the accord and ‘‘fatally undermine the peace process’’.

‘‘Indeed they may even feel that they are succeeding,’’ he observed.

‘‘Well, let me reiterate that the peace process is unstoppable and the momentum for change is in train.

‘‘They may well slow it down or stall it but they must know that it cannot be stopped or reversed.

‘‘So I invite all of those politicians genuinely interested in a peaceful and stable future to join with Sinn Fein in managing that change in the interests of all concerned.’’

Mr McLaughlin said the right of the Irish people to self-determination was inalienable and he insisted his party wanted to created an ‘‘Ireland of Equals’’ where the words justice, equality, inclusion and freedom had real meaning.

Sinn Fein, he said, had made significant electoral gains in the recent Westminster and local government election and looked set to build on those successes in the Irish Republic and in possible Assembly elections.

And while he expected the party’s number of TDs to increase, he urged colleagues not to be distracted by press predictions of Sinn Fein gains at the next Irish general election.

‘‘Our political opponents in both political and media circles hope that they will be able to claim that the Sinn Fein advance throughout the island has been stopped when their own predictions are not fulfilled,’’ he said.

‘‘We know our own capabilities and potential. We will set our own agenda and goals and then we will methodically and with determination pursue them.’’