Sinn Fein urged to keep peace on course

Republicans should avoid being dragged back down the road to violence by those who want to see the country ‘‘descend into some kind of bloodbath’’, the Sinn Fein party conference heard today.

Pallo Jordan, of the African National Congress party in South Africa, joined Basque nationalists and representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to call for peace and warned Republicans that they should maintain the ceasefire despite provocation by opponents.

Mr Jordan said it ‘‘took courage’’ for freedom fighters in the past to take up arms in the bid for independence.

But he said: ‘‘It also took a great deal of courage when the opportunity presented itself to achieve our objectives without bringing cause for violence.

‘‘I strongly urge the Sinn Fein leadership to stay on course (despite) those people who would like to see the peace process end and see this country descend into some kind of bloodbath.’’

He added: ‘‘Ireland was Britain’s first colony and this island has paid a very heavy price for that dubious honour. Although Ireland was one of the first British colonies to be decolonised during the 20th century that decolonisation has not been completed and the struggle for the liberation of Ireland continues.’’

At the conference in Dublin he joined the other international speakers in condemning the terrorist assaults on America, saying the attackers had not taken up arms in the pursuit of justice.

His comments were echoed by Joseba Alvarez, a member of the National Executive of the Batasuna party - the political wing of Basque separatist group ETA - who said: ‘‘It is not time for us to bend our heads. We need to act for peace and justice because our experiences and those of others have shown that it will be through dialogue, not war, that we resolve conflict.’’

He also repeated the sentiments of Sinn Fein national party chairman Mitchel McLaughlin, who yesterday said governments were using the US attacks to demonise struggles for freedom around the world.

‘‘The French and the Spanish states seek to use the current international situation to criminalise the Basque people.’’

He added: ‘‘Self-determination and peace are synonymous. That is all our fight is about.’’

There were calls for restraint in the wake of the attacks on the US and for the suspects, when found, to be tried by an international tribunal.

Mr Jordan said America ‘‘for very understandable reasons, could not possibly be an impartial judge’’.

‘‘Whatever action the US takes it must avoid the temptation to descend to the level of those crimes,’’ he said.

And Ali Halimeh, the Palestinian authority’s ambassador to Dublin added: ‘‘Not any one country should take responsibility to combat terrorism, but one world. Terrorism has no boundaries.

‘‘If we want to bring an end to terrorism we should have a proper platform. The United Nations is the most practical forum for such a thing. Let us sit and discuss how we can combat these kinds of activities.’’

He added: ‘‘There is no exclusivity in the world. We are all human beings, we can live together and prosper.’’