Northern protests over postponed elections

Nationalists and republicans on both sides of the Irish border were staging protests over the postponement of elections which should have taken place in Northern Ireland today.

Sinn Fein organised demonstrations in 30 towns and cities in the north and the republic, while Mark Durkan’s SDLP was also planning a mock ballot in south Belfast.

Sinn Fein activists in Dublin are leafleting commuters at train stations and in the city centre.

Pickets were also being staged in Dublin along major thoroughfares and also in Navan, Drogheda, Dundalk, Longford, Mullingar, Kinnegad, New Ross, Kilkenny city, Naas, Carlow, Enniscorthy, Wicklow and Bray.

Protests were also planned in Cork city, Clonakilty, Mallow, Waterford, Tralee, Tuam, Ballinasloe, Westport, Ballina, Charlestown, Castlebar and Sligo.

The parties have been critical of the decision by Tony Blair to postpone elections because of the failure of the IRA to come up with a statement which declared an end to all paramilitary activity.

Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said that the protests gave expression “on the day people should have exercising their right to vote to the widespread anger at the way the British government continues to act at the behest of the Ulster Unionist Party”.

He added: “Tony Blair should accept he made a huge blunder in undermining the aims and principles of the peace process by cancelling elections.”

Had elections gone ahead today, Northern Ireland would have been voting for 108 Assembly members.

The cancellation of the poll four days into the election campaign was in the face of opposition from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and other parties including the anti-Good Friday Agreement Democratic Unionists.

Mr Blair said it would be pointless to go ahead with elections to an Assembly which was incapable of forming a power sharing government.

He said David Trimble’s Ulster Unionists would not form a government with Sinn Fein without the IRA making a declaraton of an end to targeting, intelligence gathering, recruiting, training, weapons importation and involvement in all violence.

In legislation passed at Westminster, the British government failed to name a new date for the election and gave Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy the right to declare it through an Order in Council at a time of his own choosing.

Mr McLaughlin said there was no reason why the elections could not be held next month.

“It is difficult to envisage how political circumstances in the autumn or June next year will be any different from the circumstances in which elections should have taken place today or even next month,” he said.

“Therefore there is no reason why there cannot be a June election.”

Nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan was also expected to attack the British government’s decision in a keynote address to party activists at an event in south Belfast.

Sinn Fein Assembly candidates were due to hand in letters of protest today to electoral offices in Belfast, Derry, Omagh, Glengormley, Banbridge and Ballymoney and party president Gerry Adams was due to hand in a letter of protest to the Northern Ireland Office.

The party was also planning street theatre in Omagh and Belfast and mock ballots in Enniskillen, Omagh and Derry.

Roadside protests were planned in Toomebridge, Downpatrick, Strabane, Clough, Lurgan, the Craigavon Bridge in Derry and the Ballygawley roundabout.

Rallies were also planned outside the British Embassy in Dublin, Belfast City Hall and in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Sinn Fein’s protests were condemned by senior Ulster Unionist Sir Reg Empey.

The east Belfast councillor argued: “Instead of bringing people out on to the streets in towns and cities, Sinn Fein should redouble their efforts by helping to resolve the current political logjam.

“Street stunts are no substitute for real product.”