Interview with Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Féin,

on his party's election success

The interview was conducted by the freelance journalist Aljoscha Kertesz

January 2004

Gerry Adams, president of the irish-republican party Sinn Féin, speaks about the election results, the current political situation and the aims of his party.

Question 1:
SF was very successful in the elections and succeeded to become the largest party within the Irish nationalist community. How do you explain this achievement?

Answer 1:
In the November election Sinn Féin went to the people and asked them to endorse our peace strategy. They did so in increased numbers. We asked them to share our vision of an Ireland united and independent; an Ireland of equals underpinned by justice and human rights. We asked the people to support our efforts to achieve the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We argued for exclusivity not confrontation. Our mandate was renewed and strengthened.

Sinn Féin emerged with the second highest vote, an increase number of Assembly seats and the vote confirmed our position as the largest nationalist party in the north of Ireland and the third largest party on the island.

I believe we achieved this result because republicans and nationalists and some unionists see our party as the best guarantor of the Agreement and of the peace process. They like what we have done and are doing and believe, as we do, that the future of this island lies in a united and independent state.

Question 2:
SF seems to be particularly popular among young voters?

Answer 2:
Young people in Ireland are fed up with the stale and sterile politics of the establishment parties.

Young people are idealistic. They want change and have a greater expectation of life than their parents or grandparents ever had.

Young people in Ireland believe that Sinn Féin is the party which best represents their views and opinions on these, as well as one international issues.

Question 3:
SF had intensive talks with the UUP during the last months to get the suspended Stormont Assembly up again. Now the DUP is the strongest unionist party. What difference does this make to SF?

Answer 3:
Much has been made since about the rise of the Reverend Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which opposes the Good Friday Agreement and rejects the Agreement's agenda for change. The increase in DUP support results directly from its ability to mop up all of the smaller anti-Agreement parties in the last Assembly.

The pro-Agreement unionist vote did not switch to the DUP. In fact over 70% of the electorate voted for pro-Agreement candidates and returned a majority of pro-Agreement members to the new Assembly.

Consequently the battle ground is now between those of us, unionists, republicans and nationalists, who are committed to the peace process and who want to advance the agenda of change, and those within the anti-agreement camp who want to turn the clock back.

Sinn Féin's focus is on building a pro-Agreement axis. The two governments have an essential role. Essential to this will be the dialogue between Sinn Féin and the pro-Agreement Ulster unionist Party. Significant progress was made in these talks over the last six months.

So, we will continue to show positive leadership and engage in good faith with the two governments and the other parties. We recognise and respect the mandate of all parties, the DUP included. We are for dialogue and engagement. It is the DUP, which refuses to engage with Sinn Féin or in the political institutions.

Question 4:
If the DUP refuses to negotiate about a government with SF, what do you think will happen next? And what role have the British and Irish governments to play?

Answer 4:
People voted overwhelmingly for the Good Friday Agreement five years ago and again in the recent Assembly elections. Are the two governments; is the British government, going to deny people our rights and entitlements as citizens because the DUP continues to have a dinosaur attitude?

There is a small window available during which the British and Irish governments can assess whether the DUP is prepared to engage with the process positively and constructively. However, the continued suspension of the institutions by the British government cannot be sustained and is not tenable beyond a very short period.

Whatever the DUP does the two governments have responsibilities which they have to fulfil. I told Mr. Blair and Mr. Ahern this when I met them in Downing Street last Wednesday. They have to drive forward with the full and faithful implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. The whole issues of rights, including equality and human rights, demilitarisation, policing, the Irish language and more has to be resolved. The governments made commitments in the Good Friday Agreement and in a Joint Declaration earlier this year, and in negotiations with us on all of these matters, and it is now long past the time when these commitments should be honoured.

Question 5:
The DUP wants to renegotiate the Good Friday Agreement. Where do you see room for a deal, in which parts would you like to modify yourself?

Answer 5:
There can be no renegotiation of the Good Friday Agreement. That is our position and we make no bones about it. The principles, structures and obligations of that Agreement cannot and will not be subverted.

We are determined to see the Agreement implemented, and a new dispensation of peace and justice on this island.

The DUP do not want a renegotiation they want a new agreement which would undermine all of the positive achievements of the last decade and would seek a return to the domination of right wing unionism. This is unacceptable.

Question 6:
What are your political goals until the next election?

Answer 6:
Sinn Féin has a peace and political strategy of which elections are only a part. We will continue to build political strength, to develop our organisational efficiency and seek to advance our arguments in favour of Irish unity and independence.

In the short term our focus will be on persuading the two governments to keep to their commitments. I believe that the Pro-Agreement parties and the two governments have the ability to ensure further progress through the Agreement.

In the slightly longer term Sinn Féin will be fighting European elections north and south in June and local government elections in the south of Ireland on the same day. That is an enormous task and we have to prepare for it.

Question 7:
Recent polls seem to indicate a slight majority of the Catholic population is building trust in the PSNI. When will Sinn Féin join the Policing Board?

Answer 7:
In the recent Assembly election Sinn Féin won 24 seats to the SDLP's 18. Is that not a more accurate measure of the nationalist attitude to the PSNI and policing? Should we ignore the results of the election in favour of an opinion poll?

Sinn Féin will join the Policing Board when we believe that we have got policing right. When we have created the threshold which allows us to argue for and believe that the new vision of policing envisioned in the Agreement is within our grasp.

In our negotiations with the British government in the course of this year we have made enormous progress on this issue. Let them implement what they promised in this regard, let us resolve the issue of transfer of power from London to a northern based Executive and Sinn Fein will then consider holding our special conference to deal with this issue.