Daily Ireland, February 20, 2005
Editorial: House of cards collapsing as SF member is released
Sinn Féin wakens this morning under a tidal wave of outrage after the latest
developments in the Garda investigation into money laundering. Yet, after
all the bluster, the reality is that the one man charged is being linked by
Gardaí to the Real IRA. The only Sinn Féin representative arrested has been
released without charge.
No wonder that Martin McGuinness yesterday was urging the public not to rush
to judgement on claims that the republican movement was reeling from the
Garda operation.
Shamefully, though the entire house of cards linking the Garda operation to
the republican movement has collapsed, some politicians are continuing to
speak of the Garda investigation as a massive blow to the republican
movement. Republicans have much to think about after recent events. They can
justifiably contend, however, that this latest Garda operation has nothing
to do with them.
Political figures who view recent events as providing them with the best
opportunity they have had in a month of Sundays to score points over
republicans have been dominating the airways over the past 48 hours.
But while republicans may shrug off the brickbats from these traditional
opponents, they can't as easily dismiss the concerns of ordinary
nationalists who are increasingly bewildered at the train wreck which is now
the peace process. To many ordinary nationalists, the IRA has now become the
glass chin of Sinn Féin.
While the IRA are not, as the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister
allege, the only obstacle to a peace process settlement, they are one of the
obstacles. That much is accepted by the IRA and underpinned their commitment
before Christmas to enter a new mode. That breathtaking compromise fell
apart because republicans weren't prepared to be humiliated by the DUP.
But since that deal collapsed, republicans have been denigrated and
pilloried the length and breadth of Ireland while the DUP have been on the
crest of a wave.
The reality is that Sinn Féin's political project has been damaged by the
Northern Bank heist and the vicious stabbing to death of Robert McCartney.
It's open season on Sinn Féin and while that party is robust enough to
defend itself, you can be sure that ordinary nationalists will be under the
lash as well.
Phil Flynn, a strong supporter of this newspaper since it was first mooted,
is just one person of unquestionable integrity caught in the crossfire this
morning. We have no doubt his good name will be cleared in the coming weeks.
Every tinpot reactionary who gets an opportunity to smear ordinary, decent
nationalists and bona fide, nationalist-minded organisations will be on the
bandwagon this weekend.
All will be tarred with the brush of criminality when in reality, their only
'crime' will be to espouse a political point of view different to that of
the governments in Dublin and London.
And yet, even as the storm of condemnation rages, it’s vital that we defend
the right to point out that all the flaws in the peace process are not the
fault of republicans.
There are many sides to this unfolding tale, and many, many shades of grey.
Who, for example, would ever have believed that Northern Bank notes would
turn up in a country club favoured by the PSNI?