Sinn Fein News, September 6, 2006
Equality is the guarantee for all
By Mitchel McLaughlin
The Good Friday Agreement is about changing the ethos of the North to one
based on the principle of equality. Both governments and all parties - with
the exception of the DUP - claim a commitment to the Agreement. On that
basis, we are continually being told: "The two governments have a common
strategy. It is the Good Friday Agreement. The governments are as one on
this issue."
The basic concept of unionism is one of dominance and supremacy and
therefore, as an ideology, political unionism will find it difficult to
function within a culture of equality. Ian Paisley probably realises this
and I believe that is the real reason why the DUP will continue to exploit
every excuse to prevent the implementation of the GFA, with its equality
agenda. Can unionism as we know it accommodate the equality agenda? It is
possible that it is incapable of doing so.
It is therefore imperative that the two governments deny the DUP any
opportunity to frustrate the pace of change. Rather, both governments should
embark on a project of persuading the unionist people of the need to build a
new union: a union of all traditions on the island of Ireland, focused on
building a future that can be shared by everyone. Unionism's future, and
this is at the core of the Good Friday Agreement, is with the rest of the
people of Ireland on terms freely entered into by its entire people. We all
have a responsibility to reassure unionists that such a scenario will not
threaten their culture or traditions but will, in fact, secure an
understanding of unionism's part in our contested history and our shared
future in a New Ireland.
While every effort must be expended to convince the DUP of the benefits of
this approach, they must not be permitted to smother this opportunity to
build a better future for all. The two governments, supported by
pro-Agreement parties, must move immediately to deliver the change that the
vast majority of the people of Ireland voted for. There must be no erosion
of the GFA - rather it should be built upon.
If agreement is not achieved by the 24 November deadline then the
rejectionists from wherever they come must realise that change will continue
and that the speed of change will be intensified.
We cannot defer indefinitely the debate on sovereignty. It is as much in the
interests of the unionist population as of republicans that that debate is
carried out now and in the public arena. It is unacceptable that
sovereignty, which is the core issue in every electoral contest in the
North, should be left to the malign influences of myth, misunderstanding and
misinformation. I don't accept the simplistic premise that such a discussion
would de-stabilise unionist politics nor should it be used to arbitrarily
deny open debate on the benefits of constitutional change towards a United
Ireland.