[Marxism] High Intensity Politics by Martin Maguinness

["DoC" <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A few weeks ago I warned that Republicans would come under a full
frontal attack from a combination of our political opponents and those
within the British and Irish establishments who fear the growth of Sinn
Féin. They fear us because republicans threaten their control of
political institutions on this island. They fear the growth of Sinn Féin
because they know that it threatens the status quo that allows
discrimination and second-class citizenship to flourish in the North.
And because we threaten the cosy political cartels in the South - the
fourth richest economy in the world - that builds security nets into its
system that allows multi-millionaires and fat cat politicians to avoid
paying taxes while forcing old age pensioners to sell their homes to pay
for health care.

This is not about a bank robbery; this is about electoralism and the
preservation of the status quo both North and South. This is a new
manifestation of the SMASH SINN FÉIN campaign. It's high intensity
politics. You see, the present debacle in the Process precedes the bank
robbery to when the DUP realised that it was going to have to accept the
Good Friday Agreement with all that it entails including sharing power
on an equal basis with republicans. That's when it was decided to insert
a demand that everyone knew would be unacceptable to republicans.
Photographs and humiliation. The two governments were well aware that
was not achievable but it is obvious now that they seen it as a way to
blame republicans if a comprehensive deal was not achieved and in the
process hopefully stunt our electoral progress. And so the scene was
set, the Northern Bank was just a welcome insurance policy to allow them
to avoid liability. Since then the attacks on Sinn Féin has intensified
with an unquestioning partitionist media (with a few exceptions)
continuing to report every attack on republicans in minute detail
however unsubstantiated. Make no mistake, Sinn Féin will fight back, we
will defend the integrity of our Party and its mandate, we will not
allow the people who vote for us to be demonised and misrepresented.
The Sinn Féin Leadership met with an Taoiseach on Tuesday of last week
and we had a very straight talking encounter. Contrary to what the
Minister for Justice said following the meeting and the spin put on it
by certain media pundits, in particular RTE, it was not a one-way
encounter. Gerry Adams and myself challenged an Taoiseach - as we did
the British Prime Minister on Friday - to substantiate allegations
against republicans and neither was able to do so other than to say that
they believed the 'Intelligence' information received from their
'Security Services'. But then Tony Blair believed his 'Security
Services, when they told him that Saddam had Weapons of Mass
Destruction. He believed them when they told him that Iraq had a
forty-five minute strike capability. And Bertie believed the same
'Security Services' when they told him that he should help the war
effort in Iraq through the use of Shannon Airport as it was all about
bringing Democracy to that troubled land. So who could blame them for
believing their 'Security Services' when they tell them that 'it wuz the
big bad Provos' that done it. We also made it clear that however
uncertain the present situation is and for whatever reason - in the
absence of any evidence - the two governments are blaming republicans,
one thing is for sure, when the air clears they are going to have to
deal with a stronger and more determined Sinn Féin.
It saddens me that an Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, with whom Gerry Adams and
myself have worked so closely, is allowing Michael Mc Dowell and the PD's
 - a Party that has made no positive contribution to the Process - to
set the agenda for the Irish government. And of course here in the North
the SDLP seems to think that by sounding like the soloist in the DUP
Gospel Choir that they will reinvent themselves as a serious player in
the process.
We will not be bullied or cajoled into accepting second-class status by
either political opponents or a hostile media nor will we be made a
'scapegoat' by British or Irish so-called 'Intelligence Services'. Sinn
Féin's resolve has not been diminished, if anything we have become even
more resolute in our determination to see the Agreement fully
implemented and to forge ahead with our own agenda of equality, justice
and peace in an Ireland sovereign and free.

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