A chara, - In Dick Grogan's article (May 1st) he says that Sinn Fein rejected the "[Dublin] forum's drafting committee's" report. I would like to correct his assertion. As an Irish republican party we could not subscribe to some sections of the report. These were around the issue of self determination, which included the unionist veto, British jurisdiction in Ireland and the status of the six county area.
These issues are the very heart of the conflict in Ireland. Sinn Fein had a fundamental problem with the drafting committee's report which upheld the unionist veto.a The point of the issue was not the principle of consent but the means of measuring it. The Green Party also did not subscribe to the final draft on this point. The unionist veto is a negative power, a power only to say "no". It is a major barrier to the consideration of democratic options that would include all the people of Ireland within an agreed framework. Constitutional and legislative ownership of the veto resides in Westminster, not with the unionist electorate. Sinn Fein believes that as long as the unionists in the six counties are assured a veto over change, then there is neither reason or incentive for them to move towards accommodation with the rest of the Irish people. In our view the guarantee of a veto to unionists has inhibited political movement in Ireland over 70 years.
Upholding the veto not only has the inevitable effect of bolstering unionist intransigence but also absolves the British government, the major player in the conflict, of its responsibility in all that is involved in both the causes of the conflict and the search for an equitable and lasting agreement. It camouflages the fact that the British government is ideologically unionist in its policy objectives and that it does have a selfish strategic interest.
Sinn Fein's position on the issue of consent is clear and democratic. We have consistently argued that the consent and allegiance of all is needed to secure a peace settlement. The unionist veto, originated and sustained by successive British governments, cannot be equated with need for real consent and agreement among the Irish people. What is required is a new and imaginative approach which tilts the balance away from the prohibitive and negative power of veto towards the positive power of consent, of seeking consent, of considering consent, of negotiating consent. Our party is based on the democratic principle of national self determination for the Irish people as a whole. If the principle of consent is distorted to become merely a new euphemism for the old unionist veto, the result will be continued disempowerment and abandonment of the Northern nationalist community.
The democratic settlement we all seek would be thwarted. - Is mise,
Sinn Fein Delegation
Secretary,
Forum for Peace and
Reconciliation,
Cearnog Pharnell,
Baile Atha Cliath 1.