SANCTIONS ARE A DISTORTION OF DEMOCRACY - SINN FEIN

[mrgorth]

SANCTIONS ARE A DISTORTION OF DEMOCRACY - SINN FEIN
02/22/05 12:36 EST

Sinn Féin has said the sanctions announced today by the
British government are a "distortion of democracy" and said
the party would fight against it.


Speaking in London following the decision of the British
government to extend sanctions on the party the South
Belfast MLA, Mr Alex Maskey, said the Northern Ireland
Secretary had "no right to discriminate against
democratically elected Irish politicians".



He also questioned the Irish Government's claim that it was
opposed to sanctions.



"Paul Murphy does not have one vote in Ireland. He has no
right to discriminate against democratically elected Irish
politicians. These actions are a distortion of democracy.
The people of Ireland elect us and we are accountable to
them. We reject these anti-democratic actions by a British
government against an Irish political party," Mr Maskey said.


"We will continue to fight this discrimination politically,
legally and through an ongoing campaign of democratic
resistance. We will go to the nationalist and republican
people in elections in May."


Mr Maskey said the 'Independent' Monitoring Commission (IMC)
upon whose report today's action was based was "not
independent".


"It is the tool of the securocrats whose stated aim is to
prevent the further growth of Sinn Fein and the further
development of the peace process. Sinn Féin predicted
exactly the scenario we see being played out now when this
body was first established at the behest of the UUP."


The Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble, meanwhile,
demanded a new power-sharing administration in Belfast, with
republicans barred.


Speaking following the Northern Ireland secretary's
announcement, he said: "All that is saving Sinn Féin from
exclusion from office in an Assembly now is the
government's decision to continue suspension."


The Northern Ireland Secretary fined Sinn Féin the maximum
possible. He announced a freeze on the party's Assembly
payments would be extended by 12 months. MPs in Westminster
are also to vote on a bid to halt expenses and office
facilities for Sinn Féin.


The SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan claimed the sanctions would
play into republicans' hands.


"They only allow Sinn Féin to pretend to be victims of the
current crisis. The victims are the families held hostage by
the IRA and the Irish people who have seen their peace
process damaged by the provisional movement's criminality."


Mr Durkan said the party was opposed to the "silly
sanctions" on Sinn Féin. But he added that Sinn Féin had
"nobody to blame but themselves".


"Our message to the Governments has been consistent. The
best way of dealing with paramilitary criminality is not
through sanctions. It is by going after paramilitary crime
and confiscating criminal assets. It is also by showing Sinn
Féin that they do not have a veto on progress. For so long
as Sinn Féin believes that nothing can be done politically
without their say so, the provisional movement will think
that it can get away with as much crime as it likes."
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[two gun sid]

1. Sinn Fein is right. It is a distortion of democracy.

But, that is what it is all about. All parties need to get on with the peace process and quit stalling for political reasons. I am so tired of blaming SF and the Republican movement for the lack of progress.