Post by earl on Nov 6, 2007 14:22:45 GMT
As the 40th anniversary of the civil rights movement approaches, SDLP leader Mark Durkan has warned that Sinn Fein will attempt to claim the mantle of the marches.
"Expect all sorts of claims from Sinn Fein," he told his party's annual conference at the weekend. "Gerry (Adams) was on this march. Martin (McGuinness) was on that march.
"And given the way things have been going recently don't be surprised if you're told that Ian (Paisley) was there with him."
Mr Durkan remarked that the difference between the current Executive and the last administration was the backdrop a "settled process", free from the destabilising influence of parties which were trying to collapse a deal, or a leader.
"We are now allowed the benefit of stability for the new political dispensation which was agreed by the people of Ireland in 1998," he said.
Parties which had rejected the values of equality and social justice for years now presented themselves as torch-bearers for peace, inclusion and power-sharing.
The DUP had gone from bringing Agreements down to bring civil servant absenteeism down and Sinn Fein from supporting bombing hotels as 'economic targets' to endorsing increasing tourism figures as an economic goal.
"The DUP opposed a cross-border gas pipeline, while Sinn Fein backed blowing up the inter-connector. But today they both celebrate the single electricity market," the Foyle MP added.
Deputy First Minister Mr McGuinness had "made some journey" from 'Tiocfaidh Ar La' to Chuckle Brother and Mr Paisley had travelled from throwing snow-balls at a Taoiseach to "no b... bother, Taoiseach".
As reported in the Belfast Telegraph on Saturday, Mr Durkan confirmed he has set up an SDLP working group to examing the question of all-Ireland politics and realignment.
But the review needed to identify the realities of a changing political landscape, a shared understanding of possibilities, an analysis of requirements and to define different options.
"Both for ourselves and with others, we need to create a coherent framework to consider all the relevant issues, implications and ideas," he said, arguing that the permutations for forging new and evolving political axis would be more varied and versatile than much commentary had suggested.
"The possibilities are too precious and the prospects too important for anyone to make decisions now that are forced or false," Mr Durkan added.
Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern and former senior adviser to several Irish premiers, Martin Mansergh, who are now involved on the Fianna Fail team examining the prospect of the party organising in Northern Ireland, attended the conference in Armagh.
As he arrived, Mr Ahern said: "These are very difficult issues and certainly we don't want to upset the equilibrium being fostered by the Good Friday Agreement."
Later, he told delegates: "Just as in the post-May scenario you need to look at what the future holds for your party, in Fianna Fail we are looking too.
"In the new political dispensation, we do not believe there is any logic as to why we should not look northwards.
"One of our founding members (former Taoiseach) Eamon de Valera said then that Fianna Fail should not be a 26 county party."
