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Hands off Sinn Fein!

The British and Irish governments are trying to criminalise the Irish republican movement. They are doing it to reduce its political support in Ireland, north and south, in the run-up to an expected general election in May. They hope that, after the election, renewed negotiations over the complete disarming of the IRA – which broke down last December when the main unionist party in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party led by Ian Paisley, demanded the publication of a photographic record of decommissioned weapons – will see Sinn Fein and the IRA weakened and under pressure from its own supporters to “go the extra mile” and cave in to the DUP’s demands for complete surrender and public humiliation.

The saga began with the breakdown of the negotiations last December when it seemed that a Dublin-London document on new power sharing arrangements had been agreed between the DUP and Sinn Fein, but for the last minute demands from the DUP. Then, on 20 December, a huge bank raid on Northern Bank in Belfast netted the robbers £26m and the blame was immediately put onto the shoulders of the IRA. It was suggested that the IRA had completely degenerated into a criminal not political organisation. No proof has been offered by the police or British government; no charges against any individual have been laid. The IRA denied it and continues to deny they had any part in the bank raid. More pressure was then put on Sinn Fein and IRA when IRA members were alleged to be involved in the pub stabbing and murder of Robert McCartney in Belfast in January. The IRA in fact urged those responsible to surrender themselves; in late February they expelled 3 members thought to be involved.

But this attempt by the IRA leadership to distance itself from thuggery did not lead to any let up in the co-ordinated offensive against Sinn Fein’s leaders to “break with the IRA once and for all". New financial sanctions will be implemented against Sinn Fein by the British government. Parliamentary allowances – amounting to £500,000 – will be denied to SF’s four Westminster MPs and a further £120,000 will be taken away from their Stormont assembly members. This will hinder their ability to represent their constituents and strengthen their opponents in the run up to a general election campaign.

Despite the allegations, support for Sinn Fein among its established base is holding up. Even in the south the latest poll on 25 February showed Sinn Fein support holding steady at 9 per cent, only one point down on November.

The working class movement must resist the unionists’ attempt to criminalise, marginalise and fracture the republican movement. So far Sinn Fein has preferred to confine its protests largely to the airwaves – very little has been seen on the streets. Sinn Fein should organise mass protests throughout Ireland and call on socialists and democrats to do the same in Britain.

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