Contrived Crisis threatens to collapse institutions

Posted by Jim on September 16, 2015

THE north of Ireland faces a political crisis and the very real possibility of the collapse of the political institutions, including the power-sharing Assembly in Belfast, which emerged from the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 and has been functioning since 2007.

The catalyst for the current crisis, on the surface, lies in the murder of two men in Belfast, both former Irish republican prisoners. A media storm erupted after a police press conference on August 22 dealing with the second murder, that of Kevin McGuigan, heard claims from PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton that individual members of the IRA had been involved in the murder.

However, this development is in fact the culmination of political instability within the political process since 2010, and made worse by the austerity agenda imposed by the British Conservative government.

Speaking, most recently, on September 11, Mr Adams said: “It is important that we remember that the initial catalyst for this crisis was the murder of two men. But recent developments are entirely down to the manoeuvrings of the UUP and the ease with which the DUP has been spooked by them.

“Sinn Féin have been consistently clear that the IRA left the stage following a public announcement that its armed struggle was over in 2005. The war is over, the IRA has gone and is not coming back. Sinn Féin has called for

assistance to be given to the police investigation so those responsible can be brought to justice. Both murders were carried out by criminals. Those responsible are not republicans, they are criminals and enemies of the peace process.

“This is a contrived crisis. It is about the electoral rivalry between the two unionist parties. The leaders of political unionism are now playing fast and loose with the future of the political institutions at Stormont.

“The arrest of our colleague Bobby Storey last week was the pretext for an effort by the DUP to force the adjournment of the political institutions. When that failed Peter Robinson stepped aside and his Ministerial colleagues – with the exception of Arlene Foster – resigned.”

“There is widespread anger among the republican and nationalist communities at the partisan and hostile attitude of representatives from both the British and Irish governments towards the building crisis, while posturing as neutral referees,” Mr Adams continued.

“What we need now are talks amongst the parties and governments to discuss all the current issues, principally the implementation of what was agreed at Stormont House in December 2014. We need to see genuine leadership from all parties and both governments to build a prosperous and reconciled society for all citizens.”