• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

INTERNATIONALMay -October 2020BULLETIN “Sinn Féin have been clear throughout the Brexit process that there can be absolutely no hardening of the border in Ireland and that the Good Friday Agreement must be protected.” Sinn Féin President, Mary Lou McDonald TD Britain must drop threats to breach international law through Brexit Sinn– Sinn Féin President Féin Mary Lou President McDonald TD behaviour Mary over Brexit. Lou McDonaldwith the US TDCongressional Friends of Ireland has warned Britain must drop threats to “The EU’s resolve is welcome at a time caucus. I will once again reiterate the need breach international law through Brexit. when the threat of a hardening of the border to stand up for Ireland and ensure the Teachta McDonald’s comments follow con- in Ireland and threats to the Good Friday international community is aware of how firmation by European Commission President Agreement are real. unacceptable Britain’s threats are. Ursula von der Leyen that legal proceedings “Sinn Féin have been clear throughout the “I believe it is vitally important that every are now underway against the British gov- Brexit process that there can be absolutely diplomatic means possible is engaged with ernment in light of the Internal Market Bill. no hardening of the border in Ireland and to show unity of purpose and ensure the Teachta McDonald said: “I welcome that that the Good Friday Agreement must be Good Friday Agreement and peace process the EU is taking action to confront unaccept- protected. are protected. able British government threats to breach “The people of Ireland cannot be treated “Sinn Féin will continue to engage with international law. This development reflects as collateral damage in a Tory Brexit. the international community to highlight the the dismay felt internationally at Britain’s “This afternoon, I will be having a call importance of these issues.” @SFIntDept www.sinnfein.ie @sinnfeininternational INTERNATIONAL 2 BULLETIN Michelle O’Neill OPINION PIECE: The once monolithic During the course of the The fulcrum of the Brexit unionistdecade from 2012-2022 we are majority hascrisis gone is the border in Ireland. marking the centenaries of Attempts by the Tories seminal events, which have and their allies to demolish shaped modern Irish history the GFA will continue to be over the past century. resisted. Events which have defined We are not only witness- our relationship with Britain ing the realignment of Irish over the past 100 years and politics on this island; we are been characterised by colo- shaping it. nialism, partition and political We are entering a decade of division. opportunity where the free- This year marks the anniver- “We have lived a dom to choose our own future saries of much darker times will be decided by the people when in 1920 the Black and century apart, on this island alone. Tans were introduced, and the This is a defining moment in Lord Mayor of Cork, Tomás Mac and partition the history of Ireland. Curtáin, was murdered. His And the decisions that all killing was followed shortly has failed. the people on this island make by the death of Sinn Féin Lord now will shape the direction Mayor Terence MacSwiney We have lived for of our island for the next after 74 days on hunger strike. generation. And in December that year much too long The approach to the cente- the Government of Ireland Act nary of partition I am arguing was enacted in Westminster back to back. for is one where republican- forcing partition on Ireland. ism and unionism contribute The Government of Ireland It’s time to start to a national conversation. Act came into force on 21st For our part Sinn Féin will May 1921, with the British living side by side.” set out with confidence our King George V convening the Michelle O’Neill MLA analysis, experience and vi- Northern Ireland parliament sion of an open, inclusive and that June with James Craig agreed Ireland. becoming Prime Minister of The political momentum the Northern State. context. Today’s Assembly is unrec- on change is moving in that Unionism will celebrate and The political, social and ognisable from the previous direction. eulogise these events. cultural consequences of what iterations of the old unionist We must promote reconcili- Nationalism will see it happened between 1912-1922 regime at Stormont. ation, as distinct from deepen- differently. There will be no still reverberate throughout Today the Executive is ing division. celebration of partition which the island. formed by, and is represen- We have lived a century has failed the people of this While trying to heal the tative of all the people in the apart, and partition has failed. island. wounds of the past, we must North. That is the difference to We have lived for much too We will present our political also live and strive in the the failed regimes that went long back to back. It’s time to perspectives and experiences present. before. start living side by side. of partition and the one-party I often say there is no future The once monolithic union- A stark choice is open- unionist state with its in-built in the past. ist majority has gone. ing up between the narrow, unionist majority, and direct The peace process and Good Unionist support for the inward-looking vision of Brexit and structural discrimination Friday Agreement have created unprecedented folly of Brexit Britain and the open inclusive against the catholic and na- an alternative to conflict. has created the biggest consti- vision of a New Ireland. tionalist population. That Agreement provides a tutional crisis for unionism in This is a time for debate, big But we will also place these peaceful democratic pathway a century. ideas and a public discourse historical events and experi- to Irish unity, which I believe Brexit has exposed the un- that threatens no one. ences in their contemporary will become a reality during democratic nature and failure this decade. of partition in Ireland. @SFIntDept www.sinnfein.ie @sinnfeininternational INTERNATIONAL 3 BULLETIN Hazzard welcomes EU and US leaders Brexit comments Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has said the British government should listen to the calls from EU leaders and major US political figures and abandon plans to break inter- national law by attempting to override the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The South Down MP said: “Vice President of the EU Maros Sefcovic has told the British Government that mea- sures contained within the Internal Market Bill are in violation of the Withdrawal Agree- ment and International law. “Maros Sefcovic also called bluff on the nonsensical narrative being peddled by the British Government that the purpose of the bill is to protect the Good Friday Agreement. “In Ireland, Europe and the US, the Inter- nal Markets Bill has been rightly viewed as an act of bad faith and an attempt to over- ride the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. Chris Hazzard MP “The reckless approach by the British Government to Brexit is posing a real threat to livelihoods, businesses and the all-island influential US Ways & Means Commit- made it clear that Congress will not economy, as well as completely undermining tee, for the Good Friday Agreement and support any post-Brexit trade deal if the the Good Friday Agreement. the need to protect it from the threat of Good Friday Agreement is undermined. “It is clear that the British Government Brexit. This is an issue that unites Democrats are once again using the people of Ire- “As the Brexit clock ticks, any attempt and Republicans with the Congress land as cannon fodder in pursuit of their by the British government to renege on earlier this year unanimously voting to chaotic Brexit fantasy.” what has already been negotiated and protect the Good Friday Agreement and The party’s Brexit spokesperson also agreed through the Irish Protocol would prevent the imposition of a hard bor- welcomed further strong support from be an indefensible act of bad faith. der in Ireland. The British government the chair of the powerful US Ways and “Irish America and American political must take heed of that. “The Withdrawal Means Committee, Richie Neal, for the leaders have played a crucial role in Agreement is an international agreement Good Friday Agreement. securing the Good Friday Agreement and and it must be maintained and protected “I welcome continued support from supporting the peace process. in order to protect our economy and our Congressman Richie Neal, chair of the “Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already peace agreements.” ‘Britain playing a reckless game that they will lose’ – MacManus welcomes firm EU position Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has Tory antics. I think the full unwav- evident. It would of course be a very said the British Government are ering support Ireland has received clear breach of an international “playing a reckless game with the this week from both the EU and the treaty agreed with the EU only a few lives of honest hard working people US should serve as a wake-up call months ago. It would also threaten on the island of Ireland.” for Mr. Johnson’s government and the foundations of the Good Friday MacManus was speaking following surely make them realise they have Agreement. The illegality of such an extraordinary meeting of the EU- pursued an unwise strategy.” a trajectory has already been con- UK Joint Committee where Commis- MEP MacManus said “The draft firmed in their own parliament.” sion Vice President Maroš Šefčovič internal market bill published by the MacManus concluded by calling for stated “The EU does not accept the British Government in Westminster firmer action from Leinster House. argument that the aim of the draft confirmed our suspicions that John- “I think the government in Dublin Bill is to protect the Good Friday son and his Brexiteers were never have been caught napping again.

Load more

  9

Copy Link