Sinn Fein-I.R.A. must not be allowed into executive positions
in the Northern Ireland Assembly and unionist representatives
from the various shades must urgently unite to successfully
thwart the designs of government and pan-Irish nationalism.
The mainstream unionist parties must at all costs stand by
their often declared commitment to resist the advancement
of "unreconstructed terrorists" into the seat of
power.
This is a matter which cannot be fudged or compromised on
- the line has to be drawn in the sand, and men and women
of integrity and loyalty to Northern Ireland must stand up
and be counted.
The requirements needed for Sinn Fein to be accepted into
the democratic process are crystal clear: the total disarmament
of all the republican terrorist weaponry and the disbandment
for good of the I.R.A.
Until this happens there can be no proper recognition of
Sinn Fein as a legitimate political party, even with the huffing
and puffing from Tony Blair, his appalling Secretary of State
and the arch-republican Bertie Ahern.
Since the Belfast Agreement of April 10, too much ground
has been conceded by unionists to nationalist and republicans
and an unsympathetic Westminster Government. The unacceptable
50-50 unionist-nationalist carve-up of Assembly executive
positions when the overall strength in the Assembly is 60-40
unionist-nationalist is an example.
For any unionist to acquiesce in an enrolment to the Assembly
executive by Sinn Fein-I.R.A. representatives would be a gross
betrayal of the loyal people of this Province who have had
to withstand 30 years of murder and mayhem from the republican
movement.
The present Government's policies of appeasement of terrorists
and their political bedfellows know no bounds and, at every
turn, the majority unionist population is being stripped of
its legitimate rights and privileges to clear the way for
the ultimate united Ireland objective of the conniving Mo.
Mowlam and her nodding ministerial cronies in the Northern
Ireland Office.
The unionist people can still find comfort in the strength
of their numbers throughout our Province, but the disunity
that has been apparent in unionist ranks over recent years
has led to a weakening in the presentation of the pro-Union
case, and a deep frustration at grassroots level.
If Northern Ireland is to survive as a part of the United
Kingdom the unionist parties must all come together in a genuine
effort to ensure that proper focus is placed on a cohesive
campaign that will effectively defend and sustain the Union.
The Orange Institution, as an organisation pledged to defend
the Protestant Reformed faith and the British link, will play
its part to the full in harnessing our people in the right
direction.
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