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news report
 Wednesday March 13, 2002 14:57 by Peter - SF
 Protest at the arrest of Martin Ferris Sinn Fein has protested "in the strongest possible terms" at the arrest today of a member of the party's leadership, Martin Ferris. In a tightly fought race with Ireland's three largest parties, Ferris is putting in a strong challenge for one of the three seats in the constituency. The election is now just weeks away, but Ferris has said his team have been enduring constant harassment. There is a widepread belief that the arrest was politically motivated. Mr Ferris was arrested at his home this morning. Other Sinn Fein activists in the area have received similar treatment in recent weeks, including Mr Ferris's campaign director, Jamesie Sheehan. With Mr Ferris being held overnight at Killarney Garda Station, Sinn Fein's chief negotiator and the North's Minister of Education Martin McGuinness was in contact with senior Dublin government officials. He appealed to the Irish Prime Minister, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the Minsiter for Justice to intervene in an expanding campaign of political harassment by Garda police against Sinn Fein in Kerry North. A Garda spokesman said Mr Ferris was arrested in connection with an investigation of the false imprisonment of an alleged drug dealer in December, 2001. A spokesman for the Taoiseach said his department would not get involved in what was described as an "operational Garda matter". But the suspicion is growing that the Taoiseach's party was behind the operation. The party's TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Caoimhghin O Caolain, said he regarded the arrest as "gross interference in the democratic process". "There has recently been an orchestrated campaign of vilification against Sinn Fein by some of our political opponents and by sections of the media, much of it focused on North Kerry," he said. "It is no coincidence that this is one of the constituencies where Sinn Fein is challenging the main government party, Fianna Fail, for a Dail seat. The arrest of our North Kerry candidate must be seen in that context." Speaking on Irish radio, Mr O Caolain confirmed that Sinn Fein accepted the Gardai as the lawful police authority of the State and rejected the allegation that Sinn Fein was involved in any vigilante activities. Commenting on a possible setback for Sinn Fein's election prospects nationally -- already being eagerly anticipated in the media -- he pointed out that, given that such allegations were several months old, the timing of the arrests wsould be viewed with suspicion. Ordinary people, he said, would take a very careful, very objective view. "I am confident that, if this is orchestrated, it will yet backfire," he said. |
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Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4The Shinners think that the reason for their 'harassment' is because they are a 'radical' party.
This is a load of rubbish - Sinn Féin is not radical, the reason the Gardaí arrest SFmembers is because they are involved in beating up people, drug dealing and you used to plant bombs. It is not some kind of political conspiricy.
SF is very much an establishment party, they do not attempt
to challenge capitalism at all. They are content to cosy up to big business at any cost, just look at who contributes to their party in America.
How can they reconcile this with their working class and rural base? THe fact is that SF are a Jackel and Hyde Party, their policies differ from constituency to constituency. They vote for Bin Tax in Sligo, they oppose it in Dublin. They support closure of Omagh hospital in Fermanagh they oppose its closure in Tyrone. They say they are opposed to privitisations but they have been implementing Blairite policies in their ministries in the North. The Northern helath waiting list is one of the longest in Europe, Schools have been privitised, hospitals closed and term time workers forced to strike in order to prevent the attack on their working condidtions.
The reality is that SF, desptite all their talk are not a party that will work for the interests of the working class. Their masters are big business, they see no role for the people, their attitude is one of vote for us and we'll sort it out, they see themselves as the 'community' in the same way as the IRA saw themselves as a legitimate governemt!.
SF secterian politics and attitude works against workers unity and the interests of the working class. We need to build a new Worker's Party with a socialist programme, for workers' unity Protestant and Catholic, for worker's action
Socialism comments are much too simplistic, there are very radical elements within Sinn Fein , just like there are very conservative ones.
There is a tension there between both and I would dispute that the more conservative have won.
In Kerry North Martin Ferris is the only choice for a radical vote- FACT. Martin Ferris is the only candidate who is arrested, on the eve of an election where he would take a seat from FF. This despite the fact that Concerned Parents ! have been operating in North Kerry since 1995- no arrest before- why?? Took 7 years to question someone?? This is definitely politically motivated.
Sinn Fein two faced approach to certain policies irritates me hugely but then so does people presenting idealistic blueprints for socialist utopias when they have never done anything to achieve it.
Whatever the problems we may have with Sinn Fein, we have to take sides on this one. Against the ranting lies of the Sunday Independent and the blueshirt ideology of the Gardai who will in time if allowed use these intimidatory tactics against all on the left.
Sinn Féin are not on the left, they are a rigt wing capitalist party. They may claim to be socialist/left wing etc but they are not as I have pointed out in my last posting, theyt simply have to pander to the left in order to secure a base that they have among the working class and small farmers. In the end of the day they are not fundamentally from the establishment parties