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Irish Northern Aid Committee |
David Trimble jeopardizing Good Friday Accord
by Caoimhin O'Conchuir, Oct 31, 1998 New York (Oct. 30) -- Paul Doris, the national chairperson of the Irish Northern Aid Committee, today strongly condemned the obstructionist attitude of Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble, who, faced with the opportunity to get the Irish peace process back on track by establishing the executive for the new northern Assembly, balked and walked home to his tea. "Yesterday afternoon David Trimble had the distinct opportunity to move the Irish peace process forward by establishing ministerial posts in the new Assembly. Seven positions were agreed by all parties, and another two hours work would have settled the matter, but Trimble chose to ignore the seriousness of the situation. I can only guess his dinner was more important than peace and justice for the Irish people," Doris said. Doris called on all Irish-American political activists to immediately begin faxing letters expressing their outrage to Tony Blair, the British prime minister, and Bertie Ahern, the leader of the Dublin Government. "Frankly, the activists in the U.S. have shown more backbone in this than Trimble and his gang of obstructionists. They have backed Sinn Fein through thick and thin and are fully aware that this is reaching a crisis stage now that the deadline mandated in the Good Friday Agreement will be missed," said Doris. "I'm asking our political activists, and anyone who feels passionately that the Irish people deserve a shot at peace, to immediately begin faxing letters to Blair and Ahern urging them in the strongest possible terms to move this process forward and to meet the appropriate deadlines. The executive must be established and the north-south bodies formed. I'm asking supporters to fax these messages to the British and Irish embassies in Washington DC, every day until Trimble lives up to his obligations," said Doris. "Trimble cannot pick and choose what parts of the agreement he likes. He cannot rule by decree and he cannot negate the May vote, where more than 80 percent of the people across Ireland voted for change and a chance to live in an Ireland based on equality and justice," said Doris. David Fanning, President of the Columbus Diarmuid O'Neill Unit of INA echoed the sentiments of Paul Doris. "Mr. Trimble must be made to understand that there is an agreement here that needs to be addressed. Ignoring the terms of this agreement is foolhardy, irresponsible and potentially dangerous. Mr. Trimble must put the past behind and act responsibly."
The New York-based Irish Northern Aid Committee, founded in 1971, is a non-profit humanitarian organizations which raises funds for the families of Irish political prisoners in British, Irish and American jails.
Vol. Diarmuid O'Neill Unit, Irish Northern Aid Committee
Irish Northern Aid Committee
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