Sinn Fein Turn to Contest

Scan page 13

AT ITS conference last weekend, Provisional Sinn Fein made some important shifts in policy.

Firstly, the congress agreed to contest local and parliamentary elections in both North and South. Although they maintain their previous position on not taking seats in the Westminster and Dublin parliaments if elected, Sinn Fein will allow members to take seats on Northern Ireland local councils (whose power is next to nothing anyhow).

This shift can be explained by the effects of the campaign waged during the hunger strike. The election of Bobby Sands and Owen Carron showed the political value of elections; a political campaign in support of the prisoners brought thousands onto the streets. The SDLP, which has previously dominated the Catholic community electorally, was severely isolated by its refusal to take a clear position on the hunger strike.

One of the main motivations given at the conference for the shift was the belief that Sinn Fein can now beat the SDLP on their own ground.

Failed Although many delegates emphasised that this political campaign was not counterposed to militRepublicans celebrate electoral i WELL OF COURSE, THAT WAS ALL PRE-Be!

SUENCE YOU.M.

CERTAIN themes keep cropping up in this column.

This week it's toxic wastes time again, folks!

It's the Hyde Park dioxin dump and it makes Love Canal* look like the proverbial picnic.

First of all, it's not our Hyde Park-it's near Niagara River, afew kilometres downstream from the Falls (and from Love Canal itself)

in New York State, and it contains hundreds of kilograms of dioxin!

Compare that with only ¼ kilogram which was all it took to cause the Seveso disaster in Italy.

A single spadeful of the dioxin waste would be enough to kill all life in Lake Ontario, a stretch of water 50% bigger than Wales, by Bruce Rob ary action, there must be some in the Provisionals who see the political campaign as a diversion. The bombing campaign in Britain indicates that for some the political campaign failed with the end of the hunger strike, and other means are now more important.

The other main shift was that Sinn Fein abandoned its policy of a federal Ireland, with assemblies based on the four provinces of Ireland (Leinster, Munster, Connaught, and Ulster), in favour of a more centralised government.

Federalism was a policy in the Provisionals' programme, 'Eire Nua', rictory of Owen Carron IsOn and also was the main way in which they sought to win Protestant support in the North for a united Ireland. But last weekend one speaker condemned it as a 'sop to Loyalism' LCI CONFERENCE CALLED THE Labour Committee on Ireland, together with the Committee for Withdrawal from Ireland, are organising a major labour movement conference to take place on February 27th, 1982, in London.

This conference aims to present the case for the labour movement to support British withdrawal. Trade unions and constituency Labour Parties are asked to sponsor the conference, to make a donation, and to agree to send delegates.

Details from the secretary, Labour Movement conference, 37 Carden Road, London SE15. CONT