Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has slammed the loyalist flag protesters for tarnishing the Good Friday agreement and peace in Northern Ireland.
The North’s Deputy First Minister told a meeting of young Republicans in Belfast that the last three months have been ‘bad for the peace process.’
Speaking to the Sinn Féin Republican Youth national congress, McGuinness said that recent protests and violence linked to the union flag row had undermined the Belfast Agreement.
The Irish Times reports that McGuinness accused those behind the flag protests of a cynical and sectarian agenda.
He said: “Issues of identity have been cynically used to promote a narrow, sectarian agenda, resulting in dozens of young Protestants arrested and jailed.
“It would be far better they were in fora like this, discussing the future with their republican peers, rather than lying in Hydebank or Maghaberry prisons.”
McGuinness went on to tell the meeting that he placed the blame at the feet of unionist political leaders.
He added: “They have set the path and then retreated to their ivory towers, denying culpability and responsibility.
“I have listened very carefully to the various reasons being put forward by those involved in the protests and in the violence . . . I have met with some of those involved. None of them can excuse what has been happening on our streets.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seamus60 | Mar 06, 2013, 09:13 AM EST
Martin putting out the image of representing his own flock lol. He can not blame the loyalists for 37 of the 40 most deprived wards in the North are Nationalist, dispite his great representation. Nationalists in Derry have had to rely on Pat Ramsey from the SDLP to highlight the difference in physical force being applied against them last wed night in a peaceful whiteline protest compared to that against fleg protestors. Hundreds of fleg protests with the SPG not deployed once in order to use violence against protestors. Not so against Nationalists in Martins home City, where they were beat off the road. None of Martins business though as they were only doing their job according to his party.
seanomelb | Mar 04, 2013, 04:50 PM EST
The unionist politicians took a cowardly fence sitting attitude to the riots.
pilib04 | Mar 04, 2013, 04:14 PM EST
Tell it like it is, Martin! Even David Forde, Alliance Party minister of Justice says the same! The UUP and the DUP are completely responsible for the near-nightly riots across Northern Ireland over the past three months.
RedBranch | Mar 04, 2013, 03:19 PM EST
I believe that thanks to the 1998 Belfast Agreement even Martin Ferris is entitled to full British Citizenship. Perhaps that's what he's referring to. Its doesn't mean that it'll be supported or protected as they are currently.
IrelandNorth | Mar 04, 2013, 01:44 PM EST
More importantly, he also said that "[Northern Irish/Ulster-Scottish/]British identity can be guaranteed" in the advent of an Agreed Ireland(?) If 112,000 British subjects in the 26 counties are happy to be Irish nationals, why not another million in 32? Better to influence something from within than to irrationally fear it from without. Time to lift the siege, lads!