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Dissident death threats won’t scare me insists McGuinness
Saturday, 25 April 2009
enlargeThe Deputy First Minister has openly defied death threats from dissident republicans who he compared to the loyalists who have targeted him in the past.
Flanked by party colleagues, Martin McGuinness staged an open air Press conference at Free Derry Corner in his native Bogside yesterday afternoon after it emerged that dissidents — whom he branded “imposters” — had issued a threat against his life.
Mr McGuinness arrived to cheers and clapping from the dozens of local people who had gathered to show their support.
The Sinn Fein man told the crowd that he had no intention of changing his routine or being detracted from his duties.
He also revealed that the escsalation of attacks on Sinn Fein members in Derry has now extended to his wife and sons, who have been verbally abused in the street. In recent weeks Sinn Fein colleagues Mitchel McLaughlin and Greater Shantallow councillor Tony Hassan have also been targeted.
Warning that some lives may yet be lost in the pursuit of peace, Mr McGuinness said he had been made aware within the last 24 hours of a death threat.
He said: “I have been involved in the republican struggle for the reunification of Ireland and independence all my adult life and during all of that period attempts have been made to silence me and prevent me going about my work.
“Those threats have come in the earlier period from pro-British agencies and their friends in loyalist murder gangs. It seems now these groups who claim to be republican have joined that group.
“A very clear message needs to be sent to those small, unrepresentative groups that their activities and their threats will not succeed, will not advance one iota the cause of reunifying the people of this island.
“I, as an elected representative of the people of Ireland, overwhelmingly supported by the people of Ireland in my work as Deputy First Minister, will not be intimidated or threatened by anyone. I have a job to do.”
Mr McGuinness said that those who disagreed with Sinn Fein's strategy had a right to voice their opinions, but added: “I would contend that they have absolutely no right in the context of the Good Friday Agreement — absolutely no right whatsoever — to effectively betray the hopes, rights and aspirations of the people of this island. The people of Ireland want peace and the people of the north want peace.”
The Mid-Ulster MP said that this job involved bringing about real democracy in Ireland and Irish reunification, goals which he added “are of primary importance to me”.
Referring to a statement in which he was attacked by a masked dissident at a republican Easter commemoration event organised by the 32 County Sovereignty Movement at the City Cemetery in Derry, Mr McGuinness said: “From the perspective of the republican people of the north, we are dealing with a set of imposters here trying to hijack the republican cause for their own ends.”
He added: “Some of us may lose our lives in the future. I am not going to be threatened, I am not going to be intimidated — I have a job to do and I intend to do that job.”
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these imposters have no genuine interest in political issues or advancing our aspirations - they are an illiterate bunch of common criminals without mandate, focus or strategy - we all need to unite and reject their selfish and anti republican actions.
Posted by robert | 26.04.09, 17:39 GMT
I agree with Norn-Iron.com that Nobody has the right to threaten another persons life irrespective of whether they are an elected member of parliament, a Catholic man who has joined the PSNI or a British Soldier.
Does this apply to the activities of IRA before the GFA was signed ?
Because if it does apply then why are there members of a terrorist organisation in government in Northern Ireland ?
If it only applies to post GFA events , then the killing of the 2 British soldiers in Antrim is murder but the killing of civilians at Enniskillen was not murder.
So the definition of murder is a pollitical issue.
Is there a political definition of say , rape or child molesting ?
Who decides these things and what gives them the right to tell the widow of an RUC man that her husband was not murdered, but the widow of the Catholic PSNI man was told her husband was murdered ?
Is it the Law that decides , is it the politicians that decide ?
Posted by Stevie | 26.04.09, 04:44 GMT
Martin McGuiness may be in Government in Northern Ireland but even though the GFA has been signed he still prattles off the tiresome Irish Republican euphemisms and Orwellian "doublespeak" about the struggle for Irish unity.
Well Mr McGuiness we all know about your support for the struggle... and you have the gall to talk about Loyalist murder gangs as if your Irish Republican murder gangs had a noble right to shoot people in the head.
Al Queada murdered 1000s on Sept 11 ,Timothy McVeigh murdered 100s at Oklahoma and the IRA murdered people.
There is no difference,murder is murder,terrorism is terrorism.
Posted by Stevie | 26.04.09, 04:34 GMT
he who lives by the sword....
Posted by God's word | 26.04.09, 02:18 GMT
It seems that Martin has entered the world which he used to force upon others.. I absolutely deny those who would condone use of violence to achieve their aims, but it hasn't done Martin any harm, has it? It would seem that about 15 years of supporting violence will book you a place in government, a fact not lost on Iraqi and Palestinian insurgents.. Maybe the UPRG will hand over their rifles and pistols, but what better incentive to use violence than the IRA used to attain ministerial position? Why not just kill and maim knowing that, in the end, you will achieve your goal? Obviously, the republican dissidents have experienced this, and yet they demand more. Why did we allow this cancer to pollute our province..
Posted by Gary | 26.04.09, 02:13 GMT
When are thse dissidents - people who threaten others regardless of their religion going to wake up and realise that no one wants them, their policies , their terror and their threats. They have nothing to contribute to this provience or its people. Utter frustration is what thay are experiencing now as they see that they are not going to get what they want and no one wants them.
Posted by wmm | 26.04.09, 00:40 GMT
Dissedent Republicans and Dissendent Loyalist are just a pack of Low IQ Idiots. It is time for all to move on. Please build a country on where partinsonship is a thing of the past. Stop the fighiting and move on . No one is a100% right nor a 100% wrong. However a goverment of appeasement and mutal agreement should be the goal. Who in this world wants there Son or Daughter to be involved in petty Religious disputes. God LOVES all of us
not just a few who thinks he loves them more.
Posted by mcinsw | 25.04.09, 22:53 GMT
Appreciate the edit. My opening remark may have been out of place. Thanks .RMS
Posted by RMS | 25.04.09, 19:33 GMT
it just proves those who do evil release a boomerang
Posted by william | 25.04.09, 18:39 GMT
Nobody has the right to threaten another persons life irrespective of whether they are an elected member of parliament, a Catholic man who has joined the PSNI or a British Soldier. A threat on Martin is a threat on the democracy of N.Ireland and therefore a threat on us all.
Posted by Norn-Iron.com | 25.04.09, 15:32 GMT
As involved as many of the current holders of office may have been, it is time to move on. These dissidents need to be removed from society,and it is the responsibility of those parties that were involved in past crimes against the state to name those who remain 'hell bent' in keeping Northern Ireland in the Dark Ages. As long as these activities continue,who would wish to invest in Northern Ireland?
Posted by RMS | 25.04.09, 13:05 GMT