[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 134 (Friday, October 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             RECENT RAIDS ON SINN FEIN OFFICES IN STORMONT

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                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2002

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in spirit with several 
of my constituents and hundreds of other Irish Americans in the New 
York Metropolitan area, as they stage a protest outside the New York 
City consulate of Great Britain. I wish I could be there in person to 
join in their fight.
  Mr. Speaker, last Friday the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the 
PSNI, formerly the RUC, raided the government offices of Sinn Fein in 
the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont. This unprofessional and 
haphazard raid appears to be politically motivated--with those involved 
hoping to unravel the power-sharing government established under the 
Good Friday Agreements.
  The raid of these offices and several homes of Sinn Fein party 
workers once again show that the PSNI/RUC remains nothing more than a 
political tool of unionists hoping to undermine a just and lasting 
peace in Northern Ireland. These raids were obviously done to publicly 
embarrass Sinn Fein, with the hope that this will be the final straw 
that will force the demise of the Good Friday Accords.
  Soon after these raids, both Ian Paisley of the DUP and David Trimble 
of the UUP called for Sinn Fein to be excluded from the power sharing 
government. Also, Mr. Paisley, withdrew his party's support from the 
government. These actions show the unionists true feelings--they hope 
that by excluding Sinn Fein the Accords will collapse and force the 
Crown to retake complete control of the North.
  It is quite obvious to me that the only way a lasting peace can occur 
in Northern Ireland is by protecting the power sharing institutions and 
fully implementing the Patten Commission's recommendations. The actions 
of the PSNI last Friday shows that the police as a whole are still 
quite loyal to the crown and quite often use their influence and 
authority for political purposes. Northern Ireland is in dire need of a 
police service that is more representative of the community and is 
responsive to the needs of all the citizen of Northern Ireland.
  These raids are just another example of how the PSNI has not moved 
away from the tactics of the RUC in the '60s, '70s and '80s. The PSNI 
is anti-Catholic, anti-Sinn Fein and anti-Good Friday Agreement. PSNI 
must be forced to stop its sectarian efforts and truly protect all 
parties.
  I hope that Mr. Trimble, Prime Minister Blair and all the other 
parties involved continue their commitment to peace in Northern Ireland 
by standing by the original Good Friday Accords and most importantly 
fully implementing the Patten Commission's recommendations. Patten and 
the Accords are our only true hope that peace can survive in Northern 
Ireland.

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