Sinn Féin Poblachtach candidates not given fair media coverage.

international | politics / elections | press release

Thursday March 01, 2007 18:56

by Seán Ó Murchú - Sinn Féin Poblachtach - Cork

Statement by the President of Republican Sinn Féin Ruairí Ó Brádaigh

Publicity regarding Republican Sinn Féin's six candidates in a similar number of constituencies in the current Six-County elections have not been given fair coverage by the print media not indeed by radio or television.

The excuse is that this occurs because the establishment refuses to recognise us as a 'party', regarding our six candidates as six 'Independents' and treating them as such. Minority viewpoints are getting scant or no coverage with the notable exception of Robert McCartney and his UKUP who is himself standing as a candidate in six different constituencies.

Republican Sinn Féin is organised throughout Ireland with a national office in Dublin and another office in Belfast, a monthly newspaper published without a break for 20 years and a coherent political philosophy as our election manifesto indicates.

A prime issue in this election is the question of English policing here. Our election workers continue to be harassed by the RUC/PSNI as they go about their work.

On last Sunday February 25 our Director of Elections Michael Lavelle was stopped in Lisnaskea, his car was searched and he was generally harassed. On Wednesday February 28 as he and the election campaign's Director of Finance JJ McCusker were returning from Belfast, following a tour of constituencies, they were again stopped on the M1 near Dungannon, had their car searched and were generally harassed.

On both occasions the election workers made their positions and responsibilities clear. Will Martin McGuinness and other Provo candidates who accept the British police in Ireland, in order to, "Teach them manners" (Their words) speak out now and condemn such tactics or do they condone them as an integral part of British rule which they have agreed to and seek to administer through Stormont?