Dissidents: Stop 'futile campaigns' and 'internecine hatred'

Dissident Republican groups have been challenged to stop their “futile campaigns” and “internecine hatred” by former Sinn Féin national chairperson, Mitchel McLaughlin.

Speaking at a commemorative event on Thursday afternoon to mark the 50th anniversary of IRA Volunteer James (Junior) McDaid, Mr McLaughlin addressed the Dissident Republican groups directly. 

“What I would say to them from this platform, speaking at the Junior McDaid commemoration, is that there is another way. Join the conversation about what type of agreed Ireland we are all going to live in. 

“Stop the futile campaigns that you are engaging in. Stop the internecine hatred. An example of what I am talking about happened this morning. There was a tree planted in Junior’s memory at the spot where he died and it has been dug up already and left at the Sinn Féin door.

“Is that anything that a Republican should be involved in? It is a disgrace. It is disgusting and it should stop,” said Mitchel McLaughlin.

The former Assembly member and Derry City Councillor added: “So, I would say to any of us who have any contacts, family, friends, or otherwise, to explain where we are at now, to explain that a united Ireland is within reach albeit may take five or 10 years. 

“We have to win the arguments in the first place to win the referendums and there is no point in having the referendums unless we are confident that we have answered all of the questions that would mean we would win. That is the message that I think we should take away today.

“This is something I want to directly address to the Dissident Republican groups. When the Agreement was arrived at, there were simultaneous referendums on the island of Ireland. The first time in 100 years that there had been an all island vote and of course there was an overwhelming majority in favour of the Good Friday Agreement. 

“It was an act of self determination by the people of Ireland and these groups that I am now addressing directly, need to understand that the word Republic and the whole concept of Republicanism, is that the people are sovereign, not a king, not a queen, not a foreign government, no multinational corporations, no political party, no single political party,” said Mr McLaughlin.

“It is the people, the people of Ireland who are sovereign,” said Mitchel McLaughlin, “and these groups need to understand they can’t defy the people of Ireland because that is what they are doing. They are no longer fighting British Imperialism. Some of them I know are very sincere people and some I believe are not. I also think that they are riven by informers.”