A Sinn Féin councillor has been suspended by the party following her public criticism of SF’s position on policing. Fermanagh Councillor Bernice Swift has been outspoken in her opposition to SF representation on the local District Policing Partnership (DPP).

Cllr Swift was quoted in the “Impartial Reporter” (the main local newspaper in Fermanagh) at the beginning of this month where she said, “For some, the DPPs are seen as a possible means by which community control and accountability might be exercised over the police. The argument has been made that by republicans becoming active in policing structures the local policing decision making processes will reflect the needs of the community as opposed to the political interests of the state – I think not!
“On the contrary the DPPs possess significantly less influence than the limited powers of the policing board. The Patten recommendations, (and indeed subsequent similar legislation), states that the views of the DPPs would only be ‘taken fully into account’ by the police and it also makes clear that these bodies would have no power to investigate police activities or to approve policing plans for their areas?
“The lack of powers possessed by these boards and sub boards means that meaningful control and accountability by the community is impossible, as the control and accountability mechanisms rest elsewhere. These accountability mechanisms may have been tweaked recently but it is quite clear to me that such activities as those of MI5 will not be subject to any interference from these boards. The structural weaknesses of these boards are of more significance than whether or not republicans especially ex-prisoners should be allowed to serve on them? At best they will be meaningless talking shops with no legislative power or authority as they have been until now, whilst at worse thy could be institutions which I hope don’t bind republicans closer to the British state and implicate republicans in the inevitable failing, shortcomings and repressive actions of the police force protecting that state.”

Bernice is project manager with Firinne, a group which works on behalf of victims of state-sponsored violence (collusion) throughout County Fermanagh. Firinne have three people employed who are currently working with the victims and their families, helping them to address their trauma and counselling needs and also in the pursuit of their legal cases to find out the truth about collusion in County Fermanagh.

In relation to this intervention by the SF thought police, its worth recalling comments by the late John Kelly, a former SF MLA and one of the founders of the Provisionals, and who left Sinn Féin which he considered to be coming too controlled from the centre, opposing the leadership's "deceit and the philosophy of creative ambiguity" .

In an interview with the Irish News’ Stephen McCaffery some time ago, John Kelly said that “I began to feel that within Sinn Féin republicanism there was no room or no space for people to have an opinion that was different from the leadership's opinion, and I felt that was contrary to the whole spirit of republicanism. It was contrary, not only to republicanism, but to the whole concept of the civil rights movement where (previously) people living in a police state had been denied the right to have a political opinion that was contrary to unionism….Sinn Féin are a very controlled organisation," he said.
"Some of my republican colleagues referred to them as a benign dictatorship. That's their cynical view of it. It is a 'control dictatorship' with all the elite at the top. Everything has to be filtered through that and no-one else is to be given space to express an opinion…..I think there are people who would be echoing what I am saying, but who at the end of the day would do what they were told," he said.
"So there was a distinction between whether you wanted to go along with that, or whether you wanted to – not be your own man – but to at least be allowed the dignity to express your own opinion.
"And not to be treated as someone who is incapable of having a political opinion, or doesn't have the intelligence to have a political opinion."

I'm sure Bernice and others will find some truth in what John said.

Interestingly, in February Póilín Uí Cathain, another Fermanagh councillor also resigned from Sinn Féin in the aftermath of the special Ard Fhéis on policing. At the time, Póilín was quoted as saying "I sincerely hope that my reservations regarding Sinn Fein`s support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be proven wrong. I believe that this decision is now irreversible. Therefore, while I can afford to be wrong, I don`t believe that Sinn Fein has that luxury."

Both Bernice Swift and Poilin Uí Cathain were elected in May 2005 for the Erne West electoral area of Fermanagh Council which includes Belcoo, Garrison, Boho, Cleenish & Letterbreen, Derrygonnelly, Derrylin, FlorenceCourt & Kinawley.

Obviously the SF leadership saw plenty of intellect, good political skills and future potential in Bernice when they nominated her to be one of the two alternate members of the Committee of the Regions originally set up by the EU in 1994 under the Treaty on the European Union, as an advisory political assembly representing local and regional authorities in the European Union. The other alternate member is a DUP nominee. Both alternate members act as substitutes for the two full members of the Committee of the Regions who just happen to be two ministers in the 6 County Administration - Conor Murphy and Edwin Poots.

So, if SF is right in suspending Bernice Swift for taking a public position (on policing) which is not in accordance with SF policy decided by the party at an Ard Fhéis; then why wasn’t Gerry A suspended when he publicly took a position on corporation tax levels that was not in accordance with party policy which had also previously been decided by the party at an Ard Fhéis (I could also mention a few other party policies which Gerry and Co publicly went against as well).

Is it because :

a) Bernice is a woman

b) Bernice is not from Belfast

c) Bernice is telling the truth

d) Bernice is standing by Republican principles ; or

e) Bernice is not Uachtarán of the SF party?


PS I posted a similar message on this site’s SF thread on Wednesday 24th Oct, but got no takers. Are people still waiting for a "steer" from above?

That's a long post.

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In order for evil to succeed...and so on..everyone knows it..

A long post I agree, but its one which raises valid questions

SF are now so wedded to supporting the forces of occupation and occupation itself they can countenance no dissent

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Romanticist 75%, Fundamentalist 69%, Idealist 63%, Cultural Creative 63%, Postmodernist 56%, Modernist 44%, Existentialist 44%, Materialist 19%

Pro Deo, Rege et Patria, Hibernia Unanimis

Maybe they took them down after the election!

Well I am still here and debating on many issues. I do not know this particular councillor but from what I read she has been very forthright in her opinions. Unfortunately I do think SF is a bit scared of it's internal critics of the GFA and all that follows from it.

I for one welcome healthy and ardent debate. It means that the party is not afraid of it's current position. I am by no means enamoured by all aspects of the GFA but have tactically supported the leadership of the movement to see how they can progress republican ideals. I must admit that I feel that it has been counter productive to some extent and therefore I will keep my support for it under review.

One thing I am not ashamed to say I support is the ending of republican violence. I know that the crown forces and loyalists have still not gone away but I am so glad republicans have adopted the current strategy.

I feel that there should be room for anti-GFA republicans in Sinn Fein in fact I know that there are many anti-GFA people in the movement so I cannot understand why councillor Swift has been suspended. I do not support her suspension and this will become an issue in the republican movement. What the leadership needs to understand is that republicanism is not soley theirs to define or redefine. Any person who feels republican is in my mind a republican. Especially if they agree with the fundamentals of Irish self determination and unity.

"They haven't gone away you know"

Post a thread worth commenting on and you will no doubt get a good response.

Good honest post. I think the problem for Sinn Féin on the particular issue of policing is that certain public statements from elected representatives could have a destabilizing impact on the powersharing executive. Sinn Féin have spent three or four years trying to glue the powersharing eggshell back together and now are very senitive to anything that might break it again... which leaves them a bit vulnerable politically in my view. Indeed, it seems the SDLP are freer to be more ardent in their political views, as witnessed by the Margaret Ritchie affair. Still, while I oppose the position taken on policing (and I am not anti-policing per se), and I know a lot of republicans who personally feel alienated over the policing policy, Sinn Féin are still the party most concerned with promoting an All-Ireland agenda, with a view to getting full unity and independence in the long run. I couldn't be a member of the party, but they do a lot of good things that I can support.

Well if you ask me, the elected reps even here in derry have baiscally been told to keep their mouths shut until the leadership think of something - basically a normal situation in SF. And thats a genuine observation, not just me kicking the shinners when they are so obviously down.

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"Yeah, well, there's a mirror in the toilet if you want to go in there and talk to them." - Brian Cowen responding to Martin McG - "We'll have to consult the army council on this"