Statement of Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
U.S. House of Representatives
Friday, February 16, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in amazement at what can only be described as the utter inflexibility of the Reverend Ian Paisley. Mr. Paisley’s dislike of the Catholic population in the North of Ireland is well documented and needs no repeating on the floor of this body. Suffice it to say that John Hume’s observation “if the word ‘No’ was removed from the English language, Ian Paisley would be speechless” is an accurate description of Mr. Paisley’s ability for thoughtful negotiation and compromise.
What does deserve recounting here however are the remarkable strides that have been taken by Sinn Fein in the quest for a just and lasting peace for all the people of Northern Ireland, as well as the hard work and dedication shown by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahearn and Prime Minister Tony Blair in this endeavor.
Prime Minister Blair has not always used the full force of his office to secure peace on the island of Ireland. However, he has shown himself to be a true friend to the Irish people and a strident negotiator for peace and I am proud to commend him for that. His diligence in the pursuit of peace stands in stark contrast to that of Mr. Paisley.
Mr. Speaker, heroic efforts have been put forth by all parties – republican, nationalist and unionists alike – to address this situation. It began with the signing of the Good Friday Accords in 1998 and the commitment of the IRA to end its armed campaign and commit to the development of purely political and exclusively peaceful means. The IRA then went on to put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use, which was confirmed by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
Then, most recently, Sinn Fein voted in its extraordinary Ard Fheis, or political convention, to support the policing institutions. This includes a police service that has been shown by the independent Police Ombudsman to have engaged in collusion with loyalist paramilitaries resulting in the death of at least ten people, both Catholic and Protestant.
Despite all this, Mr. Paisley has refused to enter into government with Sinn Fein and put the needs of his constituency and that of the citizens of Northern Ireland above those of his own petty hatred and extremist allies.
Mr. Paisley cannot continue to stand in the way of peace and justice for the people of Northern Ireland. The people of the North have waited far too long and sacrificed far too much for him to continue to be a roadblock to peace. Responsible leadership is needed on the unionist side in the North to show that extremism, bigotry and hatred will not be tolerated.
Mr. Speaker, I have taken to this floor many times in the last few years to talk about the situation in Northern Ireland. The progress which has been made is nothing short of remarkable considering the violence that has plagued this area, literally for centuries.
The one constant that those of us who care about a just and lasting peace have seen is Mr. Paisley — increasingly out of touch, afraid of losing his grip on power and more interested in living with the hatred of the past than embracing the promise of tomorrow. It is well past time Reverend Ian Paisley move along and let the people of Northern Ireland get on with their lives.