Sinn Féin, the Past and Political Strategy: The Provisional Irish Republican Movement and the Politics of ‘Reconciliation’

Stephen Hopkins

doi:10.1080/07907184.2014.942293

Abstract

This article examines a critical aspect of the contemporary political debate in Northern Ireland regarding ‘the past’, and how to deal with the legacies of violent conflict. The article will specifically analyse the Provisional republican movement's developing policy in this area. It outlines Sinn Féin's (SF's) policy evolution with regard to ideas of ‘truth and reconciliation’ in the context of the post-Belfast Agreement era of ‘peace’. It proceeds to critically assess the Republican movement's demands for an independent and international process of ‘truth recovery’, and subsequently engages in a detailed critique of SF's recent promotion of a ‘reconciliation strategy’, designed to enhance the movement's strategic agenda, and usher in a new phase in the ‘peace process’. The article concludes by arguing that SF's approach to ‘truth and reconciliation’ has been characterised by an emphasis upon the movement's efforts to legitimise its version of the historical narrative of the Troubles, rather than by any authentic attempt to address self-critically the previous commitment to ‘armed struggle’, or to seek genuine compromise with unionists, loyalists and the broader Protestant population. This approach has also been formulated for an internal audience, with the goal of convincing republicans that progress towards a united Ireland has not stalled.

Highlights

A new agreed Ireland is best achieved by unity through reconciliation
Rather than representing a stable ethno-nationalist communal compromise, which has permitted erstwhile sworn enemies to divide power between them in the Northern Ireland Executive, SF has insisted that the process is ongoing, and that its ultimate destination remains a united Ireland
Whether the mixed messages transmitted by Sinn Féin (SF’s) reconciliation initiative were a conscious product of design or not, they did betray a genuine problem with the policy: as Liam Clarke pointed out, ‘Martin McGuinness claims outreach to unionists isn’t meant to turn them into nationalists, but Gerry Adams says a united Ireland will come about by persuading unionists and that is the strategy now.’ (Belfast Telegraph, 29 May 2012)