BY NAOMI CRAINE
AND NELL WHEELER
In a significant development for the Irish freedom struggle, the British government retreated from its previous position and agreed April 24 to hold direct, ministry-level talks with Sinn Fein. London stated that "no subject is excluded from the dialogue," including discussing the withdrawal of British troops from occupied Northern Ireland. One of the main demands of Sinn Fein over the last few weeks has been that Prime Minister John Major quit stalling and assign a government minister, instead of lower-level officials, to meet with the republican party.

Until now, London had insisted it would not begin substantive talks until the Irish Republican Army (IRA) committed to disarm completely. Sinn Fein leaders have responded that talks should deal with "demilitarization" in the north of Ireland, beginning with the British military, which has more than 17,000 troops deployed there, along with the British-backed 10,000-strong Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). While "decommissioning" of the IRA is to be the first point on the agenda for the talks, Sinn Fein has made clear it will also raise for discussion the withdrawal of British troops, disarmament of the right-wing unionist paramilitaries, and the release of Irish political prisoners. British minister for Northern Ireland Michael Ancram and Sinn Fein leader Martin McGuinness are expected to begin meeting in Belfast the first week in May.

"This is a victory for the peace process, a victory for all those people who have a widespread expectation that we will move to all-party peace talks," said McGuinness April 24. The next day John Bruton, prime minister of the Republic of Ireland, said he was inviting Sinn Fein and the pro-British unionist parties in Northern Ireland to hold bilateral talks in Dublin. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams commended Bruton's offer, but said, "It is of crucial importance that the British government is not permitted to set the pace of the peace process. We must all move speedily beyond bilaterals, whether with the Dublin or London governments, into all-party talks led by both governments.

"No one should be misled into believing that face-to-face discussion with republicans is going automatically to bring about a change of heart by the British government," he added. "On their record to date, the British will seek to continue their stalling tactics." Adams appealed directly to Protestant workers, who under British rule have been treated by the government and employers as a privileged caste in Northern Ireland to divide them from workers who are Catholic. Referring to "the social and economic deprivation of working-class unionists," the Sinn Fein president said, "Take one look at any part of this island and the issues are no different. British economic policy in Ireland has failed, but so have the economic policies of successive governments in the 26 counties" of the Republic.

If the unionist politicians are really concerned about working people who are Protestant, then they "should join with the rest of the people of this island in carving out a future for ourselves as equals, demanding new structures and new politics which are based on the foundation of jobs, housing, equality of opportunity, and access for all," Adams concluded.

The fight for the release of political prisoners continues to be a focus of activity for supporters of Irish self- determination internationally.

Larry Quinn, editor of the Irish People, a republican weekly published in New York, described activities of the Saoirse campaign in a recent interview. Saoirse is a non- party political organization dedicated to the release of all political prisoners. Quinn pointed to recent protest rallies to free the political prisoners in Crossmaglen, Northern Ireland, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Many events will take place May 5-7, marking the anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands, who along with several other political prisoners in Ireland carried out a hunger strike in 1981.

Recent demonstrations, such as commemorations of the Easter rising across Ireland and around the world, were reported by the Irish People as being the largest in many years.

Quinn said he sensed that since the cease-fire, "it has been easier for people to come out and say, `I support you,' without fear of reprisal" by the police and RUC. "The cease- fire really killed the British," he said, "because for years they were saying, `Put down your guns and we'll talk.' So now that the guns have been put away, there's nothing they can do but negotiate. They're not doing all this out of the kindness of their hearts."

At the same time, however, "the British are still trying to divide the republican movement in Ireland" and make the Irish people pay the highest price for freedom, Quinn said. "They've taken some of the troops out of the city, but redeployed them in the countryside, where they continue to harass and brutalize people."  
 
 
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