Sinn Fein reaches out to dissidents

NORTHERN Ireland’s deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, has offered to hold talks with dissident republicans.

He told the Sinn Fein party conference yesterday he wanted to send dissidents the message that “the war is over”.

“I am offering them an opportunity to meet and talk,” he said. “Come and tell us what you hope to gain by deluding yourselves and the gullible that your actions will succeed in what is certainly a pathetic and futile attempt to turn back the clock.”

McGuinness told delegates in Killarney, Co Kerry, there was “plenty of room for voices who oppose the Sinn Fein strategy”.

“I was part of the conflict, I was there during the difficult and tragic times we had in the past, and let me tell you there was nothing romantic about the war,” he said.

“It was hard, it was painful and it was traumatic and I never ever want the children of Ireland who live today in peace to be subjected to the conflict, pain and hurt that we lived through.”

In a direct appeal to dissidents, he said: “I never want to attend another funeral of a police officer or any other member of our society who lost their lives due to violence, so I appeal to you for dialogue but I also say to you that the process of building a new future will continue with or without you – it is your call.”