Dissident peace move must be questioned

The public declaration by former MLA John Kelly that what he terms dissident Republicans are now engaged in a process that will see any future demand for a united Ireland made in the context of peaceful means cannot go unchallenged.

The statement of the former Provisional politician in the Irish News gives the impression that all Republicans agree with him.

The basis of his assertion that so called dissident Republicans are now preparing the way for a unity by peaceful means approach must be questioned.
Who does he speak for on this issue?  We must remember that John Kelly was a long time Provisional activist who went down the political path with the Adams and McGuinness leadership.

He is a politician who stood by while arms acquired for the freedom of Ireland were destroyed by the Provo leadership.  He so embraced the new direction that he even contested elections and became an MLA in a British sanctioned assembly.  In short he acted in the interests of administering British rule in Ireland.

Yet today he has left the Provos or it is that the Provos have left him and now he wants to embrace all the so called dissident Republicans and sweep them into this Ireland by peaceful means campaign.

We in Republican Sinn Fein will have nothing to do with him – and we advise him to stick with those who agree with his policy and not endeavour to use the name of people who would never agree to abandon traditional Republican principles.