Britain robs Sinn Fein

The British government has extended political discrimination
against Sinn Fein, with the party set to be penalised by up to a
million Euros in political funding.

British Direct Ruler Paul Murphy ordered a further halt on the
party's grant from the Belfast Assembly, and revealed plans to
strip its four Westminster MPs of all allowances and expenses.

British Direct Ruler Paul Murphy ordered a further halt on the
party's grant from the Northern Ireland Assembly, and revealed
plans to strip its four MPs of all Westminster allowances.

But Mr Murphy resisted calls for Sinn Fein to be excluded out of
any new devolved government, amid fears that it would only fuel
support for the party.

"The measures we are proposing are designed to express the
disapproval of all those who are committed to purely democratic
politics at the actions of the Provisional IRA," he said.

Sinn Fein was given until next Tuesday to lodge an appeal
against the actions. A legal appeal by the party against last
year's sanctions was recently rejected.

Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey said that "Paul Murphy has no right to
discriminate against democratically elected Irish politicians".
He also questioned the claims of the Irish government to be
opposed to sanctions.

"Paul Murphy does not have one vote in Ireland," said Mr Maskey.

"He has no right to discriminate against democratically elected
Irish politicians. These actions are a distortion of democracy.
The people of Ireland elect us and we are accountable to them.
We reject these anti-democratic actions by a British government
against an Irish political party.

"We will continue to fight this discrimination politically,
legally and through an ongoing campaign of democratic
resistance. We will go to the nationalist and republican people
in elections in May.

"The IMC upon whose report this action is based is not
independent. It has no credibility. It is the tool of the
securocrats whose stated aim is to prevent the further growth of
Sinn Fein and the further development of the peace process. Sinn
Fein predicted exactly the scenario we see being played out now
when this body was first established at the behest of the UUP.

"The Irish government claim to be opposed to sanctions. What are
they going to do about it? If they are co-equal partners with
the British in the management of this process are they prepared
to block these sanctions?

"The British government has no right to act unilaterally if this
is a partnership arrangement. More importantly, the Irish
government has a duty to defend the rights of Irish people and
their political representatives. Will they do so? Will they
stand up to the British government? Either the Irish government
are co-equal partners or they are not."