Farewell to Tom Wiliams

The Republican community, its bonds forged in years of adversity, paid its respects with great dignity, and Joe Cahill, who was arrested along with Williams, provided an emotional tribute to his former comrade. Gerry Adams also spoke to the assembled crowd and undoubtedly struck the night note when he spoke about the "equivalence of grief" and the "wounds yet to be healed". Indeed Adams was correct to identify a sense of moral superiority among Republicans, particularly Williams, in the face of those who sought to "criminalise" or "demonise" them; Such sentiments were unquestionably heartfelt and well-received.

Where Adams’ comments lacked some resonance, however, was in regard to the current "peace process". There is no doubt that the leadership of the Republican movement is committed to the peace process, and this commitment has been reflected quite clearly in their practical political input over the recent years and months. Yet the fundamental question remains - can the leadership deliver tangible results via this process in terms of traditional Republican objectives?

The IRA created the space for a genuine peace by calling a cease-fire in the first instance, and Sinn Fein has responded positively by making every effort to accommodate Unionists and the British government. Unfortunately, a sober analysis of the specific terms of the Good Friday Agreement and the spurious emphasis on "de-commissioning" illustrates quite clearly that the "process" has developed a momentum the dynamic of which cannot be effectively controlled by the Republican leadership. Honourable people have tried to make the process work and there is no doubt that compromise is a prerequisite for sustainable peace, but long-held Republican principles have been abandoned along the road. Indeed Adams has recently spoken of the possibility of a united Ireland by 2016.

Given the way the peace process has developed, such statements can only be described as wishful conjecture, Republicans may have to come to terms with the unpalatable truth, that the aspirations for which Williams and many others fought and died, (that "certain day" which Williams so eloquently spoke of) will not be the end product of the current process. When the inherent weaknesses of the contemporary strategy have been evaluated and assimilated, and while rejecting the facile "solution" of the unreconstructed militarists, the Republican Movement may have to re-articulate its political demands in a qualitatively different way. The most recent developments indicate some obvious miscalculations.