Greens tackle Sinn Fein and SDLP on support for World Economic Forum

national | anti-capitalism | press release

Friday January 16, 2004 22:46

by Peter Doran - Green Party

pfdoran at hotmail dot com

www.greens-in.org

04890874256

Didn't Sinn Fein Youth support opposition to the WEF in Dublin?

The Green Party leader in Northern Ireland, Dr John Barry has tackled the Sinn Fein and SDLP leaderships for their decision to address the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Dr. John Barry, said,

“The decision by Martin Mc.Guinness and Mark Durkan to attend and give legitimacy to an organisation dedicated to supporting a corporate-led economic globalisation is nothing short of irresponsible. One of the criticisms the Green Party has of local political leaders and parties here in Northern Ireland is how parochial and in-ward looking they are. Sadly, here we have a case of local politicians speaking at a world event, but one that will only add legitimacy to a right-wing agenda for corporate-led economic globalisation which will further erode living standards and livelihoods not only in the developing world but here in Northern Ireland. Once again the failure of our local ‘ethnic entrepreneurs’ to address the real issues affecting employment, investment, agriculture and public services, facing Northern Ireland is plain to see. Will these parties who profess to have a ‘social justice’ agenda use the opportunity at Davos to condemn the policies of corporate-led economic globalisation or will they rather be meekly grateful for yet another stage to articulate their failed ethnic politics in front of the great and the good?

In regard to Sinn Fein, the Green Party wonders what many of its young activists who were involved in the successful protest against the visit of the World Economic Forum to Dublin last October, must think of the leadership’s decision to now go and support the very institutions they were protesting against? Sadly, like on so many other issues, Sinn Fein speaks with forked tongue, not just in negations with other political parties, but also to its own membership. Unlike Sinn Fein, the Green Party has been consistently against the World Economic Forum and has worked with others within organisations such as the Irish Social Forum and European Social Forum to do this.

Sinn Fein activists who are against corporate-led economic globalisation need to ask themselves whether the party they belong to is ultimately a narrow ethnic party, prioritising a local agenda of Irish Nationalism rather than a progressive one, consistently challenging the forces of economic and social injustice, whether they be local or global”

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Comments (5 of 5)

pay back time

by amused

Sat Jan 17, 2004 11:23

What would expect from a party that takes money from Coca Cola? Sinn Fein long ago clearly signalled that it was not anti capitalist when in the middle of the peace process they stated in New York that they had no problem with capitalism only to follow up with a call to open up the economy in the north to multinationals.

ÓSF

by Scáth Sheamais - People's Front of Judea

Sat Jan 17, 2004 22:47

Actually you are correct, Ógra Shinn Féin do support opposition to the WEF.

And as if there weren't enough oddities, they've called on McGuinness not to go, (and to go to the next World Social Forum instead). But how likely is it that they'll be listened to?

Skeletons In Greens Closet

by JGG

Tue Jan 20, 2004 11:41

Dont forget Fischler the Green German Foreign Minister, anything to say about him? You had better check your share portfolio as well, wouldnt want to be caught out like Ciaran Cuffe.

Green Party Social Justice??!!

by Peter Sutherlands Nemesis - WEF-not!

Tue Jan 20, 2004 12:49

And so too the Green Party claims to be in favour of social justice ...

... yet the GP is capable of voting for Regressive Waste Management Charges in Dublin which in some cases mean that whether you are poor with many kids in a small house and recycle as much as possible you pay the same flat annual waste fee as the big-house no-kids SUV driving total-non-recycler 60 grand a year bloke down the road. That, is not social justice, that is Green Capitalism.

Honestly Mr D. I wouldn’t repost Dr. B.'s comments in this regard - now get down off that high horse, surprise us all, stop bitchin’ and tell us what the GP has done to save us from the WEF.

ps:
The dogs in the street know that SF have been going to Davos since two years before the IRA ceasefire. Try not to get disillusioned, but all political parties, no matter how left or green, do not exist for the people or for social justice, they exist for the Party, for the Party to get power and hold power. The principles you all have are just a way of bringing you together - you and your principles are dispensable for the sake of the Party. National based political parties are a defunct yoke around our necks, a nineteenth century relic. In 2004 real power is global - now go non-hierarchical global justice - we are not impressed with your pious petty party poo pooing for the precarious precipices of the high moral ground.
;-)

thanks for that

by ger

Tue Jan 20, 2004 14:17

pointless non-comment.

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Greens tackle Sinn Fein and SDLP on support for World Economic Forum

Comments (5 of 5)