THE PEACE process is dead -long live the peace process! That's the reality. The British pacification process is about to collapse, but the British will remain in charge - and will continue with the same strategy, no matter how disillusioned and discontented many of its former supporters become. As we go to press, and the deadline of Wednesday June approaches, Blair is desperate to show progress and Sinn Fein is desperate for the new executive to be formed with them taking up 2 places. Blair has made clear he has no 'Plan B'. It is reported that Sinn Fein may be willing to accept that decommissioning of IRA weapons must occur by May 2000 as a condition for forming the executive. If this were to be true it would be likely to presage a major split in both the IRA and Sinn Fein, who could not accept this ultimate capitulation, particularly at a time when loyalist intimidation is on the increase. The promise of the referendum Blair: "No Plan B" on the peace process was very simple. It was that we would move into a new era where human rights would be respected and sectarian provocation outlawed. Yet now, like the sequel to some bad movie, we are facing into Drumcree 5. Many commentators despair of putting any sort of positive spin on the Orange mob. They discount the marching season as symbolic. It doesn't feel that way on the receiving end. The Drumcree battle is simply the most visible aspect of a loyalist offensive. It can't be separated from the house burning, intimidation, assault, sectarian murder, RUC collusion and British cover-up that mark the steady, low-level ethnic cleansing that is a feature of life in the North. When not transported by seizures of sectarian hatred the Orangemen say their central demand is;"The right of loyal subjects to walk the queen's highway" That means their right to engage in sectarian provocation whenever they wish while opposing the right of anyone else to exercise their democratic rights.
When nationalist workers in the North try to organise in their own defence, they find that the elements of the defence contain fatal flaws. The 'nationalist family' of the Dublin government, SDLP and Sinn Fein suffers one absolutely fatal flaw as against Orange intimidation. The majority of the parties have made it perfectly clear that they have no intention of opposing the Orange mob. SDLP leader Seamus Mallon went to the Garvaghy Road last year to call for agreement to an Orange demonstration.
Bertie Ahern has made it clear that he would like to see capitulation. He failed to answer numerous calls for observers from the Dublin government to be present during Orange demonstrations. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams recently indicated that there will be no deal linking the overall peace process to a capitulation at Drumcree.
This statement was made necessary by the suspicion of many Sinn Fein supporters that such a deal was on the cards. The former republican leadership see alternative to squalid politicking around the peace process.
They bought into it because their military strategy was running into the ground and can't realistically present a return to arms as a way forward. British influence Even if we accept the good faith of the nationalist family we have to ask what likelihood there is that a strategy of persuading the British to stand firm against loyalist bigots will work.
The blunt reality is that it is not resitionalised sectarianism to THURSDAY 8. Troops Out Move ment public meeting "British Rule in Ireland 1969-1999: 30 Years Too Long". Speakers include Tony Benn and a Sinn Fein representative. 7.30p.m. Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (Holborn underground). SATURDAY 10 Defend Public Services conference called by six
unemployed action organisation AC! amounted to several thou-
ON July