Sinn Fein Negotiator Gives Talk
by Tobias Smith and Aaron Mucciolo

Northern Ireland’s Minister of Education Martin McGuiness addressed students in the Science Center’s West Lecture hall yesterday. McGuiness, a former Irish Republican Army leader and current top negotiator for Sinn Fein, discussed both the history of conflict in Northern Ireland and the current prospects of peace.
Sinn Fein is the political arm of the IRA, a movement that has sought for decades to remove British control of Northern Ireland and reunite with the independent country of Ireland. Both Irelands are predominantly Catholic, while the British are predominantly Protestant.
Throughout his speech McGuiness was resolute that a final solution to the conflict was inevitable, hopefully within his own lifetime. “We are irreversibly moving forward in the peace process in Northern Ireland,” he said during his speech.
McGuiness began by acknowledging the complexity of the conflict. “The big problem, really, is where do you begin?” he joked. “If we start at the beginning, we’d be here for several days.”
After a brief overview, McGuiness discussed the current state of the peace process. Much of the speech focused on Sinn Fein’s continued gains in acceptance by both Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, as well as the British government, as a legitimate political body committed to peace. He credited these gains to “dialogue and discussion. That’s how we were successful in Northern Ireland.”
In his speech, McGuiness praised the many people who he said had worked for peace, including Gerry Adams, John Hume, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former President Bill Clinton.
He also noted the important steps taken by the British government as a whole throughout the years, calling the 1994 cessation of military actions by the British “courageous” and saying it “broke the cycle of violence” in Northern Ireland.

Parallels were also drawn between Northern Ireland and the struggles in South Africa and the Middle East. The talk finished where it began, with an emphasis on ending violence. “This is the great prize we are working for, the prize of peace,” McGuiness said.
Well over 100 students, staff, and townspeople came to hear the talk, many staying for over 45 minutes of questions following McGuiness’s remarks. Questions ranged from specific political issues in Northern Ireland to larger global concerns. Changing hats, McGuiness also discussed educational policy in Northern Ireland, a problem that he notes affects both Catholics and Protestants.

McGuiness’ national and political convictions were not just evidenced in his long list of credentials, rhetorical confidence and green tie with matching lapel pin. While normally maintaining a politician’s composure when addressing questions, hints of deeper emotion flourished when responding to questions about his country’s ability to manage without British aid. “It is an insult to the people of Ireland to suggest that we aren’t capable of providing for ourselves,” he said.
McGuiness had not planned to make Oberlin a stop on his tour of the U.S., which includes only two other destinations, Cleveland and Chicago. Students were alerted to the his arrival by word of mouth, and an ad hoc coalition was formed at the last minute to bring McGuiness, who agreed to speak on short notice and for a reduced fee, to campus. The group raised hundreds of dollars from co-ops and student organizations, and the Student Union financed the rest of the costs.
“There was only a small window of opportunity, and of course we jumped on it right away,” Associate Director of the Student Union Chris Baymiller said.
While in Oberlin, McGuiness also took time to meet with the mayor as well as various trade unionists.

March 15
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