The agreement thrashed out with the British government over Christmas was a massive challenge for republicans but was a sustainable foundation for a new beginning to policing, according to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
Republicans must think strategically and ignoring policing was not an option, Mr Adams told up to 1,000 republicans who gathered near Brookeborough, Co Fermanagh, yesterday to commemorate the deaths 50 years ago of IRA members Seán South and Fergal O'Hanlon.
Referring to how they were killed in a failed IRA attack on Brookeborough RUC barracks on January 1st, 1957, he said: "The Brookeborough raid was risky. Struggle of any kind is risky. We should remember that those who want to maximise change must be prepared to take the greatest risks."
Yesterday's commemoration was staged beside the Altawark Cross monument to South and O'Hanlon, about six miles from Brookeborough.
A colour party of men and women dressed in black berets, white shirts, black jackets and black trousers stood before the monument as Mr Adams addressed the crowd. A group of men bearing replica weapons and wearing period clothes stood on an old Bedford lorry to represent how the IRA column would have appeared 50 years ago.
While last week's ardchomhairle decision to sanction an ardfheis on policing for some time later this month has provoked unease and debate within republicanism, Mr Adams's speech was applauded and there were no words of dissent as he spoke.
There were no short cuts to independence and a new Ireland, said Mr Adams. "Republican strategy today is about building political strength, popularising republican ideas, and mobilising, organising and strategising how we achieve a free, united Ireland," he added.
"As part of this we have to secure a new peaceful accord with our unionist neighbours based upon equality. The new Ireland cannot be built solely on our terms. This is the context in which we must approach the issues of policing and justice.
"Our strategic focus has been to break the grip of the unionist elite, the Northern Ireland Office and British securocrats, whose efforts are about keeping political policing. Our efforts have been to end political policing," said Mr Adams. He did not disclose the words of the motion scheduled to be put to the ardfheis. A Sinn Féin spokesman said details of the motion should be published this week.
Meanwhile, a senior British government source has moved to dampen incipient DUP concern about proposals on how a minister for justice and a junior justice minister might be appointed to the Executive by May 2007. A British government paper details how, if the parties cannot agree on the nominations by that date, the government could then nominate who should fill the posts.
This prompted DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson to warn that such an imposition would wreck any prospect of devolution being restored by March as envisaged in the St Andrews Agreement, or by any other date.
A senior British source however said there was no question of a minister being imposed against the wishes of the Assembly. "That would be complete nonsense," he said. The need for a Northern Secretary to nominate could only arise in situations such as where it was decided to appoint a minister from outside the Assembly, or where the post could go to an Alliance member or other MLA who was not a member of the four parties entitled to sit on the Executive - at present, the DUP, Sinn Féin, Ulster Unionists and SDLP.
