conference was not a jamboree for the party faithful rallying around traditional slogans, but an opportunity for discussions and learning.
Policy discussions on both economic policies women s oppression deep into the divide between socialist republican traditions. This largelv retects experience gained through the numerous Sinn Fein advice centres where the majority of problems raised could only begin to be tackled by adopting an active campaigning approach to encourage and direct the self-organisation of the oppressed.
ne of the development of Sinn Fein can be guaged bv looking at its economic policy At 1983 Fheis, delegates were locked in debate over whether the Liduc unions should be recognised 'mass organisations of the working class, whether this was important to discuss or in•eca members should be idenwith Luca Sinoly right wing leaders. Jobs This year the leadership came forward with resolutions for Sinn Fein members organise within and alongside the unions to resist state atdefend living Lacks standards. They called for Job creation based on the setting up of state run companies which maximum use of natural resources and recommended state takeover of key productive industries which are threatened with closure. Additional ammendments updated sinn Fein's social and economic programme avocat bringing all industries under public control, opposing personal ownership of workers.
vover lo relur lo la tional support for 'decentralised state' were strongly rejected. dethe Southern government's so-called na tional plan for the make working people pa TOT CISS Fheis returned to the campaign for the 35 hour week overturning the out-ofThe key note address by president Gerry clearly indicated that the role of the hand rejection of the previous vcar The rapid development of Sinn Fein has meant so many programmade resolutons co ng onto the agenda that WIll agriculture, housing, weltare, travelling people, drugs, and education were unable to be thoroughly discussed. This has led to a re-evaluation of the traditional structures of debate. Women This „ove debated and voted on by the individual branches and then by a two day conference. Perhaps a foretaste came on the women's oppression discussion where motions were brought together and introduced in the form of a revised policy document which was then open to The redraft strengthened traditional policies Or sexism stereotyping on equal work and equal pay. It adopted a new secviolence against LOLOR women which openly tackled "taboo' subjects domestic violence, incest and rape which was seen as 'an act of violence, , hatred aomination rather than its legal Hallyw definition.
The document reaffirms Sinn Fein's view on the right of divorce and committed the organisation to campaign TOI 'yes' vote in the proposed referendum on the issue in the South.
The Ard Fheis clarified that contraception should be a right of law, and that it should be free, safe and readily available to all through GPs and family planning clinics.
Three vcal. of conference liscussior on abortion has moved policy from being "totally opposabortion' (1982);
'opposed abortion' (1983); and 1984 'opposed to abortion as a means of birth control' Despite the defeat of resolutions supporting 'a woman's right to abortion under certain medical cirumstances', the ongoing educational campaign by the department of Sinn Fein looks like confirming the views of the traditionalists that 'only a matter of time..
The Presidential ad dress brought all policies with organisational proposals, reality and flexibility: Using the analogy that in it day the pike was an extremely good weapon but had eventually jected in favour of the Armalite, he supported winding up of British Sinn Fein an organisation long since marginalised in the struggle to build an effective solidarity movement in Britain. Also pro. posed was the launch of a new self governing yout department of Sinn Fein The speech as a whole (which has been published in Republican News November 8th) is remarkable for its attention to the theme of political democ racy running through sub ject matter from the international fight against imperialism through questions of sexuality morality and ending in scathing attack the nypocrisy expressed in the of constitutional nationalists with the Thatcher government under the name of He contrasted their talk of democracy their common acceptance Gerry Adams speaking to the Ard Fheis of the right of the Dublin government to speak fo Norther nationalists without vote being cast for them their mutual accept the results of the ballot box when voters choos revolutionaries to repre sent them Sinn Fein is a small minority in the South. The obstacles to growth anti-imperialist workers' party there are immense. But one thing is certain - that the deterdevelop programme cultivaly based on the struggles the oppressed, combined with a offensive tre neme politicical democracy on its ballet, Is sure to place Sinn Fein in the leadership of such a struggle It is a struggle that we in Britain have a vital interest in seeing won.