THE next few weeks will be the most crucial in Irish history, Mr Martin McGuinness said yesterday. The Sinn Fein ardcomhairle member was addressing a rally in west Belfast to mark the 15th anniversary of the H block hunger strike.
In an attempt to fend off apathy among republicans towards the May 30th elections in Northern Ireland, Mr McGuinness said the eyes of the world would be on the Sinn Fein result.
At the rally, attended by about 2,000 people in Dunville Park on the Falls Road, he appealed to republicans to vote and canvass for the party. The hunger strikers had contested elections, he told the crowd.
Mr McGuinness said Sinn Fein would not be part of "any unionist dominated body at Stormont". He also said that IRA weapons could be decommissioned only in an overall decommissioning process in the context of a political settlement.
The biggest obstacles to peace in Ireland, he said, were the British Prime Minister, Mr Major, and the unionist leaders, Mr David Trimble and the Rev Ian Paisley.
The rally also addressed by Ms Angela Rice. Her partner, Mr Paddy Kelly, is dying of cancer in Maghaberry Prison, Co Antrim.
She called for his immediate transfer to Portlaoise Prison; which is only a few minutes drive from her home.
The women prisoners in Maghaberry jail in a statement accused the British government of putting "selfish, party political interests" before the peace process.
In another statement, republicans in the Maze prison, Co Antrim, said: "Our freedom cannot and will not be bought at the expense of our political objectives."
Several hundred people attended a Republican Sinn Fein hunger strike commemoration in Galway on Saturday. It was supported by the relatives of several hunger strikers.
Mr Brendan Hurson, whose brother Martin died on hunger strike, told the rally there could be no peace until Irish freedom was achieved.
A message of support was sent from the mother of hunger striker Raymond McCreesh.
Mr Joe O'Neill called for a boycott of the forthcoming elections.