John Finucane: Call made for SDLP to make its stance clear on republican commemoration event to be attended by Sinn Fein MP

The call emanates from UUP man David Taylor, the only unionist councillor in the area where the Sinn Fein event is due to take place.

It comes after the News Letter tried and failed to elicit any comment about the issue from the SDLP.

Sinn Fein MP John Finucane is due to speak at the event on Sunday, which is spread between Mullaghbawn Community Centre and the nearby Ti Chuilann centre, which is already home to a huge stone memorial honouring the IRA.

Beginning on Wednesday last week, the News Letter contacted the SDLP MLA Justin McNulty, the party's sole MLA in Newry and Armagh, to get his view on the commemoration.

The News Letter tried again this Tuesday and he said he later called back to direct us to the SDLP press office. The News Letter then spoke directly to the press office, saying that we are "looking to get an SDLP view on the upcoming commemoration".

The press officer acknowledged the enquiry, said he would try to speak to party leader Colum Eastwood and come back "as soon as I can," but at time of writing no response had been received.

The SDLP in the south-east of the Province has been criticised for its stance on paramilitary commemorations in the past.

Its councillors declined to push for a re-naming of Raymond McCreesh play park - named after an IRA member suspected of involvement in the Kingsmill massacre of 10 Protestant civilians - in what was a years-long saga that damaged unionist-nationalist relations.

At that time, councillor Taylor said: “The only option that should have been taken [is to]change the name. It is unacceptable in the civilised world for a children’s playground to be named after a convicted terrorist.”And speaking about the upcoming Sinn Fein commemoration on Sunday, councillor Taylor told the News Letter: "I think every party should make their position clear in terms of where they stand on the commemoration."I think that's important for people to be aware as to where any political party stands on an issue like this."The SDLP need to make their position clear, I think it's vitally important - just so everybody knows, particularly people that lost loved-ones in the area at the hands of republican violence."