The family of MLA and former-IRA prisoner Martina Anderson have accused Sinn Féin of “publicly humiliating” her.
Anderson, who is an MLA for the Foyle constituency in Northern Ireland and member of the Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle, was asked to step down from her role in the party last month, along with her fellow Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan. Both women have now confirmed they will not be seeking re-election.
Reportedly, the decision was made following an investigation into the party’s structure in Derry, and ultimately led to the leadership of the local comhairle ceantar to be asked to stand down.
Anderson said that this news came as a “body blow”, adding “There is a privilege in being a public representative standing up for people. I will miss doing that”.
Confirmation that I do not intend to stand at the next Assembly Election.
There is a privilege in being a public representative standing up for people. I will miss not doing that #LoveDerry pic.twitter.com/anRPIAhzod
— Martina Anderson Sinn Féin💚 (@M_AndersonSF) May 4, 2021
Subsequently, in a Facebook post by Anderson’s sister, Sharon Burke, entitled “Breaking the Silence, Anderson’s family hit out against Sinn Féin and called on the decision to be reversed.
“We, the Anderson Family in Derry, have not commented on the brutal way that our loving sister Martina Anderson MLA has been publicly humiliated and asked to stand down by Sinn Féin, a party she loves and has helped to build,” the post read.
“Martina asked all of us to stay away from social media and not to comment on the events that have crushed her. As a family we have done as she has asked and we have maintained our silence and our dignity.
“I do not believe that speaking out like I am here on behalf of our wider family is undermining our republican integrity. We have been and remain a very proud, staunch republican family, despite feeling very hurt.”
The post said that Sinn Féin had used Anderson and Mullan as “sacrificial lambs” to win support in the Derry area.
“We believe Martina and Karen are being sacrificed by the party, used by this Sinn Féin leadership because Martina and Karen are the public face and are being castigated in an attempt to win back support. Those who thought up that strategy could well see it backfire, as the people of Derry do not like to see injustices being inflicted on anyone.”
Additionally, Burke asserted that Martin McGuinness would not have tolerated the decision, calling it a “disgraceful tactic.”
“We Andersons believe if Martin McGuinness had been alive he would never have allowed this disgraceful tactic to be deployed. Martina had the privilege of being his junior minister. He knew her well and valued her worth.
“The Anderson Family is calling on our wider republican family in Derry and indeed beyond to reject the way this SF leadership has publicly humiliating our sister Martina and Karen. The British could not do to our Martina what her comrades and friends have done.
“We the Anderson family are crying out for help; we are asking people not to use our appeal as an opportunity to bash SF but to help us correct what we believe is a massive miscarriage of justice.”
Sinn Féin, so far, have not issued a public response.
Anderson was reportedly a Provisional IRA volunteer in the late 1970s and ‘80s before being convicted of conspiring to cause explosions in the UK and sentenced to life in prison. However, she was released from jail 13 years later as a condition of the Good Friday Agreement, and has since been involved politically with Sinn Féin.