The ongoing sectarian campaign by loyalists has to be of real concern to all those citizens who wish to see a long lasting and durable peace in Ireland. In fact it is of very real concern that the response of most pro-agreement parties to the murder of Rosemary Nelson was that somehow it was an attack on the agreement itself.

This tunnelled political attitude to the loyalist campaign of murder, intimidation and forced eviction is in fact a tool used by the pro-agreement parties to hide the fact that the one singular concern of thenationalist working class, that is institutionalised sectarianism, was not broached during the talks, and it was elevated to a legitimate political philosophy by the Good Friday Agreement.

The IRSP have always counselle, indeed our opposition to the "Agreement" was based on the fact that until we tackle sectarianism, peace in Ireland would be impossible.

The Loyalist sectarian terror campaign flourishes today as it has in every decade this century, indeed sectarianism in Ireland is not something that can be layed solely at the door of Loyalism, nationalism has its own fair share of bigots. Anyone who has lived in the sectarian six county state for the past 70 years cannot say that they are unaffected by sectarianism, it is in us all.

That said, recognising sectarianism for what it is, a racist evil and divider of the working class is the first step for all of us in defeating sectarianism.

Unfortunately, the Good Friday Agreement rather than taking this courageous and necessary step chose to elevate and legitimise sectarianism. Rosemary Nelson and the hundreds of other nationalists that are mudered or intimidated, not because of the Good Friday Agreement but because of its in-built failures.