The former IRA gun-runner and leading republican Mr Martin Ferris has said the stance of the North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, is threatening the peace process.
Mr Ferris was addressing a rally yesterday in the Bogside in Derry to commemorate the 27th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Around 10,000 people took part. Two minutes' silence was held in memory of those killed and a wall mural of them was unveiled.
Relatives of the dead demanded there be no "cover-up" by the Saville Inquiry, set up by the British government last year to investigate Bloody Sunday.
Mr Ferris said the blame for the current political stalemate lay with the First Minister. "David Trimble's attitude is not only threatening the agreement, it is precipitating the collapse of the Assembly itself," he said. "He claims to be in favour of the agreement, yet his failure, thus far, to implement it is encouraging those unionists intent on wrecking it." Mr Ferris said Mr Trimble commanded a two-thirds cross-party majority in the Assembly and was much stronger than the DUP and anti-agreement unionists. The First Minister could easily move the peace process forward by setting up the executive.
"He is not, as he would portray, in a position of weakness. The pro-agreement parties - and this includes David Trimble's own party - are in a commanding position.
"They are not - as David Trimble would have us believe - vulnerable to Paisley and the other wreckers. The result of the vote in the Assembly two weeks ago when the anti-agreement unionists were routed shows that, when he so decides, David Trimble can command the support of the vast majority of his party.
"He can, if he wishes, act from a position of strength rather than pander to the demands of the rejectionist wreckers."
Mr Ferris said Sinn Fein would not be lowering its expectations.
"We expect David Trimble to live up to his commitments. We expect the Irish and British governments to play their part in forming the executive and all-Ireland ministerial council."
Mr Ferris claimed there was a direct link between the recent increase in sectarian attacks by loyalists and the developing political vacuum.
"David Trimble must move speedily to end the uncertainty and to settle unionism," he said. Sinn Fein was strongly represented at the march, with Mr Gerry Adams, Mr Martin McGuinness, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin and other leading members in attendance.
The rally was also addressed by Mr Breandan Mac Cionnaith of the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition.