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“Republican Leadership is a match for anyone”

category national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis author Friday March 27, 2009 15:31author by Irish Republican Youth - Ógra Shinn Féin Report this post to the editors

By lifelong republican Mickey Collins

There should not be a British Army barracks in Antrim, no more than there should be one in Ardee or Athlone. The question for Irish Republicans is how do we get rid of them?

Most times in our history when Irish people exercised their legitimate right to engage in armed struggle against the British, it ended in glorious defeat. Only twice did Republicans get an honourable draw.
sf_mandela.jpg

The first time, in the period 1916—21, when, to paraphrase Connolly, constitutional measures were used in ordinary times (by-elections and the 1918 British general election) and revolutionary measures were used in extraordinary times (the Easter Rising and the Tan War), our leadership was ideologically weak and divided. Collins and the dual monarchist Griffith were no match for Lloyd George and his negotiating team. This led to the disaster of partition and two deeply conservative states, one ruled by a Protestant parliament for a Protestant people.

The second time was in the recent conflict, when republicans again espoused the spirit of Connolly the British did their damndest to crush Republicanism but the IRA dragged them kicking and screaming to the negotiating table. This time the Republican leadership is a match for anyone.

Let’s examine what Republicans have achieved so far. One party Unionist rule, the Orange State, is gone and, despite the wishful thinking of Jim Allister and Mark Durkan, it ain’t coming back. The RUC, too, has gone. In its place we have a far from perfect PSNI. It would be churlish indeed not to acknowledge the sea change in policing in the Six Counties. 75% + of PSNI officers were never in the RUC and carry no emotional baggage for the old, sectarian force. When the time comes, they will merge seamlessly into an All- Ireland police service.

True, the British are still here and our country is still divided, but reunification is a work in progress.

Anyone who is genuinely interested in winning the Irish Freedom Struggle should stand shoulder to shoulder with Sinn Féin, who are working day in day out, north and south to achieve that goal. The way forward in 2009 is to build political—including electoral—strength, to make strategic alliances and to reach out to all our people, most particularly that section of our Nation that describes itself as Unionist.

We have been less than brilliant in the past at explaining that when we say “Brits Out”, we don’t mean them. Here in Newry and elsewhere, many ordinary, decent people from a Unionist background use our excellent constituency service and are made very welcome in our offices.
That is Outreach.

Anyone who is concerned about the direction the Republican Movement is going, whether they are former activists who have drifted away and do not have their finger on the pulse or people who may feel inclined to sympathise with the micro groups should come and talk to us, in a friendly and comradely way.

Finally, I would appeal to young people in particular who may be attracted by militarism for its own sake. They should remember that the real militants and hard liners are those who are working for Freedom, Peace and Justice and have a strategy for achieving it.

They are to be found in Sinn Féin and nowhere else.

Related Link: http://www.osf.ie
author by eireannachtpublication date Fri Mar 27, 2009 18:58author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The traitors of Shame Fein have not achieved one real change for the Occupied people they are now a bunch of Traitors who have sold out Republicanism and are administering British Partition.

What glories gains from the British Stormont. Every time the shame feinners try to achieve anything in Stormont they are put in their place by the Unionist majority.

Their new found pals in the RUC have shown they are under only British control and the sight of That traitor McGuinness standing beside the Paramilitary cheif days afte he publically unleashed the murdering SAS back on the streets and calling those that did not surrender TRAITORS was a sight that many true Republicans found repulsive.

No Shame fein's days are numbered they have no direction, their stratagy is bankrupt they have become the very thing they fought against.

There are many Republican alternatives for the young to become involved in without resorting to joining a Pro British group who’s aim now is to protect the status quo of Unionist domination. There are over a hundred political prisoners held by the British and their allies. Think of these peoples sacrifices of hardship gaol and constant harassment compare it to the Provo Sinn Fein of surrender appeasement and protecting the British right to part of Ireland.

The answer is simple want a British presence in Ireland and accept the British Paramilitary police or become part of those Republicans that for hundreds of years have fought against the British and who would not forsake their principles for a few shillings and photographs with the enemies of the people.

author by Little man tate - Microitespublication date Sat Mar 28, 2009 01:49author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Sinn Fein are learning the finer art of deceit from their political masters in London. Hugh Orde was interviewed on the day he announced that British Specialist forces would be deployed back into the six counties. He started off by saying that these specialist forces would not be backing the P.S.N.I.
He done his best at the start of the interview to paint a picture of a normal society in ‘Northern Ireland‘. He played down the role of this new military deployment, trying his best to put them into the background as much as possible, with the P.S.N.I. in the front line. Eventually, contradicting what he had said at the start of the interview, he did in fact say that these new military specialist would actually be supporting the P.S.N.I. . He then went on to explain that this new force where just a tiny number. He used the word ‘tiny’ several more times. He seemed convinced that by using the word ‘tiny’ a lot, that it might diminish their roll to the point where it did not really count. At the start of the interview he said that the new military forces would not be supporting the P.S.N.I., and at the end of the interview he goes on to say that a ’tiny’ force would in fact be supporting the P.S.N.I.

I find it amazing how blatantly he lied in front of the cameras. The British are great at juggling words, thus leaving a person perplexed as they try to decipher what was actually said. They mix the lies in with a string of fine words that are spoken with what appears to be the deepest sincerity. They do it so well that most people don’t notice the lying and deceit.

Sinn Fein are becoming quite good at this deceitful art having learned well form their new masters in London. Adams keeps using the word ‘micro’ to describe the various dissident republican groups. He seems to think that by calling them ’micro’ that they don’t actually count. When one looks at the history of Irish Republicanism you could call it a history of microisms as the numbers involved from the fenians to the IRA border campaign of the fifties/sixties where always small in comparison to the rest of the passive population.
Adams (pre GFA) often described the spark of Republicanism that remained after various campaigns. This spark was always small, even tiny, maybe even micro. The cult of the phoenix rising out of the ashes. The symbolism of rebirth, the small spark soon becomes a raging fire. At the start of most campaigns the Republicans where always small in number. It was always a point of pride that the Republican spark was never fully extinguished by British might. These days Adams seems to think that small is insignificant, is he forgetting his roots ?.

When you look at the people who are involved in the protest at Rossport, in Mayo, you could call the activists there a micro group. Considering that we have a population of 5 million, and the issue is one of National importance, the number of people involved in the protest is quite small. Just because this number is small, that does not mean that their argument should not be heard. They are not insignificant because they are small in number.

Dissident Republicans should not be treated with disregard either because their number is small. Adams always talks about inclusive involvement, having everyone on board for a successful outcome of the conflict. The only one Adams is deceiving with his micro description is himself. The old tale of the rising phoenix or the smouldering republican ember does not carry with the new Adams. The last thing he needs now is a little insignificant ‘micro’ group of dissident republicans upsetting his new found career in a British administration.

PS May I suggest a caption for the first photo above with Adams facing the crowd,

WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU'S DOING, ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN MY CAREER ?

author by Jimpublication date Sat Mar 28, 2009 12:20author address author phone Report this post to the editors

If dissidents are unhappy with the current status quo they can stand for election at local and national level North and South of the border.
If they have legitimate sound arguments then the people will listen to them.
At the moment they do not have a single local or national democratic representative and their support at the ballot box numbers in the hundreds.
It is obvious that the people of Ireland have rejected the legitimacy of their arguments and the overwhelming support for pro-peace parties north and south demonstrates that the people of Ireland have rejected the armed struggle.
Rejecting the democratic institutions and adopting political violence is utterly futile and totally counter-productive.
The death of PC Carroll and the two young British soldiers who were on their way to serve with the multi-national force in Afghanistan has angered and united both republicans and unionists like never before behind the peace process.

Dissidents don't have leg to stand on. The only future they face is total oblivion.

author by Me Fein.publication date Sat Mar 28, 2009 13:47author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Dissident Republicans should not be treated with disregard either because their number is small."

We don't "treat with disregard" people who advocate murder.

We watch them like a hawk.

author by eireannachtpublication date Sat Mar 28, 2009 13:59author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Why would Republicans after watching what politics has done to the Shame Fein party ever consider entering the British parliamentary system in the occupied North.

I wish the transformed PSF would lose the use of the word Republican in their speak, they are not Republican they sold that title out to become supporters of Partition and the rights of the British who illigally partitioned our country to govern that illigal statelet. .

They have shamed Republicanism with their acceptance of the British presence in the North and their siding with the British war machine against those that refused to sign up to their failed British agreement.

The presence of the British in the North is all the argument Republicans need The arrogance of those who surrendered to the British that they believe they can draw a line in the sand and claim before a certain date Republicans had the right to use physical force and were legitimate in their actions and after that date are Criminals and Traitors. The PSF were not the first to change sides and become pro British in the struggle.

Their never has been popular support for armed struggle, but its legitimacy comes from the Proclamation of 1916 and cannot be changed because PSF’s Leadership were bought and decided their war was over.

The Democratic Institutions you speak of are British Institutions born of Sectarian hatred and British controlled they can never be acceptable to Republicans and those in the pay of their British masters will do anything to protect their own self interest and status. They are Quislings pure and simple.

The deaths of the occupation forces are a sad reflection of war, And while a lot of people would not support these actions, They understand these actions.

The British security personal who died are theare part of a British war machine who have murdered countless people in their war against Republicanism.

No Republicans are angry at these attacks they are saddened they had to happen the anger comes from the Pro British elements whose hypocrisy in condemning political violence is laughable considering the State violence and collusion in the deaths of many innocent people.

At the moment Republicans are starting to counter the crap spewing from the State controlled media and the use of their paid agents about the failed British agreement so I really don’t think the hundreds of years of resistance against the continued occupation will slide into oblivion.

The solution is the withdrawal of the British from part of Ireland, While they are here the justifiable resistance will continue.

author by Me Fein.publication date Sat Mar 28, 2009 15:25author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"The British security personal who died are part of a British war machine who have murdered countless people in their war against Republicanism."

Note how those two unfortunates are not regarded as "people".

They are "part of a war machine"

They are Dehumanised to make the killers feel smug.

Believe me Eireannacht.

This is true:

That "British War against Irish Republicanism" you refer to exists ONLY INSIDE YOUR RATHER TWISTED MIND.

author by Joseph Tpublication date Sun Apr 12, 2009 21:30author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I am a middle of the road person with many friends on both sides of the community. All I want to add (which would seem to oppose those of a militant nature) is that we're in a peace process that has it's faults/may not suit everyone but we need to have patience in Sinn Fein.

Those that left Sinn Fein to become independents have nothing to to gain from being a lone voice, we the electorate need to get behind Sinn Fein to ensure we have the best chance to achieve all republican's dream of a United Ireland.

As middle of the road I may be, I still get extremely angry at this Jim Allister muppet. He is playing/pulling on the bitter heart strings of those loyalists/unionists and giving them the old rhetoric that assures their hateful hearts to the misassumption that Ulster is 'theirs'. I absolutly hate the TUV and their supporters and I am somewhat bemused that Sinn Fein absord his attacks on the party, we should as Republicans/Nationalist should start an opposition on Jim Allister and his followers and expose his lies and bigotted behaviour for what it is - hate crime.

Sinn Fein are the way forward and the empty cans are rattling the most but we should not be deterred by or devided by our independents who are supposed to be on our side. Republicans should unite and force the end of Britishness politically.

Bye bye London and the old stormont - tiocfaidh ar la

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