Republican Sinn Féin - IRIS no. 19
IRISH REPUBLICAN INFORMATION SERVICE (no. 19)
Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill, 223 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, Ireland
Phone: +353-1-872 9747; FAX: +353-1-872 9757;
e-mail: saoirse@iol.ie
Date:30 Bealtaine / May 2005
Internet resources maintained by SAOIRSE-Irish Freedom
In this issue:
1. French say ‘Non’ to EU Constitution
2. Republican Sinn Féin explains Irish view on EU Constitution
3. Public pay €2 million a year for politicians’ treason
4. Sectarian attacks continue to increase
5. Father of POW manhandled by UDR/RIR
6. Rally in remembrance of hunger strikers
7. Demonstration at Israeli/Ireland soccer match, June 4
1. FRENCH SAY ‘NON’ TO EU CONSTITUTION
THE French people roundly rejected the European Union’s first constitution in a referendum that threw the Union’s future into disarray. The referendum, which took place on May 28, was rejected by 55% to 45%.
The referendum results were a humiliating blow to President Jacques Chirac and a disavowal of his government which was left reeling by the decisive victory of those rejecting the constitution.
The results also threw the EU’s future into disarray. Plans to bind the 25 EU members more tightly together through a constitution threatened to be set back for years. Even the 12-nation euro currency was feeling the effects of the referendum. Fears of a “No” victory were seen last week, when the euro fell to seven-month lows against the dollar. In early trading today, the euro dipped again to €1.2526.
Chirac chose to hold a referendum rather than take the EU constitution to parliament, where it would have passed with a wide majority. He is now trying to control the damage. Today he spent 30 minutes with Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who was widely expected to be fired. Raffarin confirmed “there will be developments today or tomorrow”.
Other key figures called to the presidential palace included Nicolas Sarkozy, the ambitious head of the governing party, the Union for a Popular Movement, with his eye on the 2007 presidency. A chief rival of Chirac, he is among a handful of possible choices to replace Raffarin.
France’s repudiation of the EU constitution came ahead of Wednesday’s referendum in the Netherlands, where polls show even more resistance to the constitution. The document must be ratified by all 25 EU members, in referendums or by parliament, to take effect in November 2006. France was the first to reject it.
About 55% of voters opposed the constitution. A poll by the TNS-Sofres firm suggested that fear for jobs and a sense of being “fed up” were the main reasons to say no. France has a 10% unemployment rate and those in the “No” camp have claimed the constitution was too market-oriented to protect citizens, growing vulnerable in an expanding EU. With a nearly 70% turnout, the referendum results left Chirac little choice but to change.
“It is your sovereign decision, and I take note,” he told the nation on May 28 after the results were announced.
He said, dryly, that he would inject “new and strong impetus” into the centre-right government “within the very next days”, coded language seen as reading that Raffarin, a Chirac faithful, would go. However, many “No” supporters called for far more drastic action, some saying that Chirac himself should resign.
The spokesman for the opposition Socialist Party, which had officially joined forces with the government to push for a “Yes” vote, today called for Chirac to dissolve parliament.
“I think that when the people are angry, the first thing to do is give them their voice … and therefore dissolve the National Assembly,” the lower chamber, Julien Dray said on LCI television.
The Socialist Party, another victim of the voting, was effectively split with dissident members opposed to the document becoming major contributors to its rejection.
Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin, along with Sarkozy and Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, is considered a top choice to replace Raffarin. He walked out of the prime minister’s office with Philippe Douste-Blazy, minister of health, another potential choice.
Nine nations already have ratified the constitution: Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain (the only country to hold a referendum).
2. REPUBLICAN SINN FÉIN EXPLAINS IRISH VIEW ON EU CONSTITUTION
DURING a visit to Brittany as a guest of the Breton Independence movement EMGANN, the Vice President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton spoke at a Press Conference in Rennes on May 25, a public meeting also in Rennes on May 26 and a meeting in Guingamp on May 27 outlining Republican Sinn Féin’s views on the proposed EU Constitution and neutrality. Their opposition to the Stormont Agreement and determination to end British rule in Ireland was also explained.
Des Dalton said: “Ireland like Brittany is a small nation, which over many centuries has had to struggle to assert her own identity, in terms of history, language and culture. Today part of Ireland remains under British occupation, denying the Irish people’s right to national unity, sovereignty and independence, all of which has been reinforced by the sectarian Stormont Agreement. Because of our commitment to a free and independent Ireland and our opposition to imperialism in all of its forms, from the beginning we have opposed the entire EEC/EU project.
“In every referendum since 1972 when the 26 County State joined the then EEC, Republican Sinn Féin have campaigned against the continued erosion of Irish sovereignty and neutrality. In 1972 we warned of the effects which membership would have on Irish agriculture and fisheries. Today those effects are there for all to see, the numbers who now work in agriculture have been halved whilst the Irish fishing industry has been destroyed. On an international level Republican Sinn Féin’s warning that the EEC would eventually become a militarised federal super-state is being fulfilled with every passing day.
“The entire EU political and economic project is fundamentally undemocratic. It is about the centralisation of power and decision making, taking it away from the various national parliament and placing it in the hands of unelected bureaucrats. The European Parliament is nothing but an over subsidised talking shop, with real power wielded by the commission and the council of ministers. Indeed as Republican Sinn Féin pointed out at the time, The Nice Treaty was not about enlargement but rather ensuring that the structures of the EU were changed to ensure that all decision-making remained weighted in favour of the major states such as Germany, France, Italy and Britain at the expense of the smaller countries. The EU Constitution accelerates this process and sets about giving the EU the framework of a super-state. The formulation of a ‘Common defence policy’ and the establishment of ‘Battle Groups’ to which all states must contribute troops shows clearly the direction in which the EU is headed.
“Almost 15 years ago Jacque Delors spoke about the resource wars which would have to be fought in the 21 Century in pursuit of the EU’s political and economic interests, the ongoing Anglo-US led war in Iraq is surely the first of such resource wars which the rich and powerful north is set to wage on the poor and developing south. The EU Constitution provides the means by which a European army can be raised to participate in such wars. Whilst states could choose not to participate in particular armed actions, under the constitution they could not remain neutral, and would be obliged to support “actively and unreservedly” EU Foreign and Security policy, they also must “comply” with the EU’s actions in foreign policy. This of course undermines the neutrality of states such as 26 Counties of Ireland. Under the terms of the constitution all states must pay for the establishment and administration of EU military policy. Even more sinister is the involvement of NATO, which in all likelihood will become the military arm of the EU superstate, helping to impose the warped new world order of George Bush and Tony Blair.
“For small nations like Ireland and Brittany the EU merely represents another form of imperialism. Instead of having power centred in London or Paris it will instead be administered from Brussels. This will not change the reality of either British or French rule; it is merely replacing one form of imperialism with another. Under the EU Constitution the rights of the stateless nations of Europe will be further reduced and undermined. This should not surprise us as the original Treaty of Rome was drawn up by the former imperial powers of Europe, who have in the decades since moulded the EU in their own image. Not only do they not recognise even the existence of some small nations but also have attempted to erase all vestiges of their identity. In Brittany you are all too familiar with the French state’s attempt to take away your language and culture, just as Britain did in Ireland. These large states such as Britain and France have waged war on our peoples rather than accept our right to our own nation state.
“As Irish Republicans we are also internationalists, over many years we have developed our links with all peoples who struggle to assert their right to nationhood and independence. In particular we have been proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the various stateless nations of Europe be it the Basque country, Corsica, Sardinia, Wales, Scotland Galicia and off course Brittany, all of us are united in struggle and our commitment to see our countries take their rightful place in the world community of nations.
“Ireland’s relationship with Brittany has always been special, our shared Celtic heritage coupled with our shared experience of colonialism and foreign occupation are the reasons for this. Following the Second World War many Bretons came to Ireland to escape persecution at the hands of the French state, amongst those was the artist Yann Goulet, who remained throughout his life a friend of Ireland and the Irish Republican Movement, he designed monuments all over Ireland, erected to the memory of those who gave their lives for Irish freedom.
“In particular Irish people remember with pride and affection the solidarity shown by the Breton people during the 1981 hunger strikes, when Bobby Sands and his nine comrades died in the H Blocks of Long Kesh resisting Britain’s attempt to criminalise the Irish fight for freedom. Thousands of Breton people took to the streets to demonstrate their support for the struggle of the Irish people.
“The way forward is a free community of nations. The long serving General Secretary of the Celtic League, Alan Heusaff, a Breton patriot and a true comrade to all Irish Republicans, envisaged a community of free Celtic nations, which like the Nordic council could cooperate on matters of mutual interest, in areas such as trade, tourism and fisheries amongst others.
“Republican Sinn Féin shares this vision, the Irish patriot and leader of the 1916 rising, James Connolly wrote about a federation of free peoples, and like him we believe true democracy can only function when the decision making process is fully accountable and operates as close to the people affected by the decisions, politically or economically. The only means of ensuring this is within the framework of the nation state and by involving people in the decision making process at every level from national, to regional, right down to local and community level.
“Like EMGANN we believe in the “right of absolute equality between nations”. This is the only foundation upon which true peace and stability can be created internationally. When all peoples, not just in Europe but also throughout the world are allowed to carve out their own space, exercising their fundamental right to nationhood can we lay the basis for a world order based on the principles of justice, democracy and peace. The Breton people can only experience true democracy, when they have governmental structures which they have created, which involve them and which are accountable to them. Their right like that of all nations to elect a parliament and government which will legislate and govern in their best interests as well as representing them on the international stage is absolute.
“The EU cannot provide the vehicle for this kind of revolutionary change. As a body it denies the existence of the stateless nations of Europe, the philosophy, culture and history upon which it is based is imperialist. For this reason we view the campaign against the EU Constitution as yet another front in the ongoing struggle for Irish Independence, for Breton independence and the independence and freedom of all stateless peoples.
“In Ireland Republican Sinn Féin has played and continues to play a leading role in opposition to the illegal Anglo/US led occupation of Iraq. Irish Republicans have throughout our history opposed all imperialist wars of conquest, from the Boer War fought by the British in South Africa at the turn of the last century, the First World War right up to the Gulf war in 1991 when we were the first to protest at the landing of US warplanes at Shannon airport.
“Not only have we opposed such wars but have also actively opposed all attempts to involve the Irish people in these wars on the side of the imperialists. Be it campaigning against recruitment for the British army during the Boer War or conscription during the First World War, likewise we have opposed all attempts to breach Irish neutrality. The actions of the present 26 County Dublin government in granting landing and refuelling and airspace facilities to US warplanes are illegal under both domestic and international law. They also are in direct opposition to the clearly expressed views of the vast majority of Irish people.
“In Republican Sinn Féin’s proposals for a New Ireland following a British withdrawal, EIRE NUA (New Ireland) we set out clearly our view of Ireland’s place in the world, in a proposed constitution for a free Ireland it upholds the right of Ireland: “to join international organisations, eg the United Nations, the World Health Organisation — so long as such organisations do not subvert Irish sovereignty and neutrality.” One of the special responsibilities of the parliament of a free Ireland would be: “maintaining Irish neutrality and independence from all power blocs, including the EU, and seeking to secure a nuclear free world.”
“In a spirit of solidarity we move forward shoulder to shoulder with EMGANN and the Breton people, determined to continue our struggle for a free Ireland and a free Brittany, which could together take their place in free a community of our sister Celtic nations.”
3. PUBLIC PAY €2 MILLION A YEAR FOR POLITICIANS’ TREASON
NOT only have the Dublin government colluded in mass murder in Iraq and the ongoing suppression of that people by allowing refuelling facilities to US-NATO warplanes but they have involved Irish people in a devil’s deal whereby taxpayers in the 26 Counties are penalised to the tune of €2 million a year for their [the politicians’] treason.
According to the Dublin government’s Department of Transport, the total number of foreign military warflights has risen from 6,801 in 2001 to 8,639 in 2002, 12,457 in 2003.
It has also emerged that in the first four months of this year an estimated 110,766 US troops passed through Shannon - more than double the 47,149 amount for the same period in 2004.
In the course of the last ten years the taxpayers have been obliged to pay a bill of €10 million to the Irish Aviation Authority for foreign warplanes using Irish airspace.
In the past two-and-a-half years the number of mainly US flights has mushroomed costing an annual average bill of €2 million.
4. SECTARIAN ATTACKS CONTINUE TO INCREASE
IN A report published in the Irish News (Belfast, May 28) figures recorded by RUC/PSNI for the first time showed almost 350 sectarian incidents were reported to them over a six-month period - an average of two a day.
The newly-released statistics point to extremely high levels of sectarianism, almost matching the scale of well-publicised racist incidents for the same period. The paper revealed that from September 28 last year to the end of March a total of 339 sectarian incidents were reported to the British police.
If the figures are broken down, 172 were recorded from October to December 2004, and 163 for the first three months of this year - an average of two per day. During the same six-month period there were a total of 422 racist incidents and 98 homophobic incidents reported to police. The figures for sectarian incidents, though already high, precede the summer marching season when tensions can increase.
These figures do not include a number of sectarian attacks since March, which are prompting fears of a volatile summer.
Despite decades of conflict, The RUC/PSNI have just begun to compile a formal record of all sectarian incidents, ranging from taunts, abuse, assaults and bomb attacks on both sides of the community, commencing with the implementation of the [British] Criminal Justice (No 2) Northern Ireland Order. The RUC/PSNI said the number of charges brought in relation to the sectarian incidents was not available.
Earlier this week the British police force faced fresh criticism for failing to bring enough hate crime perpetrators before the courts after figures for the last financial year showed the number of reported racist incidents soared by nearly 80% to 813. The number brought to court dropped by one per cent to just 15.9%.
Paul O’Connor, of the Pat Finucane Centre, said: “It is shocking that the reported level is still so high, the reality is the actual level remains even higher. In our experience so much goes unreported.”
5. FATHER OF POW MANHANDLED BY UDR/RIR
THE father of a Republican prisoner spoke on May 26 of how he feared for his safety following an incident in which he was forcibly manhandled and threatened by members of the UDR/RIR.
The father-of-two was on his way home from Maghaberry prison with two members of the Liam Lynch/Armagh Martyrs Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Armagh/Keady having been refused a visit for the seventh consecutive time when his car was stopped just outside Armagh on the Portadown road. He was requested to produce his licence which he did, but this seemed to antagonise the UDR/RIR soldier, who became quite aggressive in his tone and mannerism, he then proceeded to remove the occupants of the car which led them to believe they were going to be arrested.
The same soldier then began to question the men while a large group of UDR/RIR soldiers proceeded to strip the car, the soldier during this time maintained a level of aggression towards the three occupants of the car for over 40 minutes.
This type of harassment is nothing new to the occupants of the car or their families, the 16-year-old brother of the POW has suffered intimidation on a weekly basis since the arrest of his brother culminating in him being given a caution from the PSNI/RUC, who assaulted him but claimed that he assaulted one of their members.
Harassment in the Armagh/Keady area has become more frequent since four men from these areas were charged with firearms offences in April 2004. Having spent seven months on remand these charges have been dropped against two of the men but yet the intimidation continues.
A spokesperson for the Liam Lynch/Armagh Martyrs Cumann, Republican Sinn Féin, Armagh/Keady said they would urge people subjected to any form of abuse or intimidation to report it to either their local Cumann, a solicitor or a priest. “The only way we can beat this abuse of power is to highlight it.”
6. RALLY IN REMEMBERANCE OF HUNGER STRIKERS
ON May 7, 2005 a rally was organised by Sinn Féin Poblachtach in Dublin to remember the 22 hunger strikers who gave their lives from 1917 to 1981.
The rally assembled at the Garden of Remembrance and led by a piper, a colour party of Cumann na mBan, Sinn Féin Poblachtach and Na Fianna Éireann marched to the GPO in O’Connell Street were Des Dalton, Vice-President Sinn Féin Poblachtach chaired the proceedings. A lament was played by the piper while the flags were lowered.
He then called on Josephine Hayden, Cumann na mBan and Vice President Sinn Féin Poblachtach to say a few words on behalf of all those who died on hunger strikes over the years. In the course of her speech she mentioned that hunger strikes always took place because of the absence of Political Status for POWs and appalling prison conditions. “Bobby Sands had no words to say to the RUC and Brits when he was tortured and beaten for 6 days before he was charged for a second time in his young life. That was 1977 and there was no political status. Just blanket men. Political status had been removed by Maggie Thatcher.
“There is no political status in Maghaberry now and this is 2005 - but this time Thatcher or her ministers are not accountable. The Provos and their allies the Brits are accountable. Political status was removed by them, the very people that were comrades of Bobby Sands and the nine men who followed him to the grave. Francis Hughes, Ray McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Dioherty, Thomas McElwee and Mickie Devine. With the signing of the Stormont Agreement by their so-called comrades, political status was removed. The lure of the Saxon shilling was once again irresistible to a certain type of Irishman and woman - the native traitors who were happy to criminalise the POWs.
“But the men in the H-Blocks and the POWs who took part in the hunger strikes of 1980/81 had minds of their own, and they were following a path well travelled by Republicans. They said enough is enough after years denying the Brits the right to criminalize them. The brutality of the prison system left them with no choice. They refused to be branded criminals so they had to fight back.
“So today we reiterate our and their commitment to the All Ireland Republic. Let us never forget their sacrifice. We send solidarity greetings to the POWs in Maghaberry and Portlaoise Jails. In Portlaoise the POWs still have to slop out, medical facilities are almost non-existent and an attempt was made recently to curtail visits. This must be resisted. We will also continue to highlight your 5 demands in Maghaberry:
1. An end to strip searching
2. End to controlled movement and lock-down
3. Free Association
4. Better education facilities
5. Better visiting conditions - particularly an end to the use of sniffer dogs.”
At this stage the Free State Gardaí intervened and tried to get the rally to finish as they said they had no prior knowledge of the rally and RSF had no permission to hold one! Needless to mention the rally continued. Na Fianna Éireann read a statement sending greetings to the POWs. Des then introduced Fergal Moore, Ard Comhairle who said Bobby and his fellow Blanketmen suffered under a brutal regime imposed by the Brits in an attempt to break the prisoners’ resistance to the policy of criminalisation.
“But the prisoners refused to be broken. They knew that if they allowed themselves to be labelled criminals then the struggle for the All Ireland Republic would also be labelled a criminal act. The H-Block was another front in the war against the Brits. The prisoners knew that although they had no guns or bombs their determination to resist was their weapon that would see them victorious. Famously Bobby was to say ‘I am, even after all the torture, amazed at British logic. Never in eight centuries have they succeeded in breaking the spirit of one man who refused to be broken. They have not dispirited, conquered, nor demoralised my people, nor will they ever.’
“On March 1, 1981 Bobby began a hunger strike in the full knowledge that it could and probably would lead to his death. ‘Of course I can be murdered,’ he said, ‘but I remain what I am, a political POW and no-one, not even the British, can change that.’
“A few days after he commenced his strike Frank Maguire, an independent MP who supported the prisoner’s cause, died forcing a by-election in the Fermanagh-South Tyrone constituency. Dáithí Ó Conaill, the late Vice-President of Republican Sinn Féin proposed at an Ard Comhairle meeting that Bobby Sands should run as an abstentionist candidate to highlight his plight.
“Bobby agreed to this and an intense election campaign was begun. On April 10th he was elected thanks to the support of the nationalist people for his struggle. Bobby was not now an MP. He had stood on a Republican ticket and was endorsed by the people of Fermanagh-South Tyrone. He was a TD and would only have taken his seat in a 32 county All Ireland Dáil had circumstances allowed. The election victory was a great boost to the struggle. Support for the prisoners and for Irelands cause was now building on a world-wide scale. But the British were oblivious to the shame being heaped upon them and on May 5th, the sixty-sixth day of his hunger strike Bobby Sands joined the ranks of Irelands martyred dead. Over the next few months while the streets of Ireland ran with blood and fire the Brits remained impervious to world opinion and nine more brave men were to sacrifice themselves just as Bobby had done.
“Following the deaths of the 10 Hunger Strikers it was clear that Britain’s shameless intransigence could not be overcome by the deaths of more Irish men. The strike was called off in October. But the Brits had been stung by the hunger strike and the turning of world opinion against them. Rather than risk a repeat of the protest, effective Political Status was introduced without fanfare on the quiet.
“Now 24 years later we stand here humbled by the greatness of the hunger strikers and the heroes of 1916. But that which they fought and paid for so dearly is still not achieved. Britain still rules in six Irish counties and a puppet regime administers her rule in the other twenty-six. The goal of the Republican Movement remains today the same as it was on Easter Monday 1916. We aim to establish an All Ireland Republic free from foreign oppression and interference where the common name of Irish Man replaces the labels of Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter. This was the cause for which Pearse and Connolly fought. This was the cause to which Bobby Sands and the other H-Block Hunger Strikers dedicated themselves and for which they eventually gave their lives.
“Bobby Sands and the hunger strikers of 1981 have inspired a generation of Irish men and women. Their brave sacrifices showed that there was still honour and nobility in the world. They have proven that The Republic which has been struggled for by so many gallant men and women is indeed worth the heavy price paid. We must ensure that the price paid by the blood Irish martyrs is not wasted. It is up to us to ensure that the Irish Republic of Pearse, Connolly and Sands is finally enthroned.
“Bobby is often quoted as saying, “Everyone, Republican or otherwise, has his or her own part to play”. What will your part be? Will you be content to sit on the sidelines and criticise while darkness slowly descends on the Republic? Or will you join in the struggle? Will you stretch forth your hand and grasp “an claidheamh soluis”, the sword of light, and drive back the darkness of British rule, defeat the shadow of Imperialism? The day of the Republic is only dawning and so long as we stand united and sing of the glory of Pearse and Connolly of Bobby Sands and the All-Ireland Republic then night will never fall.”
7. DEMONSTRATION AT ISRAELI/IRELAND SOCCER MATCH, JUNE 4
JOIN the demonstration and march against Israel’s occupation of Palestine in Dublin on June 4, a few hours before the Ireland-Israel soccer match. Assemble, Central Bank, Dame Street, 3pm.
If you are going to the match, go to the demo first, and then show your support for Palestine at the match too — get a Palestinian flag at the demonstration and wave it at the match. Organised by the Palestine Solidarity Coalition.
ENDS
