INLA to renounce violence

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

INLA group to renounce violence

An Irish republican paramilitary group responsible for hundreds of murders during is to announce it is renouncing violence

Update

INLA group to renounce violence

The INLA killed more than 120 people during the troubles
An Irish republican paramilitary group responsible for hundreds of murders during Northern Ireland's troubles is to announce it is renouncing violence.

It is expected that the Irish National Liberation Army will say on Sunday afternoon that in future it will pursue exclusively peaceful means.

The INLA is a small but ruthless group that murdered more than 120 people, but has been on ceasefire for 11 years.

The group is expected to decommission its weapons within months.

The INLA was established in 1975, with many recruits being former members of the Official IRA.

They murdered Conservative Northern Ireland spokesman Airey Neave in 1979 by leaving a bomb under his car at Westminster.

The organisation was also responsible for one of Northern Ireland's worst atrocities.

In 1982 it killed 17 people in a bomb attack on the Droppin' Well pub in Ballykelly, County Londonderry.

The INLA also murdered loyalist LVF leader Billy Wright at the Maze prison. Three members of the INLA died in the jail while on hunger strike in the 1980s.

Despite being on ceasefire since 1998 it has carried out a number of shootings and engaged in a wide range of criminal activity.

It has been taking with intermediaries representing the British and Irish governments for the last number of months.

The group is also believed to be engaged in talks with the head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, General John de Chastelain about putting its weapons beyond use.

[Papa C.]

I have just read the statement made by the IRSM, its been a long time coming and I must say that I am pleased to see it. In my view revolutionary groups like the IRSM need to connect with the working class of today. A lot of people would see armed groups as shady characters and wouldn't know whether to trust them or not. A group like the IRSM needs the working class to trust them.

I think people today are more interested in jobs and the economy and I believe this has been shown by the recent 'yes' vote on Lisbon even though I believe the second referendum was an insult to Irish voters I think they still voted for jobs. I think the majority bought into the whole 'Yes for jobs', 'Yes to recovery' rubbish bandied about by the Government, their wage slaves and their 'did I do good boss?' minions.

The IRSM can move on now and educate the working class.

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

Oct 12, 2009 16:01:19 GMT Papa C. said:

I have just read the statement made by the IRSM, its been a long time coming and I must say that I am pleased to see it. In my view revolutionary groups like the IRSM need to connect with the working class of today. A lot of people would see armed groups as shady characters and wouldn't know whether to trust them or not. A group like the IRSM needs the working class to trust them.

I think people today are more interested in jobs and the economy and I believe this has been shown by the recent 'yes' vote on Lisbon even though I believe the second referendum was an insult to Irish voters I think they still voted for jobs. I think the majority bought into the whole 'Yes for jobs', 'Yes to recovery' rubbish bandied about by the Government, their wage slaves and their 'did I do good boss?' minions.

The IRSM can move on now and educate the working class.

I would have to disagree with you PapaC, for once ;D.

Maybe, just maybe, with the IRSM, the INLA has been holding back 'progress'. But I mean, thats a failure of the movements ability to organise and get its message out. The INLA were part and parcel of the "politics of the movement". A great deal of effort had been put in to legitimating its existance and back it up.

Just because people dont accept your politics dosnt mean you throw your hat in or change them - for some type of respectibility.

Whats also interesting is that just a month ago I could have been easily arguing with RSM members who would say "The INLA are not a burden on the movement" and what not. Like a light switch.

The IRSM had a niche for those who agreed with a socialist organisation having an armed capability, for those working class youth and disenfranchised who felt an army was there to fight against their disempowerment and alienation, that offered an alternative to the existing status quo. That has now gone.

It has to be remembered that there exists a culture of support for the IRA and paramilitaries right around this country, particularly amongst youth, unemployed, low skilled and the working class. This is another step towards the normalisation of state violence.

[thefiguresix]

I think that if a movement like the INLA dosent act with with complete intregity then it will be left open to becoming a sectarian and divisionary force. I think that for many people the INLA was a sectarian organisation. that in the end existed for its own sake. Im sure it had a revolutionary core but in the end It didnt look to me like a movement concerned with working class struggle. The wrongs of the state I believe dont legitimise the the actions or lessen the effects of the harmful violence commited in the name of resistance. It could be said that they played their part in the division of the working class and the breeding of fear, resentment and sectarianism.

I would like to pose a thought experiment if yous dont mind. Think of all the armed groups that have existed over lets say the last 30 or 40 years. If one of them were to or had achieved a revolutionary victory and liberated Ireland, not just unification but the chance to destroy the capitalist system and install a new system of government, is there one that any of you would trust to bring about the change that you are looking for and not to take power for gain, profit or ill use. Keeping in mind various people, senior figures, leaders and people with influence are there any groups at any point in thier existence that you would have confidence in?

Im not saying that I do or dont doubt any of them as my background probably clouds my judgemeny somewhat, it just occured to me as something that I could use a little insight into.

[thefiguresix]

BTW Is there the possibility that the socialist movement in Ireland rather than giving up or keeping its armed capibility, actually needs a new TYPE of armed capibility. A new mentality or idealism. Couldnt it be that if organisations like the IRA or INLA arent fit for porpose or have become corrupted wether over time or from the beginning that they could be set down in favor of something with an entirely new model of idealism and thinking, and not just along the lines or rehashing and regurgitating the same structure such as with the CIRA or RIRA?

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

Oct 13, 2009 22:16:16 GMT thefiguresix said:

I think that if a movement like the INLA dosent act with with complete intregity then it will be left open to becoming a sectarian and divisionary force. I think that for many people the INLA was a sectarian organisation. that in the end existed for its own sake. Im sure it had a revolutionary core but in the end It didnt look to me like a movement concerned with working class struggle. The wrongs of the state I believe dont legitimise the the actions or lessen the effects of the harmful violence commited in the name of resistance. It could be said that they played their part in the division of the working class and the breeding of fear, resentment and sectarianism.

It can be argued that the armed struggle is counterproductive, inflames sectarianism and breeds division. I wont hold an absolute judgement on that personally for possible future conditions as I am unsure.

But thats the point. I think many supporters, including myself, want to see the INLA moving beyond its role in the armed struggle and into the realm of class agitation. This is not a sectarian role. Indeed if it is, then socialist agitation in general is too, for the INLA's role would be to create other tactical options within that struggle.

Maybe a new name or rebranding would be needed. But either way, if the INLA were to conduct themselves properly and gain support through agitation, then peoples views might change and the past of lesser significance.

It is really unnecessary to disband. It closes doors.

I would like to pose a thought experiment if yous dont mind. Think of all the armed groups that have existed over lets say the last 30 or 40 years. If one of them were to or had achieved a revolutionary victory and liberated Ireland, not just unification but the chance to destroy the capitalist system and install a new system of government, is there one that any of you would trust to bring about the change that you are looking for and not to take power for gain, profit or ill use. Keeping in mind various people, senior figures, leaders and people with influence are there any groups at any point in thier existence that you would have confidence in?

Im not saying that I do or dont doubt any of them as my background probably clouds my judgemeny somewhat, it just occured to me as something that I could use a little insight into.

To answer your question, no. Besides my position of not supporting any of them fully enough to join, I never saw, say, the IRSM from the perspective you mention.

I have always seen political organisations either having an agitational role (not taking power themselves - this is the position I maintain now), or as something which eventually, if the conditions were correct, would grow and become a mass party, and by doing so, becoming 'effective'. The latter would be what many say, Leninist supporters would believe.

Its not as if im, and others, are looking at the movement now and saying "I wonder who would make a good minister for agriculture?".

It would be seen as the start of a mass struggle, by which case talent, ability and leadership would be drawn from the support base as it grows.

The leadership now lead a political movement to which we would see as progressing our own beliefs.

I am of anarchist leaning, yet I would support the IRSM (Leninist) as furthering the common political struggle.

So I dont think I ever looked at things the way you mention.

[Stallit 2 de Halfo]

Oct 13, 2009 22:25:53 GMT thefiguresix said:

BTW Is there the possibility that the socialist movement in Ireland rather than giving up or keeping its armed capibility, actually needs a new TYPE of armed capibility. A new mentality or idealism. Couldnt it be that if organisations like the IRA or INLA arent fit for porpose or have become corrupted wether over time or from the beginning that they could be set down in favor of something with an entirely new model of idealism and thinking, and not just along the lines or rehashing and regurgitating the same structure such as with the CIRA or RIRA?

If that could happen I would totally support it.

Getting that to happen is the issue. At least now, it can be worked from what it is - an armed Marxist-Republican group who's role was armed struggle.

Once the guns are put down, I think lighting the flame becomes harder to do again.

The IRSM is the only socialist movement who supports having an armed wing ready. All the others dont, and it looks as if the IRSM is about to lose that position.