Post by RedFlag32 on May 29, 2007 20:23:19 GMT
Republicans United?
Early this month a meeting took place in Derry of various republican
organisations.
The meeting which was well attended went well and was conducted in a
fraternal and open manner. indeed, The main speakers were Gerry Ruddy from
the IRSP, Marion Price from the 32CSM, and former SF director of elections
Tony Catney as well as the Chairman of the Ex POW's and Concerned
Republicans against RUC/PSNI Danny McBrearty. The meeting was chaired by
former MLA and founder member of the provisional IRA, John Kelly. Also on
the platform but not a speaker was former IRSP spokesperson Kevin
McQuillan.
Gerry Ruddy from the IRSP made the following points,
“We are very clear that republicanism has suffered a defeat. The war is
over and those who have, any lingering thoughts on re-commencing with a
view to victory are deluded. Class struggle is the only option. Those who
ignore the class question and stand alone on their “republican principles”
stand condemned to remain in splendid isolation. We now live in different
times and the old certainties now no longer hold. We all on the left need
to forget our petty differences and become relevant to the lives of the
working classes in Ireland while keeping alive our vision of socialism.
The IRSP has always said that the class and national question cannot be
separated. Of course we do want to build bridges with other republicans
and have positive proposals to put forward to build bridges. We, in the
spirit of the broad front policy first advocated by our founder Seamus
Costello, will work with progressive forces on working class issues. That
and that alone is the way forward for progressives from the labour,
socialist and republican traditions.
No republican or socialist can afford to ignore the growing unrest in the
industrial field. Workers are increasingly frustrated by the rise in the
cost of living, the huge cost in home buying the lack of affordable social
housing and the low wages and exploitation of the increasing migrant
population in all of Ireland. Republicans cannot stand back from this
struggle. We need to win leadership of working class struggles and that
requires hard class work. Neither the Party nor any other section of the
movement can afford to have passengers drifting along until there is a
crisis say every12th July or we march up the Falls Road.
By our work we can reach out to others who will be impressed by both our
work and our analysis of political situation. We need to reach out now not
just to other republicans but to new generations of young people becoming
interested in politics for the first time.
Our key positions are as follows:
1) We do want to build bridges with other republicans and make a proposal
re Wolfe Tone commemoration.
2) We will work with progressive forces from where-ever on working class
issues that help to raise the class-consciousness of the class.
3) The republican struggle since 1969 has suffered a defeat.
4) The war is over and the conditions do not exist for re-starting the war.
5) In the new conditions the only way forward is the political road.
6) The RSM say that class struggle is the only option and all republican
socialists must throw themselves into working class struggles.
7) Negative campaigning against what ever is counterproductive.
8) Republicanism needs to renew itself if it is to be relevant in the 21st
century.
9) The RSM say that without class struggle being central to the republican
perspective then republicanism itself will become irrelevant
10) We reach out the hand of friendship and comradeship out to others but
clearly set our way forward”
He then proposed the following motion which met with widespread approval.
“That this year a Wolfe Tone Commemoration be held at Bodenstown under the
title “Republicans United” and that the IRSP, 32SC and Concerned
Republicans agree to host the event.
Each organisation is entitled to a speaker for five minutes each, and an
organising committee composed of equal representatives from each
organisation take responsibility for organising the event (route, Chair
colour party, bands speaking equipment, speakers, publicity and
marshalling. )
Each group agrees to make no negative comments about other republicans in
their speech but concentrates on the legacy of Tone and the future of
republicanism
An open invitation be extended to other republican organisations to
affiliate to “Republicans United” and take up speaking rights as
designated above.
That this be considered a one off event with a follow up meeting to take
place after the event to review assess and make recommendations to each
affiliated organisation.
All decisions be on the basis of consensus.
Proposed
IRSP
In the course of the subsequent discussions from the floor, Ruddy
emphasised the class struggle, made clear that the IRSP was not an
abstentionist party, that the IRSP were not interested in launching any
new mark two provo front, launched a fierce attack on Irish nationalism as
a tool for control of the national struggle by bourgeois and petty
bourgeoise elements in cahoots with the leadership of the Roman Catholic
Church. He also outlined the IRSP position on anti social behaviour,
saying that they were not there to police working class youth. Ruddy
re-iterated the internationalism inherent in republicanism and in
correcting other speakers from the floor pointed out that the IRSP
position on the use of force was tactical.
Danny McBrearty spoke about the Ex POW's and Concerned Republicans against
RUC/PSNI and how they were set up and what they were about.
Marion Price also spoke and reiterated the 32CSM ‘ position as outlined in
their documents. Brendan Hughes spoke by telephone and deplored what was
happening at Stormont. Tony Catney then spoke about various important
issues most notably Republican Unity.
While all were encouraged by the meeting no one should have any illusions
that unity is just around the corner. It is not . While the main task of
work for the IRSP is to build the party we are prepared to work on a short
term basis with other forces, hence the proposal to have a united Wolfe
Tone march. Tone was the founding father of Irish Republicanism and it is
a bit of a mockery to see different factions of Republicans all marching
on their own as if they and they alone have the way the truth and the
light about republicanism. Let us see if this small step works and then
evaluate and see how best to develop from this small step.
Early this month a meeting took place in Derry of various republican
organisations.
The meeting which was well attended went well and was conducted in a
fraternal and open manner. indeed, The main speakers were Gerry Ruddy from
the IRSP, Marion Price from the 32CSM, and former SF director of elections
Tony Catney as well as the Chairman of the Ex POW's and Concerned
Republicans against RUC/PSNI Danny McBrearty. The meeting was chaired by
former MLA and founder member of the provisional IRA, John Kelly. Also on
the platform but not a speaker was former IRSP spokesperson Kevin
McQuillan.
Gerry Ruddy from the IRSP made the following points,
“We are very clear that republicanism has suffered a defeat. The war is
over and those who have, any lingering thoughts on re-commencing with a
view to victory are deluded. Class struggle is the only option. Those who
ignore the class question and stand alone on their “republican principles”
stand condemned to remain in splendid isolation. We now live in different
times and the old certainties now no longer hold. We all on the left need
to forget our petty differences and become relevant to the lives of the
working classes in Ireland while keeping alive our vision of socialism.
The IRSP has always said that the class and national question cannot be
separated. Of course we do want to build bridges with other republicans
and have positive proposals to put forward to build bridges. We, in the
spirit of the broad front policy first advocated by our founder Seamus
Costello, will work with progressive forces on working class issues. That
and that alone is the way forward for progressives from the labour,
socialist and republican traditions.
No republican or socialist can afford to ignore the growing unrest in the
industrial field. Workers are increasingly frustrated by the rise in the
cost of living, the huge cost in home buying the lack of affordable social
housing and the low wages and exploitation of the increasing migrant
population in all of Ireland. Republicans cannot stand back from this
struggle. We need to win leadership of working class struggles and that
requires hard class work. Neither the Party nor any other section of the
movement can afford to have passengers drifting along until there is a
crisis say every12th July or we march up the Falls Road.
By our work we can reach out to others who will be impressed by both our
work and our analysis of political situation. We need to reach out now not
just to other republicans but to new generations of young people becoming
interested in politics for the first time.
Our key positions are as follows:
1) We do want to build bridges with other republicans and make a proposal
re Wolfe Tone commemoration.
2) We will work with progressive forces from where-ever on working class
issues that help to raise the class-consciousness of the class.
3) The republican struggle since 1969 has suffered a defeat.
4) The war is over and the conditions do not exist for re-starting the war.
5) In the new conditions the only way forward is the political road.
6) The RSM say that class struggle is the only option and all republican
socialists must throw themselves into working class struggles.
7) Negative campaigning against what ever is counterproductive.
8) Republicanism needs to renew itself if it is to be relevant in the 21st
century.
9) The RSM say that without class struggle being central to the republican
perspective then republicanism itself will become irrelevant
10) We reach out the hand of friendship and comradeship out to others but
clearly set our way forward”
He then proposed the following motion which met with widespread approval.
“That this year a Wolfe Tone Commemoration be held at Bodenstown under the
title “Republicans United” and that the IRSP, 32SC and Concerned
Republicans agree to host the event.
Each organisation is entitled to a speaker for five minutes each, and an
organising committee composed of equal representatives from each
organisation take responsibility for organising the event (route, Chair
colour party, bands speaking equipment, speakers, publicity and
marshalling. )
Each group agrees to make no negative comments about other republicans in
their speech but concentrates on the legacy of Tone and the future of
republicanism
An open invitation be extended to other republican organisations to
affiliate to “Republicans United” and take up speaking rights as
designated above.
That this be considered a one off event with a follow up meeting to take
place after the event to review assess and make recommendations to each
affiliated organisation.
All decisions be on the basis of consensus.
Proposed
IRSP
In the course of the subsequent discussions from the floor, Ruddy
emphasised the class struggle, made clear that the IRSP was not an
abstentionist party, that the IRSP were not interested in launching any
new mark two provo front, launched a fierce attack on Irish nationalism as
a tool for control of the national struggle by bourgeois and petty
bourgeoise elements in cahoots with the leadership of the Roman Catholic
Church. He also outlined the IRSP position on anti social behaviour,
saying that they were not there to police working class youth. Ruddy
re-iterated the internationalism inherent in republicanism and in
correcting other speakers from the floor pointed out that the IRSP
position on the use of force was tactical.
Danny McBrearty spoke about the Ex POW's and Concerned Republicans against
RUC/PSNI and how they were set up and what they were about.
Marion Price also spoke and reiterated the 32CSM ‘ position as outlined in
their documents. Brendan Hughes spoke by telephone and deplored what was
happening at Stormont. Tony Catney then spoke about various important
issues most notably Republican Unity.
While all were encouraged by the meeting no one should have any illusions
that unity is just around the corner. It is not . While the main task of
work for the IRSP is to build the party we are prepared to work on a short
term basis with other forces, hence the proposal to have a united Wolfe
Tone march. Tone was the founding father of Irish Republicanism and it is
a bit of a mockery to see different factions of Republicans all marching
on their own as if they and they alone have the way the truth and the
light about republicanism. Let us see if this small step works and then
evaluate and see how best to develop from this small step.