Post by Papa C. on Feb 23, 2006 11:28:59 GMT
From this month's edition of SAOIRSE:
Oppose Loyalist March
SAOIRSE calls on all true Republicans to oppose the loyalist march due to take place through the centre of Dublin on Saturday, February 25.
This call is made for three reasons:
1) One body sponsoring the march, FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives) claims for loyalists a near monopoly on suffering in Ireland since the mid-1960s. This is not in accordance with the facts.
In the struggle for the national liberation of Ireland over the past several decades, over 1,000 members of the British Occupation Forces were killed. Further, more than 1,000 innocent and uninvolved nationalists were deliberately done to death by loyalist death squads working in collusion with the British forces.
The Sunday Business Post of September 4, 2005 gave the following statistics: “Of the 698 Protestants (sic) killed during violence in the North, 340 died at the hands of loyalists. Since the first ceasefires in 1994, the vast majority of Protestant (sic) victims have been killed by loyalists in internecine feuds.”
It would appear then that FAIR should be marching on the UDA and UVF headquarters in Belfast rather than through the centre of Dublin to Leinster House. In their progress through O’Connell Street, they will pass by Sackville Place (by the side of Clery’s department store) where two CIE busmen were killed by loyalist no-warning bombs in December 1972. Will FAIR pause at that spot and pay respects?
To highlight the fact that there is no hierarchy in suffering, Republican Sinn Féin’s President, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh will, before the loyalist march moves off, lay a wreath at the end of Talbot Street – opposite Connolly station – at the memorial to the 33 innocent victims, both Catholic and Protestant, killed by loyalist bombs in Dublin and Monaghan on May 17, 1974. This will be done with respect and dignity.
Listed on page three in this issue are the names of another 13 victims killed by loyalists south of the Border from Donegal to Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. British forces colluded in these deaths also, and refused 30 years later to cooperate in inquiries into the tragedies.
In the 26 Counties, the Department of Justice “lost” the files relating to these victims of imperialism and Garda Headquarters “mislaid” their files also. It seems the lives of citizens counted for very little.
2) The second reason for opposing the march is that Republicans stand in solidarity with the beleaguered nationalists of the Garvaghy Road, Ardoyne, Dunloy and other such areas that have had triumphalist loyalist marches imposed on them forcefully year after year. They are made witnesses of their own humiliation.
The 26-County Administration, by collaborating with this loyalist march, has effectively turned its back on all those, north and south, who have suffered at the hands of British-backed death squads down the decades.
The question which has not been asked in this debate is whether nationalist parades, of whatever kind, or even Civil Rights marches would be allowed through the centre of Portadown or down Belfast’s Royal Avenue? The British forces would certainly block them.
When the British government finally leaves Ireland and loyalist marches will no longer be a question of supremacy of Unionists over Nationalists, then all interests will be welcome and free to parade wherever they choose.
Reference has been made to the Orange section of the Irish National Tricolour. This applies to the Irish Protestant population, in general, not all of whom are coat-trailing Orangemen.
When he brought the Irish Tricolour from Paris and presented it as a symbol of inclusivity to the Irish people on April 15, 1848, Thomas Francis Meagher said:
“The White in the centre signifies a lasting truce between the Orange and the Green, and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood.
“If this flag is destined to fan the flames of war, let England behold once more, upon that white centre, the Red Hand that struck her down from the hills of Ulster.”
Before the loyalist march on February 25, Republican Sinn Féin will assemble at the Parnell monument at the top of O’Connell Street beneath a banner which bears the immortal words of Wolfe Tone, the Father of Irish Republicanism:
“Unite Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter” … “To Break the Connection with England.”
The pamphlet “An Address to the People of Ireland” which “makes special appeal to the people of the Unionist persuasion” will be distributed. The text includes an appeal “to everybody to consider again our ÉIRE NUA programme for a four-province federal Ireland, with optimum devolution of powers down to community level”.
ÉIRE NUA concludes: “These proposals are not definitive; they can and inevitably will be modified. Sinn Féin Poblachtach would in fact welcome constructive criticism of these proposals.”
3) The third reason to oppose this loyalist march is clear. For some time now the 26-County State Establishment has sought to bring the Queen of England on an official state visit to Dublin.
Remember this crowned head claims to be “Queen of Northern Ireland” as well as of “Great Britain”. Such a personage making such a claim has not been seen in Dublin for 95 years – since 1911.
The proposed loyalist march is very definitely part of a softening-up process for an Official Visit to Dublin by an English Queen claiming part of Ireland. The like has not been seen since Partition in 1921.
And now, on the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising, the siren voices tell Republicans to ignore this loyalist march. If we do, they will return with even greater insistence and tell us to ignore the state Visit of the Queen of England.
In other words, to stay away, make no protest, and accept finally that the Six Occupied Counties belong to England. Is that what you want?
NEVER.
-----------------------------------------------------
Why does the paper constantly refer to England, rather than Britain? I've nothing against England, but I'd like to see the Distruction of Britain (as a ruling-class institution, made by the ruling-class for the ruling-class).
Oppose Loyalist March
SAOIRSE calls on all true Republicans to oppose the loyalist march due to take place through the centre of Dublin on Saturday, February 25.
This call is made for three reasons:
1) One body sponsoring the march, FAIR (Families Acting for Innocent Relatives) claims for loyalists a near monopoly on suffering in Ireland since the mid-1960s. This is not in accordance with the facts.
In the struggle for the national liberation of Ireland over the past several decades, over 1,000 members of the British Occupation Forces were killed. Further, more than 1,000 innocent and uninvolved nationalists were deliberately done to death by loyalist death squads working in collusion with the British forces.
The Sunday Business Post of September 4, 2005 gave the following statistics: “Of the 698 Protestants (sic) killed during violence in the North, 340 died at the hands of loyalists. Since the first ceasefires in 1994, the vast majority of Protestant (sic) victims have been killed by loyalists in internecine feuds.”
It would appear then that FAIR should be marching on the UDA and UVF headquarters in Belfast rather than through the centre of Dublin to Leinster House. In their progress through O’Connell Street, they will pass by Sackville Place (by the side of Clery’s department store) where two CIE busmen were killed by loyalist no-warning bombs in December 1972. Will FAIR pause at that spot and pay respects?
To highlight the fact that there is no hierarchy in suffering, Republican Sinn Féin’s President, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh will, before the loyalist march moves off, lay a wreath at the end of Talbot Street – opposite Connolly station – at the memorial to the 33 innocent victims, both Catholic and Protestant, killed by loyalist bombs in Dublin and Monaghan on May 17, 1974. This will be done with respect and dignity.
Listed on page three in this issue are the names of another 13 victims killed by loyalists south of the Border from Donegal to Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. British forces colluded in these deaths also, and refused 30 years later to cooperate in inquiries into the tragedies.
In the 26 Counties, the Department of Justice “lost” the files relating to these victims of imperialism and Garda Headquarters “mislaid” their files also. It seems the lives of citizens counted for very little.
2) The second reason for opposing the march is that Republicans stand in solidarity with the beleaguered nationalists of the Garvaghy Road, Ardoyne, Dunloy and other such areas that have had triumphalist loyalist marches imposed on them forcefully year after year. They are made witnesses of their own humiliation.
The 26-County Administration, by collaborating with this loyalist march, has effectively turned its back on all those, north and south, who have suffered at the hands of British-backed death squads down the decades.
The question which has not been asked in this debate is whether nationalist parades, of whatever kind, or even Civil Rights marches would be allowed through the centre of Portadown or down Belfast’s Royal Avenue? The British forces would certainly block them.
When the British government finally leaves Ireland and loyalist marches will no longer be a question of supremacy of Unionists over Nationalists, then all interests will be welcome and free to parade wherever they choose.
Reference has been made to the Orange section of the Irish National Tricolour. This applies to the Irish Protestant population, in general, not all of whom are coat-trailing Orangemen.
When he brought the Irish Tricolour from Paris and presented it as a symbol of inclusivity to the Irish people on April 15, 1848, Thomas Francis Meagher said:
“The White in the centre signifies a lasting truce between the Orange and the Green, and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood.
“If this flag is destined to fan the flames of war, let England behold once more, upon that white centre, the Red Hand that struck her down from the hills of Ulster.”
Before the loyalist march on February 25, Republican Sinn Féin will assemble at the Parnell monument at the top of O’Connell Street beneath a banner which bears the immortal words of Wolfe Tone, the Father of Irish Republicanism:
“Unite Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter” … “To Break the Connection with England.”
The pamphlet “An Address to the People of Ireland” which “makes special appeal to the people of the Unionist persuasion” will be distributed. The text includes an appeal “to everybody to consider again our ÉIRE NUA programme for a four-province federal Ireland, with optimum devolution of powers down to community level”.
ÉIRE NUA concludes: “These proposals are not definitive; they can and inevitably will be modified. Sinn Féin Poblachtach would in fact welcome constructive criticism of these proposals.”
3) The third reason to oppose this loyalist march is clear. For some time now the 26-County State Establishment has sought to bring the Queen of England on an official state visit to Dublin.
Remember this crowned head claims to be “Queen of Northern Ireland” as well as of “Great Britain”. Such a personage making such a claim has not been seen in Dublin for 95 years – since 1911.
The proposed loyalist march is very definitely part of a softening-up process for an Official Visit to Dublin by an English Queen claiming part of Ireland. The like has not been seen since Partition in 1921.
And now, on the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising, the siren voices tell Republicans to ignore this loyalist march. If we do, they will return with even greater insistence and tell us to ignore the state Visit of the Queen of England.
In other words, to stay away, make no protest, and accept finally that the Six Occupied Counties belong to England. Is that what you want?
NEVER.
-----------------------------------------------------
Why does the paper constantly refer to England, rather than Britain? I've nothing against England, but I'd like to see the Distruction of Britain (as a ruling-class institution, made by the ruling-class for the ruling-class).
