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Human Rights in IrelandA Blog About Human Rights
Spirit of Contradiction
| Irish activists take note! national | miscellaneous | news report  Thursday April 18, 2002 18:32 by old cause new cause don't forget the ongoing Northern struggle Whilst much needed attention and resources have been dedicated to global issues of poverty, democracy et al., I find it distressing that we seem to forget the the North Eastern Region of our country is occupied by the world's no.2 colonial power and people there are subject to daily intimidation, harrassment and occupatioN. Lest not forget. SOLIDARITY! FROM RTE WEBSITE Police in the North have arrested several people over violent protests at army watchtowers in south Armagh last December. Several people were arrested early this morning over the violence at watchtowers in Creevekeeran and Drumuckaval near Crossmaglen, a Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokeswoman said. Twenty-two police officers, three British soldiers and a number of civilians were injured after over 100 protesters clashed with security forces at three security bases in the Crossmaglen area on December 9th. The clashes began at a demilitarisation protest outside an army watchtower at Creevekeeran that was organised by the youth wing of Sinn Féin. Some protesters tried break through the fencing around the watchtower. The protesters then moved to the nearby Drumuckaval watchtower and again tried to enter the watchtower grounds. The demonstrators went on to the police and army barracks at Crossmaglen, where they broke through the outer gate and threw petrol bombs at the station. At the time police said the violence had "clearly been orchestrated", but Sinn Féin said those involved in the violence were not from south Armagh. |
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Jump To Comment: 1 2 3By focusing attention and energy on problems in far-off places, and ignoring Irish problems of deep significance and history, Irish "activists" convey the impression that some type of liberal utopia has arrived in Ireland, and they thus play a key role in ensuring that repression and economic exploitation will persist in Ireland. In the same way Irish-American activists in the U.S. by concentrating on Ireland, deflect attention from exploitation and oppression on their own doorstep. Thus the Irish liberal and the Irish-American republican are, properly understood, fellow reactionaries, and antagonistic to the cause of human liberation.
First thing - I'm not 'anti-republican' nor am I a member of a political party threatened by the Sinn fein vote (or any party).
However I'm really nervous about SF at the moment - they seem to be the same as most post-colonial parties: trying to drag this broad church along while they sort out their policies so as not to lose anybody and still appear radical.
this election they're going after the radical vote - next time out it's the mainstream: watch their social policies change. they are already de-emphasising the 32 county socialist republic, seem to have dropped the workers struggle bit from An Phoblacht and really wavered on the abortion referendum - couldn't piss off the catholics up north i reckon.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0224/thisweek.html
have a listen to Gerry Adams talking about the pro life party.
Sad thing is we don't even need to look at other nationalist revolutions - we've been down this path before. Even the party name is the same.
Then they changed S to F and the rest is history.
As i said, I'm not in a political party - I'd like to hear from republicans who are organised as to what they are working for - not what they're working against. yeah get the brits out, but don't just replace them with more of the same.
I don't care who privatises our schools and bins and water, don't care who dismantles any redistribution taxes we have left, don't care who's in power if it's another centrist, undemocratic crowd.
Course, because me and others think like this doesn't mean we shouldn't show solidarity to the oppressed people of the six counties - I reckon Palestine seems like an easier call somehow. (fellow traveller brainwashing maybe...? I could be guilty.)
Sorry, I'm in a pensive mood - just went to that world bank seminar mentioned on the newswire last week.
SF can murder who they want in the north, taxi drivers and young fathers, if they cross the wrong IRA man. But that is too close to home to do anything about, and it's not helpful to the peace process to say anything. Let's smash our TVs instead.