Opposing ALL sectarian attacks

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday June 18, 2002 10:45 by Gary - Socialist Party socialist at belfastsp dot freeserve dot co dot uk Belfast

Below is a copy of a leaflet being distributed throughout Northern Ireland by Socialist Youth.

The recent escalation in sectarian clashes in East Belfast and other areas should be met with mass action by workers and youth to prevent a slide into a viciously sectarian summer.
Both Catholic & Protestant communities are suffering from regular attacks and intimidation. Everyday there are attacks on public service workers. School students from both communities are being targeted as they go to and return from school.
At interface areas, the sectarian organisations are fighting a war of attrition over territory. The battle to claim streets by intimidating residents and covering areas in bunting has intensified. All the main parties are to blame for whipping up sectarian hatred.
But it is also the levels of poverty, unemployment, poor housing and services which are to blame. The lack of affordable social housing is forcing communities to spread into “the other sides” areas. The privatisation of public land in the harbour is being used to build yuppy flats, while the local community in the Short Strand and Cluan Place are deprived of adequate social housing.
Socialist Youth believes working class and young people should come together and fight for housing rights, education rights, decent jobs and services.
Earlier this year 100,000 people came on to the streets to take a stand against sectarianism and to defend workers. Events forced the trade union movement to take the lead and mobilise the organised working class against sectarian attacks.
This shows the potential power working class people have when we unite on the issues which most affect us – jobs, housing, services etc. It is the failed right-wing policies being implemented by all the parties in the Assembly Executive which are to blame for these problems.
Young people and workers need a political alternative – a socialist alternative.

Socialist Youth is building an alternative for young people.
We are an anti-sectarian organisation, with members from both Catholic and Protestant areas.
Young people Unite!
After the disgusting sectarian murders of Ciaran Cummings and Gavin Brett, Socialist Youth were the only people to campaign against sectarian attacks. We also initiated School Students United Against Sectarianism and mobilised an impressive contingent of school students to the Jan 18 trade union demos.
Fighting for our rights!
We are opposed to the big business agenda of the political parties in the Assembly. None of them have delivered for young people. Instead they are responsible for privatising (through PPP/PFI) our schools, colleges, postal services, roads and other public services.
We fight on all the issues that effect young people like low pay, sectarianism, tuition fees etc.
Socialist Alternative
The society we live in, capitalism, can provide no stable secure future for young people.
A genuine democratic socialist society would put the needs of people before profit for the few. By owning and democratically managing the main industry and banks working people can provide for their needs. The fight for socialism requires a well-organised movement. That is why Socialist Youth is building branches around the country and calling on young people to get involved!
Join us today, and build the alternative to sectarianism and capitalism!