Protest Against the Deportation of Parents of Irish Children

by the THE Tue Dec 14, 2004 19:14

I get bored with the slagging of the SWP - but it is worthwhile to remind people of the problems they create for other activists.

'The Civil Rights Movement of Ireland' is the SWP's latest front. They have experimented with different titles in the recent past. But this one takes the cake.

As noted on an earlier thread it has the perfect name: 'just about covers every eventuality'
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67894

The SWP has discredited and run much of the larger anti-war movement in Ireland into the ground, a shadow of its former self. To do this they use the front 'The Irish Anti-War Movement'

'THE Movement' - the THE implies that everyone would have to walk lock-step behind them. And the media took that THE pretty seriously until more recently.

There must be a instruction manual somewhere that says every self-respecting Trot group in the world has to have three essential elements: 1) An anti-war front 2) Strong union ties and 3) an Anti-Racist front.

- The IAWM is near non-existent these days and the media generally know its a SWP front.
- The SWP's trade union connections are rather shallow.
- And, for some time now, the SWP has had no anti-racism campaigns to brag about. They did have Davy Carlin's good work in the North, but he recently left the party in disgust.

And this is where we are today, Another Front Is Possible in the name of 'THE Civil Rights Movement of Ireland' Everyone march lock-step behind THE Civil Rights Movement of Ireland!

This title and their protest at Dáil Éireann at 6:30pm on Thursday has created confusion in the minds of Asylum Seekers, journalists, politicians and activists. Residents Against Racism has had to do a lot of leg work to UNconfuse people and explain that the RAR march and demo is at the Central Bank at 12:30pm on Thursday.

There is nothing wrong with having another demo at a different time, and nothing wrong with having another civil rights organisation - that is their right.

The name 'THE Civil Rights Movement of Ireland' is as arrogant as the name 'THE Irish AntiWar Movement' - the actual 'civil rights movement' of Ireland is bigger and stronger than either CRMI or RAR and is made up of dozens of organisations of different sizes and purposes.

After the Campaign Against The Racist Referendum, RAR focused much of its efforts on demanding that the government allow the non-Irish families of Irish citizen childrens to stay. Today it looks that, perhaps, that hard work may pay off:

'Immigrants with Irish children may get reprieve'
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2004/1214/pf778967254HM1RESIDENCY.html

Anyone want to take a bet who will be hijacking the media to take credit for this?

repeat again:
RAR March and Demo
Central Bank at 12:30pm on Thursday.

see you there

by IRL Wed Dec 15, 2004 15:17

Irish population to reach five million within 15 years - CSO
http://irishexaminer.12hs.com/en_US/newsfeed/story.jhtml?s=54911615&r=1297&i=3822449&d=38143681

Ireland's population will surpass the five million mark within 15 years if current rates of births, deaths and migration continue, according to the Central Statistics Office.

In its Population and Labour Force Projections for 2006 to 2036, the CSO said a fall in net immigration appeared to be the only factor that could slow down population growth in the coming years.

--

Elsewhere, the CSO predicted that the labour force would reach 2.4 million by 2016, assuming that current rates of migration continue until then. At present, the labour force is made up of just under two million people.

by Barry Wed Dec 15, 2004 15:23

When you say "Irelands" population are you referring only to the 26 cos ?

I would certainly hope not. Please clarify.

by Reality Check Wed Dec 15, 2004 16:13

Why would he include the British part of Ireland? Central Statistics Office figures only cover the 26 counties. Try ringing the Home Office Barry if you want the figure for the Republic and the UK part.

by Barry Wed Dec 15, 2004 16:36

can often be found in Dublin.

He clearly said the population of Ireland and "the Irish population", not the free-state. Ireland has 32 counties. Theres a huge difference between the population of the free-state and the population of Ireland which is the whole island.

Just because a bunch of free-staters sold us down the river to keep the Brits and the Catholic church happy doesnt mean Britain has any right to be here. British occupied Iraq still isnt British.

The Brits ocupied most of Ireland for 800 years. Does that mean all your ancestors were Brits ? Why dont you ring the Home Office and ask to be relocated, you partitionist free-state git ?

by Fear Dorcha Fri Dec 17, 2004 00:10

"the Brits occupied Ireland for 800 years"- this is a ridiculous statement and completely inaccurate.

by Barry Fri Dec 17, 2004 00:59

I have to hear this one.

Enlighten me, please.

(Is this a joke or something)

by pc Fri Dec 17, 2004 01:07

what are you on about Barry, someone post something up about immigration figures and you start a discussion what 'Ireland' and 'Irish' means, you wrtie some good things but you could write less and keep to the point...

by Barry Fri Dec 17, 2004 12:15

Sorry if It seems pedantic, but myself and 1000s of others are also Irish and live in Ireland. It looked to me like he was inferring we arent part of the Irish population. As far as im concerned its legitimate to ask him to clarify what he meant by "the population of Ireland ".

I only asked him a question and did not intend to get drawn into a stupid game of insults with those other 2 eejits.

by iosaf Fri Dec 17, 2004 13:56

and I don't live in Ireland, (either state) but I am Irish.
& Racism at home (Ireland) worries me as much as it worries me at home (Bcn), a city with more than 200,000 registered migrants and many more unregistered, who are doing their best to settle and prosper in a place with two languages, a country and statelet (catalonia) within another state and country (spain), with all the pedantic arguments you're well used to at home (ireland).
And these migrants have the same problems as in Ireland. And they have come because of European economics. Not because they threw a pin in the map and it landed on Dublin or Barcelona. Not because businessmen in either Dublin or Barcelona were so terribly clever with either Irish or Catalan cash to increase economic performance. They came because the EU brought them.

RAR understand this perfectly.

I don't support any attempt by the SWP to split the anti-racist / pro-migrant agenda, and hope that all other media professionals realise that there is already an established social collective and movement which has been working on this issue with very clear and real links and co-operation with and understanding of other social collectives and movements in the EU.

Residents Against Racism
[email protected]
address: 12a Brunswick place, Dublin 2
phone: 087 7974622 or 087 6662060

RAR's work is creative, effective, and emphasises the humane, it's proper grass roots activity. Well done all of ye. & I do love that banner.