The Plough #19
19 December 2003
E-mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. Racist Attacks
2. Save a Life This Christmas, Don't Buy Coca Cola
3. IRSP Speech to the International Symposium
4. Planned IRSP Speech to the International Symposium
5. Irish Anti War Movement Bulletin
6. What's On?
*******
Message from the Plough
We hope all our readers have a peaceful and relaxing holiday period.
The next Plough will be on January 2nd, 2004
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
*******
Racist Attacks
In the true spirit of sectarian hatred two pregnant women have been
assaulted by a group of men during what police believe were a series
of racially-motivated attacks in South Belfast. Two Chinese families
and one of African descent have since fled their homes following the
attacks in the Lower Donegal Road area of Sandy Row late on Saturday.
In one of the incidents, the gang broke into a house and assaulted
two pregnant Chinese women and broke a man's nose by smashing him in
the face with a brick. Windows were broken in two other houses in the
area shortly afterwards. A Chinese family with week-old twins were in
one of these houses. The area concerned has recently seen a number of
such attacks as well as graffiti praising Combat 18 a neo-fascist
British group based on ex-British army squaddies. There is no doubt
that elements of the UDA are also involved in these attacks. Those
who have seen progressive elements within the UVF's political wing
should be aware that in the Donegal Pass area of South Belfast, which
is dominated by the UVF, the local Chinese have been told that they
will not be allowed to move anymore Chinese families into the area.
Anymore who dare move in will be driven out by the UVF.
*******
COCA COLA & SINALTRAINAL: FIRST TIME IN PUBLIC DEBATE
In the context of the "ANOTHER ECONOMY" event organised by Rome's
Mayor and others, the Colombian trade union SINALTRAINAL and COCA
COLA COMPANY met each other for the first time, so that the
multinational could respond publicly to its alleged crimes in the
South America country that have given rise to a Worldwide Campaign
against the US corporation's policies. After four years of
campaigning, with strong pressure in different cities of the world
from social organisations, as well as human rights, religious and
black groups, Coca Cola has finally responded to the charges of human
rights violations of its workers by participating in an event whose
theme was "Corporate Social Responsibility".
Coke was asked to respond [account] for the 9 assassinations, the
kidnappings, the tortures and the permanent persecution carried out
by the paramilitary organisation Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia
against the workers and their family members; a situation which has
led to the serious weakening of the union to the benefit of the
corporation.
In the face of these accusations the multinational corporation,
represented by Mr. Nicola Raffa, Director of External Relations for
Coca Cola Italia Ltd., evaded the charges against it and the
relations between the leadership of Coca Cola in Colombia with the
paramilitary groups; a fact that was denounced by Cambio magazine
(No. 296 of December 1996) and by the international magazine of the
Swedish unions.
The multinational based its defence on press communiques by the
International Union of Foodworkers and by Sinaltrainbec (a Colombian
union that was destroyed recently by the same corporation). Coca Cola
hid behind the impunity of the Colombian justice system which, as
stated in reports by the UN High Commissioner and NGOs, provides
guarantees for perpetrators of human rights violations. This show us
that the corporation is not using its own elements of defence but on
the contrary, as was said in this important event, it refers to those
others who contribute to keeping its crimes under impunity.
The corporation affirmed that it has a code of conduct that should be
implemented by all the entities that in one way or another use its
brand. This confirms that Coca Cola is indeed responsible for all the
acts committed against its workers in whatever part of the world.
The corporation's representative did not know how to justify the
multinational's permanent violation of the workers rights, the
contamination of the environment and the robbing of water that was
exposed by the other speaker at the event.
This clear demonstration of culpability allows us to continue
protesting Coke's crimes and fighting for truth and justice for our
peoples.
SINALTRAINAL-Colombia
Save a Life This Christmas, Don't Buy Coca Cola
The Belfast Colombian Workers Solidarity Committee has called on
people not to buy Coca Cola this Christmas in protest at Coca
Cola's failure to protect its workers in its bottling plants in Colombia.
The Colombian Workers Solidarity Committee is urging people to
support the world wide boycott called by Colombian Trades Unionists
against Coca Cola products. To date eight trade unionists in the
plants bottling Coca Cola in Colombia have been murdered and many
more injured. As people stock up for the Christmas celebrations there
is something very simple that we can all do that will help save lives
in Colombia. Make sure that there is no Coca Cola in your fridge.
Don't buy Coca Cola products when you are out for a drink. By this
small gesture we can make Coca Cola aware that the world wide
community will not accept its failure to protect workers in its
bottling plants in Colombia
*******
THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS
was held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.
Below we give the actual speech as delivered by Ard Comhairle member
Willie Gallagher. Then below it we give the full text of the speech
he had intended to deliver but could not because of time constraints.
IRSP Speech to the International Symposium on the Isolation of
Prisoners
20-12-2003
Firstly as an ex-political prisoner who has served a total of 18
years in prison from 1975 until 1993 I would like to express my
solidarity to all political prisoners throughout the world,
particularly those who are enduring isolation and torture and
especially to the political prisoners in Turkey whose courage and
dedication are an inspiration to all of us. As someone who has
experienced every aspect of prison life during the present conflict
in Ireland which included physical and psychological brutality, long
and regular periods of solitary confinement, forced starvation diets
and various protests including a 50 day hunger-strike in 1978 when I
20 years of age I will always feel a great affinity with all
political prisoners throughout the world. Therefore I would like to
thank the organisers of this Symposium for giving me the opportunity
to speak here today and express my personal solidarity and the
solidarity of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and of Irish
National Liberation prisoners currently imprisoned in Ireland.
The isolation of political prisoners is nothing new to people who
know what it is like to live under political oppression. In Ireland
the British have used this tactic for over 200 years with the sole
purpose of not just breaking the spirit of captured freedom fighters
and their families but of the overall struggle for freedom itself.
Prison struggles have been part and parcel of Republican resistance
since the imprisonment and death of Wolfe Tone in 1798. Republican
political prisoners have a long and honourable history of fighting
back against British brutality within the prisons which was clearly
demonstrated in 1981 when ten Republican prisoners died on hunger-
strike. Their deaths eventually smashed Britain's criminalisation
policy.
The signing of the so called Good Friday Agreement did bring about
the release of the majority of political prisoners in Ireland in
1998. However it also brought about the ending of political status
for any further political prisoners captured after the signing of the
GFA. The British, with the endorsement of all political parties who
supported the GFA, including Provisional Sinn Fein, felt free to
deny anti-GFA Republican prisoners the rights that our comrades
battled hard for and died for. Once again Republican prisoners
embarked on protests as outlined by Marion (Marion Price ex-political
prisoner from the IRPWA) in her speech yesterday and the prisoners
did indeed win a victory of separation from pro-British death squad
loyalist prisoners. Their victory this year, against all odds, is a
reflection of their resilience and commitment to the cause of
national liberation in Ireland. The fact that political status was
traded away as part of the empty promises known as the Good Friday
Agreement is nothing short of criminal.
The IRSP are opposed to the GFA and we fully and actively supported
the prisoners in Maghaberry. It was our own experiences with prisoner
isolation and our response to it that led us to support the prisoners
of the DHKC on hunger-strike in Turkey. In all there were hundreds of
prisoners on hunger-strike in Turkey seeking the same rights that
Irish revolutionaries gave their lives for in 1981. We salute the
courage and dedication of our Turkish comrades and wish them a speedy
victory.
In like manner the IRSP and INLA prisoners wish to extend our
solidarity to Basque political prisoners, to political prisoners in
Chile, Puerto Rico, the United States, Palestinian political
prisoners and all political prisoners throughout the world. And that
is why we join you today, each of us, who have had experiences of
prison isolation, criminalisation, torture, abuse and dehumanisation
through the prison system in our own nations, cannot look upon the
struggles of others elsewhere in the world against similar evils and
remain unmoved.
As someone who has went through prison isolation and a hunger-strike
I know the importance of International solidarity therefore I would
encourage all here today to join forces in exposing and combating the
torture of political prisoners and prisoners of war throughout the
world. What we need is a strong unified international response. So in
conclusion we in the IRSP join with you all today in demanding an end
to prison isolation and torture of political prisoners.
In unity let us find strength. Through that strength let us find
victory. Long live the solidarity of those who struggle for justice.
Willie Gallagher
*******
Planned IRSP STATEMENT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST
ISOLATION
Firstly, as an ex-political prisoner who has served a total of 18
years in prison from 1975 until 1993, I would like to thank the
organisers of this symposium for the privilege to address this forum
where there are so many delegates throughout the world representing
anti-fascist political prisoners. As someone who has experienced
every aspect of prison life during the present conflict in Ireland
which included physical and psychological torture, long and regular
periods of solitary confinement, forced starvation diets and various
protests including a 50 day hunger strike when I was 20 years of age
I feel a great affinity with all political prisoners throughout the
world. But I am not here to speak of my personal account of
imprisonment as my experiences were just typical of what so many
others went through.
The isolation of political prisoners is nothing new to people who
know what it is like to live under political oppression. In Ireland
the British have used this tactic for hundreds of years with the sole
purpose of not just breaking the spirits of captured freedom fighters
and their families but to break the spirit of the overall struggle
itself.
Prison struggles have been part and parcel of republicanism since the
imprisonment and death of Wolfe Tone in 1798. It was in his prison
cell 200 years ago that Robert Emmett composed one of the finest
speeches ever culminating in his rallying call that "until Ireland
takes her place among the nations of the world then and only then let
my epitaph be written." The members of the Irish Republican
Brotherhood, imprisoned in England during the latter part of the 19th
century, were treated dreadfully by the British, they were
systematically tortured both physically and psychologically and
endured years of solitary confinement, hunger strikes, forced
starvation diets and complete isolation from their families and
indeed from the outside world resulting in some of the prisoners
going insane from their treatment. Irish political prisoners never
flinched from the struggle for political recognition of their cause
over the centuries. However Britain, too, has never flinched from
using prison isolation and torture over the centuries until the
present day in order to break the spirit of the prisoners and the
struggle itself.
The struggle against criminalisation waged by Irish republican and
republican socialist prisoners of war is among the most heroic
battles in the course of the recent national liberation struggle in
Ireland. For many years, republican and republican socialist
prisoners fought for their identity as prisoners of war against
Britain's criminalisation policy. This policy was not just an attempt
to criminalize the prisoners themselves but an attempt to criminalize
the struggle for national liberation in Ireland. Republican prisoners
have a long and honourable history of fighting back against the
British within the prisons for centuries. During this phase of the
national liberation struggle they embarked on the blanket protest,
which led to the no-wash protest and eventually the hunger strike
itself. The hunger strikers sacrifice smashed the British
criminalisation policy and convinced the world of the legitimacy of
our struggle. When we speak of isolation, we in Ireland recall that
for much of the early years of this protracted campaign, the
prisoners fought this battle without the knowledge of the outside
world. In all these prison protests the Republican Socialist
prisoners participated fully and three of our volunteers, Patsy
O'Hara, Kevin Lynch and Mickey Devine, gave their lives on hunger
strike.
Living in the most horrendous conditions imaginable, they were forced
to rely initially on themselves alone. The policy of isolation within
the prison system in Ireland did not last long due to the swelling
upsurge of captured freedom fighters. Protesting prisoners were
confined to separate Blocks yet were forced to remain in their cell
24 hours a day every day for years without clothes, reading
materials, no exercise and no washing facilities forcing prisoners to
smear their cells with their own excrement and urine. Some prisoners
never received family visits for five years. Prisoner's relatives
were galvanised into action, laying the foundation for the National H-
Block/Armagh Committee. The RSM recognised the importance of this
fight early on, becoming active participants in the Relatives Action
Committees and then the National H-Block/Armagh Committee at a time
when other republicans were still perceiving this campaign as largely
a distraction. With all other options having been exhausted, the
volunteers of the Irish National Liberation Army and Irish Republican
Army were forced, in 1980 to turn to last option of hunger strike as
a means of carrying the struggle for justice forward. When the
prisoners embarked upon that course, their struggle burst into the
awareness of the broader society of Ireland and it became impossible
to miss the reality that the struggle against criminalisation was, in
fact, the most basic defence of the fight for national liberation.
From the near isolation of the blanket protest and dirty protest, the
issue of criminalisation was taken up by people throughout Ireland's
32-counties, convinced of the righteousness of the prisoners struggle
by the unmistakably compelling evidence created by the prisoners own
bodies. Their bodies were transformed both into graphic argument in
support of their cause, as well as into weapons of the long war, and
with them they brought the masses onto the streets in protest and
refocused the eyes of all Ireland, and what is more, of the whole
world, on the partition of Ireland and continued occupation of six
Irish counties by British Imperialism.
The hunger strikers were kept isolated from the rest of the prison
population and the British used the Catholic Church in an attempt to
isolate the families of the prisoners from the hunger strike protest
and their cause. The hunger strike and the deaths that accompanied it
again riveted the eyes of the world on Ireland. So eloquent was the
statement of the hunger strikers protest, it easily translated itself
into the many languages of the globe. The hunger strikers, armed only
with their naked bodies defeated the might of the British Empires
criminalisation policy.
Meanwhile it was a different matter in England where Irish political
prisoners, due to the fact that their numbers were small in
comparison to the overall English prison population, were kept
totally isolated. Britain ignored both their own legislation and
International legislation stating that prisoners should be kept in a
prison as close as possible to their families. They ignored their own
legislation in order to isolate, demean, demoralise and indeed
torture political prisoners. This treatment was intended to act as a
deterrent to other freedom fighters from attacking England itself.
Not only did Britain attack our prisoners but they also attacked our
families through a variety of means. When the families of prisoners
held in England went on the long distance trips to visit their loved
ones they were often told that the prisoner was moved to another
prison several hundred miles away. And often as not when arriving at
the other prison they were informed that the prisoner had once again
been moved.
However the prisoners in England did overcome many of the Draconian
measures used against them but only after decades of protests, riots,
years of solitary confinement and hunger strikes to the death. The
prison guards used the ordinary criminal prisoners to also brutalise
political prisoners in the early to mid seventies. However the
willingness of Irish political prisoners to fight the prison system
in England against all odds with great dedication and courage so
impressed the ordinary criminal prisoners that many of them joined
forces with republicans in protests, riots, years of solitary
confinement and hunger strikes. To this day Britain continues to
isolate Irish political prisoners from each other by dispersing them
throughout various English jails. The British at present are now
rushing new legislation through the English House of Lords which will
enable them to disperse political prisoners captured in the North of
Ireland to prisons in England isolating them from their families and
friends.
Despite the victory achieved by the deaths of three INLA prisoners
and seven IRA prisoners when political status was granted in
everything but name the INLA were forced once again to fight for
their political identity. The Provisional Republican Movement in the
mid eighties embarked upon a campaign of undermining and
criminalizing our prisoners with a view of absorbing our members into
their own ranks. They also attempted to totally demoralise republican
socialist prisoners who refused to succumb to their campaign of
criminalisation. They refused to recognise our structures, refused to
allow us any say in the prison, refused transport to our families and
barely tolerated our presence in the Blocks despite some of our
prisoners having died to achieve what we had. The sole purpose of
this strategy was to force RSM prisoners to give up their political
identity and come under the authority of the IRA. The IRA were now
doing what the British government had attempted to do with all
republicans, criminalize, demonise, undermine, demoralise and isolate
the RSM.
Towards the end of 1988, the Republican Socialist prisoners took the
decision to leave the provisional republican blocks and fight for
their own block. This decision was not taken lightly nor was it taken
alone but together with non-aligned political prisoners and the
League for Communist Republicans.
After much discussion amongst themselves and with other prisoners who
were experiencing the same hostility they decided that they had no
alternative but to leave the provisional republican wings. All the
prisoners for transfer were put into one wing of H6. It was decided
not to make this public at the time, as we did not want opportunistic
elements on the outside, particularly the British, to use this as a
means of undermining the struggle as a whole. Leaving the blocks was
not done in order to undermine the republican structure nor to
undermine the struggle, but to assert the right of political
prisoners to their own political identity. This development completed
a long battle waged against isolation of our prisoners within the
general prison population and it transformed the experience of
republican socialist POWs. Until recently that is. Now we face that
battle all over again in the prisons of the six county statelet of
occupied Ireland.
The signing of the so called Good Friday Agreement brought about the
release of the majority of political prisoners. It also brought about
the ending of political recognition of any further political
prisoners charged with any offense committed after May 1998. The
British felt free to deny anti-Good Friday Agreement republican
prisoners the rights that the hunger strikers had achieved and once
again republican prisoners embarked on protests which led to the use
of widespread isolation and solitary confinement. Despite the small
victory of separation/segregation from members of pro-British death
squad prisoners the struggle for political recognition and a
restoration of political rights that they once enjoyed continues. The
prisoner's small victory this year against all odds is a reflection
of their courage, resilience and commitment to the cause of national
liberation.
The RSM fully supported the struggle that was waged for the right of
the republican prisoners in Maghaberry to segregation. We clearly
recognised that they are political prisoners involved in a legitimate
form of protest within the jail. Those of us who have been prisoners
of war ourselves understand the frustrations that have driven the
prisoners to undertake a dirty protest. While segregation has been
granted, political status remains to be won. It is all the more
bitter, therefore, that having commemorated the struggle and
sacrifice of the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikers just two years ago, we
do so with the recognition that the political status they suffered
and died to win are gone. That this hard won objective was traded
away as part of the empty promises known as the Good Friday Agreement
is nothing short of criminal.
It was this experience with prisoner isolation and their struggle in
response to it that led the IRSP to support the prisoners of the DHKC
and other Turkish and Kurdish revolutionaries in the prisons of
Turkey. In all, there were hundreds of prisoners on hunger strike in
the prisons of Turkey, seeking the same freedom of assembly that
Irish revolutionaries gave their lives for in 1981. We salute the
courage and dedication of our Turkish comrades and wish them a speedy
victory. Let today's republican prisoners take inspiration from our
comrades in Turkey.
Moving on to another contemporary prison struggle in Ireland. To
date Dessie O'Hare an INLA prisoner has spent over 23 years in gaol.
He and his family have suffered greatly at the hands of the Lackeys
in government in the so called Irish Republic. However, under strand
three of the 'Good Friday Agreement' its states that all prisoners
whose organisations are on ceasefire will benefit from the early
release scheme. Dessie is a recognised Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) prisoner of war. Therefore, as the INLA is an organisation
that is currently on ceasefire, Dessie O'Hare should benefit from the
early release scheme, a scheme that is afforded to all other
political prisoners who qualify. Dessie O'Hare, the sole prisoner
entitled to release under the terms of the GFA is still being
incarcerated. The Irish Republican Socialist Party call upon the 26-
County administration to immediately release Dessie O'Hare from
incarceration as outlined under the Good Friday Agreement.
Last year, a spokesperson for the RSM said of the incarcerated PFLP
leader:
"Ahmad Saadat is the Dessie O'Hare of Palestine. The Palestinian
Supreme Court has found Saadat guilty of no crime and ordered his
release. In both cases, the courts have ruled that they should be
released and in both cases a government disregards its own courts and
manufactures excuses for continuing to incarcerate someone on purely
political grounds, displaying absolute disregard for human rights and
justice."
Once again, our own experience with the prison struggle laid the
foundation for our solidarity. We in the Irish Republican Socialist
Party joined in demanding the immediate release of Ahmad Saadat and
called upon the Palestinian Authority to demonstrate their respect
for the independence of their judiciary by abiding by its ruling to
release Saadat. Saadat's only crime is his continued opposition to
the Zionist state, much as Dessie O'Hare is being unfairly treated
because of the RSMs continued opposition to the Good Friday
Agreement.
In like manner, the RSM has extended its solidarity to Chilean
prisoners of war, Puerto Rican POWs, Basque political prisoners,
Breton political prisoners, political prisoners in Peru, in the
United States, and around the globe. And, that is why we join you
here today. Each of us here, if we have had the experience of
isolation, criminalisation, torture, abuse, and dehumanisation
through the prison systems in our own nations, cannot look upon the
struggles of others elsewhere in the world against similar evils and
remain unmoved. And so, in conclusion, we in the Irish Republican
Socialist Party join with you all in demanding an end to the
isolation of political prisoners and prisoners of war.
In unity, let us find strength. Through that strength, let us find
victory! Long live the solidarity of those who struggle for justice!
*******
Irish Anti War Movement Bulletin
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 17:51:35 -0000
IAWM Bulletin 17 December 2003 Capture of Saddam Hussein
'One criminal captures another' is an appropriate way to sum up the
reaction of anti-war activists to the news that Saddam was captured
by US forces. Now that he has been caught the only ones that have a
right to try him are Iraqi people – the main victims of his
tyranny.
Any fair assessment of Saddam's career as a despot should also
put the US and Britain on trial – for supporting him through the
worst of his war crimes, and for their own vicious attacks on the
Iraqi people.
We should all remember the thousands of innocent civilians have died
and the lies that the US and Britain used to justify the war. The US
supported Saddam while he was using chemical warfare on the Kurds and
continues to support vicious dictators who co-operate with US
economic and military interests.
Appalling crimes against civilians continue: the 15 children killed
in Afghanistan earlier this month were slaughtered by an American A-
10 attack aircraft – a type of craft that has been photographed
on the ground in Shannon Airport. More than 14,000 US troops passed
through Shannon last month alone, on their way to wage war on Iraqis,
or on their way home with shattering injuries.
Bertie claims that he was anti-war all along!
These grim facts outlined above put Bertie Ahern's claims to be a
longstanding peace activist in some perspective. However, they also
show the effect that the anti-war movements are having. Even the bold
Bertie realises that it is deeply unpopular to be seen to be
supporting the US war machine. Of course, his actions tell a
different story! Can we expect him on the Anti-War demo in Dublin on
20 March 2004 to mark the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq?
We doubt it!
Steering Committee Report
The SC met on Sunday, 14 December and decided that priority for the
next couple of months will be to build for a huge demonstration in
Dublin on 20 March (details see below). The first anniversary of the
invasion or Iraq has been proposed by the US anti-war organisation
ANSWER and endorsed by the ESF as a world-wide day of mobilisation
against all occupations. The IAWM has chosen the slogan 'End the
Occupations – U.S. Military out of Shannon'. All IAWM groups
are encouraged to build for this by organising local meeting, stalls
etc. We are also organising large meetings with top-name anti-war
speakers leading up to the 20 March.
It was also decided that until after 20 March that the IAWM will not
be organising any further protests at Shannon. This decision is
purely tactical. It is believed that the best way to get large
numbers of people at later Shannon protests is through a huge
mobilisation on 20 March when we will be protesting against the use
of Shannon at the seat of political power in Ireland. It was decided
that in future that SC meetings will not be open to observers but
that the SC will proactively invite members and others to speak at SC
meetings about specific topics when required.
It was agreed to mobilise around the upcoming trials of Mary Kelly
and the Pitstop Ploughshares (aka Catholic Workers). Mary's next
court appearance will be on 19 February. Details will follow. In
accordance with a resolution passed at the AGM it was decided to hold
a National Steering Committee Meeting on Saturday, 31 January 2004.
All affiliated local groups should send a representative. Note that
each affiliate should have paid its sub for 2003/04 by then! The sub
is €50 (local groups) and €100 (national/regional
organisations).
Fintan Lane – Temporary Release for Christmas
Fintan will be granted temporary release for three days over
Christmas. We still say he should be released immediately and
permanently and all the charges against other anti-war protesters
should be dropped. Free Fintan Lane posters are available from
clonakiltyagainstthewar@eircom.net and irishantiwar@utvinternet.com.
Website is Down!
Due to a catastrophic crash at our server providers the IAWM website
and the e-mail are down. We are working to get them back up. In the
meantime please use irishantiwar@utvinternet.com as a temporary e-
mail address!
Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year in a world without war to
all!
Up-coming IAWM events
Wednesday, 24 December
Christmas Eve Peace Vigil
Organised by Tralee Anti-War Group Anti-War Group.
2.30 – 4.30 pm, Outside Penny's, The Mall, Tralee, Co. Kerry
Contact Kieran at 087 671 6009 for more details or e-mail
traleeantiwar@yahoo.com
Thursday, 15 January 2004
Picket of Bertie Ahern's Constituency Office
Organised by Drumcondra and Phibsborough Anti-War Groups.
5.00 – 6.00 pm, Outside St. Luke's, Lwr. Drumcondra
Road, Dublin 9
Contact Colm at 087 294 7100 for more details or e-mail
irishantiwar@utvinternet.com
Thursday, 31 January 2004
National Steering Committee Meeting
Details will follow. Affiliated local groups and organisations please
send a representative!
Saturday, 20 March 2004
End the Occupations – U.S. Military out of Shannon
National demonstration on day of world-wide mobilisation to mark 1st
anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
Assemble 3 pm, Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Posters and leaflets will be available in January.
Other events Until 08 Feb. 04 The House of Osama Bin Laden at IMMA
An exhibition featuring an interactive digital model allowing a
virtual exploration of the former home of Osama bin Laden opens to
the public at the Irish Museum of Modern Art on Wednesday 10 December
2003. Further information on http://www.modernart.ie/News/WhatsOn.asp?id=1095
Open daily at Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham,
Dublin 8
The bulletin would like to hear people's reaction to this exhibition.
Please send your comments to our temporary e-mail
irishantiwar@utvinternet.com
*******
Republican Socialist Prisoners of War
Castlerea Prison
----------------
Declan Duffy [9 years-20 August 1973-Armagh/Dublin-April 2008]
Dessie O'Hare [Life-N/A-South Armagh-No Fixed Date]
Number 2, The Grove
Castlerea Prison
Harristown
Castlrea, Co. Roscommon
Ireland
Portlaoise Prison
-----------------
Gerry Burns [5 years-7 October 1962-Dublin-May 2005]
Cathal Gartland [4 years-N/A-Dundalk-May 2007]
Kevin McLaughlin [4 years-13 November 1965-Belfast-August 2004]
Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Ireland
Letters, cards, birthday greetings, and so forth are welcome.
http://www.irsm.org/irspows/
*******
What's On?
The Men's Health Forum in Ireland will launch its new report, Men's
Health in Ireland, on 15 January 2004 in Buswell's Hotel, Molesworth
Street, Dublin. Registration will begin at 10.30 am. The launch
will begin at 11.00 am. This report provides the most comprehensive
overview of statistics on men's health on the island of Ireland ever
collated. It also highlights key issues on men's health men die, on
average, six years younger than women do; poorer men have poorer
health; men are four times more likely than women to die from
suicide; men take more risks with their health; men are reluctant
users of Primary Care Services and often present too late for
effective treatments to be delivered; men's health is under-
researched - both clinically and in terms of health promotion.
Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children in the
Republic of Ireland, Mr Ivor Callely, will launch the report. The
event will include an overview of the main issues and recommendations
within the report, as well as a keynote address from prominent
broadcaster and journalist Tommie Gorman.
All attendees will receive a hard copy of the report. Further copies
will be available for free downloading from the internet at
www.mhfi.org from 16 January 2004. Please RSVP to Kay Houlihan by 5
January 2004 on tel: 00 353 1 462 5364 or email: launch@mhfi.org.
*******
A new 2004 full colour glossy calendar is available now on the RSM
online shop.
It celebrates the brilliant work undertaken by the Teach Na Failte
Memorial Committees this past year throughout the six counties with
full colour photographs on each page.
Just in time for Christmas and the New Year this calendar can be
viewed online by clicking the link below
http://www.cafeshops.com/rsmshop.8844526
*******
Please feel free to comment on the contents of the Plough. We welcome
political comments and criticisms.
If you know of anybody who might wish to receive the Plough please
send his or her e-mail address to johnmartinps@eircom.net
If you wish to receive back copies of the "The Plough" Please e-mail
to johnmartinps@eircom.net stating which numbers you wish.
To unsubscribe to the Plough please send e-mail
entitled "unsubscribe" to johnmartinps@eircom.net
It is the policy of the Plough to acknowledge information and
articles from other sources.
Subscribe to the bi-monthly
"The Starry Plough/An Camchéachta"
P.O. Box 1981, Derry, BT48 8GX, Ireland.
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Fighting Fund/Donations
To: The Starry Plough
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http://www.irsm.org/irsm.html (Pairtí Poblachtach Sóisialach na
h-Éireann)
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http://www.marxists.org/archive/connolly/ (James Connolly Archive)
The new Republican Socialist Forum from Derry IRSP:
http://rsmforum.proboards23.com/
*******
Republican Socialist Online Merchandise - New Website
A new website that offers a central place to go on the Internet to
find good quality items with a distinct Republican Socialist theme.
Proceeds from sales from this effort go towards the IRSM and it's
various projects.
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/irishshop/
Friday 19 December 2003
Friday 12 December 2003
The Plough Vol 01 No 18
The Plough #18
12 December 2003
E-mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. The Dublin bombings
2. Is Britain Neutral? - Responses
3. Anti Racist Network
4. European Constitution
5. Irland-Information
6. The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
7. Irish Anti War Movement
8. The Curse of Employment Agencies
9. Republican Socialist Prisoners of War
10. What's On?
*******
The Dublin Bombings
Mr Justice Henry Barron's report into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan
bombings has been criticised for its failure to reach any definite
conclusions about collusion between British intelligence and the
loyalist bomb teams that carried out the attacks. Isn't that a
surprise? While the report found no evidence of high-level collusion
between British intelligence, the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries in
the attacks, which killed 34 people, it said it was "likely" that
collusion had occurred. The failure of the British to release
relevant documentation and the loss by the Justice department of all
its files is an amazing coincidence!! Others may be reluctant to say
it but the IRSP always held the view that there were British agents
working not only within loyalist groups but also within the Garda
Special Branch and within the justice department itself.
The report also criticised the Irish government of the time for its
failure to investigate the bombings properly. Let's be clear about
this. A the time of the bombing the Free State Intelligence services
saw as the main threat to the State institutions the Official IRA,
despite the fact that that organisation had been on a ceasefire for
two years. What they really feared was the socials and economic
policies that radical sections of that movement were pushing. These
radical elements broke away and formed the IRSP at the end of 1974.
Only six weeks after the bombing the Garda ran down the
investigations, the Government failed to follow up evidence from the
Brits and a clamp down was launched, not on loyalist but on
republicans with the introduction of the Heavy Squad and torture and
beatings of suspects becoming routine within the Garda.
The victims of the bombings were working class folk. They held no
high office, had no powerful relatives and were insignificant to the
Fine Gael/Labour coalition. The Free State bourgeois abandoned the
victims and their relatives.
Many of the loyalists involved in the bombings were members of the
RUC and the UDR. The Barron report fails to recognise that the
intelligence agencies were the key players in the North and contrary
to Barron's claim only one loyalist involved had been interned and
that was on a separate charge. The rest walked the streets of
Portadown.
If there is any lesson to be taken from the Barron report it is that
while nationalist politicians of all persuasions pay lip service to
the solving of the national question when push comes to shove they
defend their own class interests over that of the citizens of the
state. There is only one class capable of solving the national
question and that is the Irish working class. It is only their force,
their strength, and their mass potential that will shake us free from
imperialism.
*******
Is Britain Neutral? - Responses to Liam (Plough 17)
I agree with the central thrust of your article: namely that the
province is an economic drain on the British government, has been on
successive British governments, and will continue to be such as long
as they're forced to maintain a military and overwhelming security
presence, and the Province remains unstable and therefore
unattractive to inward investment.
However, I'm not so sure about your assertion that the British
political establishment is not unduly concerned about the possible
break up of the UK as a result of a united Ireland. This I think is
of major concern, particularly as a large portion of the
English/British ruling class hold many investments and properties in
both Scotland and Wales, not to mention the golden calf, albeit
rapidly draining away, of North Sea oil. In terms of tax revenue,
natural resources and labour, both Scotland and Wales contribute much
more than they receive from Westminster. One only has to consider the
speed with which Blair sought to implement devolved powers to both
countries when he came to power. This was done in order to placate
the increasing and vociferous support for independence, especially in
Scotland, and to pacify the people by giving them a paper tiger of a
parliament instead of the real thing.
And let's not forget the military and strategic aspect, which
again I think you underplay a little. In Scotland there are naval
bases at Rosyth and Faslane, which are both capable of handling
nuclear subs: Rosyth indeed is a major sub base of US navy operating
in the North Atlantic. There are also important RAF bases in Scotland
and Wales, as well as excellent natural terrain for training purposes.
The use of both Scotland and Wales for the dumping of toxic waste is
also well documented, something again, which the political elite in
Westminster is well aware of and keen to continue.
The six counties, in 30 years of civil war, have also proved an
invaluable training ground for British troops and medical personnel.
The much-vaunted British ability in peacekeeping operations around
the world is a direct result of Brit troops patrolling the streets of
Belfast, Derry, etc. I'm sure it is a situation, which the British
military wouldn't want to change in a hurry either.
So while I do agree that the six counties is an economic drain, and a
political nightmare, I do not agree that this translates into the
British government wishing to extricate but unable to do so due to a
Unionist majority (Blair hardly needs the Unionist support in
Westminster given his overwhelming majority in the house anyway).
This is undoubtedly a major factor, but certainly not the only one. I
think it would be more accurate to say that a portion of the British
political establishment favours a withdrawal but is tied to the
province because of the Unionist hegemony. However, an equally
influential portion of the same political elite wants to stay due the
reasons that I have given.
John
*
I think there are a few flaws in this article. The general idea is
going in the right way but there are points that I don't see. I
agree much more with the analysis of Marx and Lenin on the Irish
national question. Lenin's contention was that the nationalist v
unionist conflict was class struggle, expressed in a bizarre way.
England isn't even remotely neutral. There are several instances
of members of the English ruling class saying publicly that no matter
what the unionist/protestant communities desire, they will never
allow Ireland to be reunited. Perhaps this would change if they were
assured it would be in the neo-colonial set-up via Dublin. The fact
that the ruling class has been trying to create island wide
institutions now possibly signals this.
I doubt England is reluctant to face down the unionists; they created
them and have continued to arm them. If the English decide to dump
the unionists in the future they'll arm the Provos instead, as
long as someone administers their rule and the tactic of divide and
conquer.
However, the contention that England has lost money in the north (due
to changes in industry and global economics) is true, and what could
happen is that Ireland would be reunited as a united neo-colonial
state. They won't crack heads for speaking Irish but try to speak
it fluently while being forced to speak English in a multinational
corporate office.
If the English weren't scared of the break up of the UK, they
wouldn't say flat out they refused to discuss the Scottish
national question.
There is one more factor to be considered, and that is cultural.
It's easy to think that the ruling class does everything out of
pure rational class interest, but there's evidence to the contrary.
In the same way that some criminals choose to rape rather than rob,
the English truly love domination and go out of their way to violate
the Celtic people. There is a documented instance of the Cromwellian
army faced with the choice of looting an unguarded treasure or
massacring a village. They chose to massacre the defenceless.
TJ
*******
Anti-Racist Network
The vigil organised by the ARN on International Human Rights day was
a great success. Well over one hundred people attended from over
twenty organisations. They included many minority ethnic support
organisations, trade unionist representatives from various unions,
trades union council members, political parties and leaders,
solidarity campaigns, human rights organisations, law firms, peace
organisations, community leaders, student and youth groups and more,
from across the religious and cultural sphere of society. It has been
many, many years since such a representative and collective voice has
spoken out in such a visual way against racism and we should be proud
of our collective achievements to date.
The vigil also received a lot of media coverage on television, radio
and in the written press making the ARN a more recognisable group. On
that day many also left their details to get involved in the network,
which shall be added to the network list. The ARN has agreed also to
hold music gigs after Christmas with the possibility of larger events
being discussed also. In our short time together we have had positive
results with both our statement and now the vigil. Through each we
are putting the issue of racism at the forefront and with that are
providing a collective avenue from which to speak out against racism
and in doing so are reaching wider layers of society. Much more has
been discussed and much more needs to be as to how we continue to
move forward. The next meeting of the ARN is Jan 14th at the MCRC at
7pm and in the mean time the various sub committees will be working
on their specific tasks.
D Carlin
*******
European Constitution
Under the proposed New European Constitution, which may now be
decided, when Ireland holds the Presidency from January to July 2004
the EU shall have 20 official languages. Gaeilge (Irish) will not be
included. This is an insult to the people of Ireland and an erosion
of yet another part of our national identity. It is a clear example
of how globalisation erodes local cultures languages and traditions.
This is the FF/PD government, yet again, giving the fingers to
380,000 of Ireland's citizens (who for the most part are incidentally
are located in the north and west of Ireland). They pay lip service
to both the national question and the language. There is only one
class capable of both saving the language and solving the national
question and that is the Irish working class. That will happen when
the workers take control from the parasitical capitalist class and
build a Workers Republic.
In the meantime sign and forward this petition.
To: Dáil Éireann - Irish Parliament
Is é ár n-éileamh go ngairfear teanga oifigiúil oibre de
chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh den Ghaeilge. Le meas, Muid, a chuir ár
n-ainm le seo.
We demand that the Irish language be declared an official working
language of the European Union.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gaedhilg/
*******
Irland-Information
On the 8th of November 15 Swedish comrades gathered to found the
organisation Irland-Information. We formulated the intention of the
organisation, in short to support the organisations in Ireland that
has as their goal to liberate Ireland from British rule and establish
an Irish republic. We see that this struggle is firmly linked with
the struggle against social injustice.
Irland-Information will spread information about the struggle for
freedom, keep in contact with and give support to the republican
prisoners and spread Irish republican organisations' point of view to
a Swedish audience.
We where happy to have received greetings from both Republican Sinn
Fein, Republican Forum as well as Irish Republican Socialist Party,
these greetings where read to the delegates and were greatly
appreciated.
The meeting ended in a truly positive atmosphere, there is a strong
will to work for our goals and support the struggle in Ireland.
After the meeting the pub opened, we listened to two Swedish comrades
who played rebel songs, had a few beers and raised approx. 130
dollars to the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association. (I
informed the comrades that the IRPWA does not support INLA POWs and
they will raise the matter at the next meeting of Irland-Information
and push to have funds directed to support INLA prisoners as well.)
Next step for us now is to broaden our base in Sweden, on the 30th of
January we will hold a public meeting in the city of Uppsala, 80 km
north of Stockholm, where we will show Paul Greengrass movie "Bloody
Sunday", have a debate forum and a pub to raise money for the
organisation and the republican POWs.
Beir Bua!
Joacim Cleryd
Irland-Information
*******
The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
60 Days in Jail for Peaceful Protest! The jailing of Fintan Lane is
in stark contrast with the treatment of US military that use Shannon
Airport as a stopover on the way to Iraq and Afghanistan where the US
is engaged in two brutal occupations. These occupations have resulted
in the murder of tens of thousands of civilians. Given the fact that
over 100,000 US troop have transited Shannon in the last 12 months,
it is highly likely that a large proportion of the troops and weapons
involved in these killings have used Shannon as a stopover. Recently,
US troops went on an illegal walkabout in Ennis town centre in combat
uniform but no charges were made for that trespass.
Before being jailed Fintan commented, "Innocent people are being
killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the war machine that is being
facilitated at Shannon airport. What is happening is an outrage, and
it is no exaggeration to say that Fianna Fail and the PDs have blood
on their hands."
More details on
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/fintanlane.htm
What you can do! Fly post the "Release Fintan Lane" poster available
for download at
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/freefintan.pdf
Organise a statement of support/call for release from trade union
branches, from branches of political organisations in your area, from
councillors, from student unions, from campaigning groups, from anti-
war groups, or from any other group/organisation/individual you think
might add their voice to the call for Fintan's release. Already, the
Cork Trades Council, the Irish Anti-War Movement and Joe Higgins TD
have called for the release of Fintan Lane. We need to add to this
list as quickly as possible. Statements should be sent to the media
(newspapers, radio, etc.) and copies sent to corkantiwar@hotmail.com
Send a fax, e-mail and letter to government ministers/ TD's
calling for the release of Fintan Lane. Write a letter to a
newspaper, local or national Organise a white-line picket in the high
street of your town or city. Send messages of support and letters to
Fintan. Please keep messages/letters straightforward and post in an
envelope to Fintan Lane, Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street, Limerick,
Ireland.
*******
Irish Anti-War Movement
Afghanistan American forces admit that fighter jets have bombed
six more children.
The US military has admitted that it has killed six more children at
the weekend in an attack on a compound used by a militant to store
arms' near Gardez in Paktia province. This is addition to the nine
children killed by its fighter jets on Saturday. Children obviously
continue to be a legitimate target for the US war machine.
Iraq - A new Vietnam for the USA?
As opposition grows in Iraq, more and more people are asking is Iraq
the new Vietnam? Some of the facts point very strongly towards that
viewpoint. The attrition rate among US forces (the percentage of
soldiers killed or wounded) is 9.25%, already higher than in Vietnam.
There were, of course, many more US troops in Vietnam at the peak
than are in Iraq. However, it took three years (1962-1965) in Vietnam
for the death toll to reach the level it has already reached in Iraq.
Remembering that only 30,000 soldiers are in the front line', it's
clear that these troops face a very high risk of becoming a casualty.
No wonder then that 14 soldiers have committed suicide and dozens
have maimed or injured them to avoid active service.
The Pentagon's tactics and its use of the term 'Iraqification' is
reminiscent of the Vietnamization that was a clear sign of weakness
and desire in the late 1960s to withdraw as soon as possible. One
tactic that strikes terror into the population is the bombing of
villages where suspected terrorists' live regardless of the danger
to innocent men, women and as is clear in Afghanistan, children. A
frightening article has been posted on the IAWM website on the
Israeli-style tactics now being used in Iraq.
http://www.irishantiwar.org/news/item.tcl?news_item_id=100551
Shannon 300 protesters blockade the main dual carriageway
leading to Airport
Gardai use overwhelming force and intimidation
The Shannon blockade was characterised by the non-violent, peaceful
approach by all the protesters. Unfortunately, before we even got
near the airport the Gardai upped the ante by searching' the buses
from Dublin, Cork and Galway, ostensibly looking for weapons'.
They confiscated all placard-sticks, flagpoles and even 1,000 'Free
Fintan Lane' posters. It seems that ideas are deemed to be weapons by
the Gardai. Despite this provocation the protesters behaved in a very
restrained manner through out the day. The plan agreed at the
steering committee was that if we had a critical number (400) of
protesters we would attempt to blockade both the main entrance and
the route through the Industrial Estate. Given that the number on the
day was about 300 we marched in one block to the main entrance, which
the Gardai had closed with barricade. We then returned to the
roundabouts leading to the industrial estates and the protesters
split into two groups, one at each roundabout. At both there were sit-
down protests. However, the overwhelming force of Gardai (Tim
Hourican estimated about 700 in the airport and vicinity) managed to
keep the various roads leading through the Industrial Estate open.
A letter of protest from the IAWM calling for the return of Shannon
to purely civilian use was handed in to the Aer Rianta Director of
Operations by protesters who had evaded the Gardai guarding' the
airport. After the blockade, the buses from Dublin and Cork stopped
outside Limerick Prison for noisy 'Free Fintan Lane' protests.
*******
The Curse of Employment Agencies
Temporary employment means nowadays a regression of many years of
workers' struggle for a proper wage and working conditions.
1/ Temporary employment means no holiday or sick entitlements,
2/ An uncertainty due to temporary contracts that doesn't allow
workers to organise any type of future, as they never know just how
long they are going to be employed for.
3/ Temporary employment suits the bosses down to the ground as they
have total impunity of dismissal at any time.
4/ That's why they pay a certain amount of money out to the
recruitment company and that's why the temporary worker often
works for far less money than the rest of the workforce who do the
same job.
Work is a right of each and every citizen. The IRSP oppose the
growth of this modern day slave trade.
*******
Republican Socialist Prisoners of War
Castlerea Prison
----------------
Declan Duffy [9 years-20 August 1973-Armagh/Dublin-April 2008]
Dessie O'Hare [Life-N/A-South Armagh-No Fixed Date]
Number 2, The Grove
Castlrea Prison
Harristown
Castlrea, Co. Roscommon
Ireland
Portlaoise Prison
-----------------
Gerry Burns [5 years-7 October 1962-Dublin-May 2005]
Cathal Gartland [4 years-N/A-Dundalk-May 2007]
Kevin McLaughlin [4 years-13 November 1965-Belfast-August 2004]
Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Ireland
Letters, cards, birthday greetings, and so forth are welcome.
http://www.irsm.org/irspows/
*******
What's On?
Sat. 13 December iBby Ireland Conference
Fighting for Writing Children's Book in Areas of Conflict
International Board for Books for Young People Ireland (iBby) is
holding a conference on bringing books and stories to children in
conflict situations. Speakers include Mary Robinson, Jehan Helou
(Ramallah, Palestine), Tom Hyland (East Timor SC).
Location: Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.
More details from Máire at maire@irelandliterature.com or iBby,
c/o ILE, Irish Writers' Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
*
Saturday 13 December 1-4pm opposite Downing Street
Public Rally Justice for detainees now!
Afghanistan. Iraq Belmarsh prison in the UK.... with speakers and a
petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial! For
details contact CAMPACC on 020 7586 5892
*
Saturday, 13 to Monday 15 December
Major Women-only demonstration and blockade, Menwith Hill
Info: morganshs@hotmail.com
*
THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS
It is an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS and is being
held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.
WHERE: The symposium will take place in Palazzio Vecchio in Salone
Duecentoda.
Address:
COMUNE DI FIRENZE,
Palazzo Vecchio P.zza Signoria
50122 - FIRENZE
HOW: The order is speakers is divided geographically. So, for
instance, the first day speakers from Asia, America, Africa will
speak, the next day from Europe and the final decisions will be made.
WHO: A list of organisations and persons, who have so far confirmed
their participation in the symposium:
* Ahmet Kulaksiz, he lost his two daughters Canan and Zehra during
the death fast in Turkey
* Ex-political prisoners from Turkey (and Europe)
* Wainer Burani, a lawyer from Italy, who will speak about the
prisons in Italy and the Anti-Terror-Law
* Gianfranco di Maio, a doctor from Italy, who will speak about the
force-feeding measurement
* Mohammed Safa, a representative of the Al Khiam Rehabilitation
Centre for Torture Victims, he will speak about the Lebanese
prisoners in the Zionist prisons.
* Ibrahim Mahajna, a lawyer who lives in Ramallah and is member of
the Palestinian Human Rights Commission. He will speak about the
situation of the prisoners at Ansar 3.
* Marcella della Donne, professor at the La Sapienza University in
Rome
* A representative of the Cuban Embassy in Rome and probably a lawyer
who is the brother of one of the "Cuban 5", who are imprisoned in
Miami
* Representatives of the Austrian Committee "Free the Cuban Five"
* Haidi Giulani, mother of Carlo Giulani, who was killed by police
during the demonstrations in Genoa
* Representatives of Behatokia, the Basque Observatory for Human
Rights
* Rote Hilfe (Red Help)
* A representative of the London-based Irish Political
Status Committee
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 0031-20-675 09 26
or 0032-2-280 2228;
*******
A new 2004 full colour glossy calendar is available now on the RSM
online shop.
It celebrates the brilliant work undertaken by the Teach Na Failte
Memorial Committees this past year throughout the six counties with
full colour photographs on each page.
Just in time for Christmas and the New Year this calendar can be
viewed online by clicking the link below
http://www.cafeshops.com/rsmshop.8844526
*******
Please feel free to comment on the contents of the Plough. We welcome
political comments and criticisms.
If you know of anybody who might wish to receive the Plough please
send his or her e-mail address to johnmartinps@eircom.net
If you wish to receive back copies of the "The Plough" Please e-mail
to johnmartinps@eircom.net stating which numbers you wish.
To unsubscribe to the Plough please send e-mail
entitled "unsubscribe" to johnmartinps@eircom.net
It is the policy of the Plough to acknowledge information and
articles from other sources.
Subscribe to the bi-monthly
"The Starry Plough/An Camchéachta"
P.O. Box 1981, Derry, BT48 8GX, Ireland.
THE VOICE OF REPUBLICAN SOCIALISM!
Email: starry_plough@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.irsm.org/irsp/starryplough/
Fighting Fund/Donations
To: The Starry Plough
First Trust Bank, Derry, BT48 6BU
Account No. 14986015 Sort Code No. 93-86-10
http://www.irsm.org/irsm.html (Pairtí Poblachtach Sóisialach na
h-Éireann)
http://www.wageslave.org/jcs/ (James Connolly Society)
http://www.marxists.org/archive/connolly/ (James Connolly Archive)
The new Republican Socialist Forum from Derry IRSP:
http://rsmforum.proboards23.com/
*******
Republican Socialist Online Merchandise - New Website
A new website that offers a central place to go on the Internet to
find good quality items with a distinct Republican Socialist theme.
Proceeds from sales from this effort go towards the IRSM and it's
various projects.
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/irishshop/
12 December 2003
E-mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. The Dublin bombings
2. Is Britain Neutral? - Responses
3. Anti Racist Network
4. European Constitution
5. Irland-Information
6. The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
7. Irish Anti War Movement
8. The Curse of Employment Agencies
9. Republican Socialist Prisoners of War
10. What's On?
*******
The Dublin Bombings
Mr Justice Henry Barron's report into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan
bombings has been criticised for its failure to reach any definite
conclusions about collusion between British intelligence and the
loyalist bomb teams that carried out the attacks. Isn't that a
surprise? While the report found no evidence of high-level collusion
between British intelligence, the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries in
the attacks, which killed 34 people, it said it was "likely" that
collusion had occurred. The failure of the British to release
relevant documentation and the loss by the Justice department of all
its files is an amazing coincidence!! Others may be reluctant to say
it but the IRSP always held the view that there were British agents
working not only within loyalist groups but also within the Garda
Special Branch and within the justice department itself.
The report also criticised the Irish government of the time for its
failure to investigate the bombings properly. Let's be clear about
this. A the time of the bombing the Free State Intelligence services
saw as the main threat to the State institutions the Official IRA,
despite the fact that that organisation had been on a ceasefire for
two years. What they really feared was the socials and economic
policies that radical sections of that movement were pushing. These
radical elements broke away and formed the IRSP at the end of 1974.
Only six weeks after the bombing the Garda ran down the
investigations, the Government failed to follow up evidence from the
Brits and a clamp down was launched, not on loyalist but on
republicans with the introduction of the Heavy Squad and torture and
beatings of suspects becoming routine within the Garda.
The victims of the bombings were working class folk. They held no
high office, had no powerful relatives and were insignificant to the
Fine Gael/Labour coalition. The Free State bourgeois abandoned the
victims and their relatives.
Many of the loyalists involved in the bombings were members of the
RUC and the UDR. The Barron report fails to recognise that the
intelligence agencies were the key players in the North and contrary
to Barron's claim only one loyalist involved had been interned and
that was on a separate charge. The rest walked the streets of
Portadown.
If there is any lesson to be taken from the Barron report it is that
while nationalist politicians of all persuasions pay lip service to
the solving of the national question when push comes to shove they
defend their own class interests over that of the citizens of the
state. There is only one class capable of solving the national
question and that is the Irish working class. It is only their force,
their strength, and their mass potential that will shake us free from
imperialism.
*******
Is Britain Neutral? - Responses to Liam (Plough 17)
I agree with the central thrust of your article: namely that the
province is an economic drain on the British government, has been on
successive British governments, and will continue to be such as long
as they're forced to maintain a military and overwhelming security
presence, and the Province remains unstable and therefore
unattractive to inward investment.
However, I'm not so sure about your assertion that the British
political establishment is not unduly concerned about the possible
break up of the UK as a result of a united Ireland. This I think is
of major concern, particularly as a large portion of the
English/British ruling class hold many investments and properties in
both Scotland and Wales, not to mention the golden calf, albeit
rapidly draining away, of North Sea oil. In terms of tax revenue,
natural resources and labour, both Scotland and Wales contribute much
more than they receive from Westminster. One only has to consider the
speed with which Blair sought to implement devolved powers to both
countries when he came to power. This was done in order to placate
the increasing and vociferous support for independence, especially in
Scotland, and to pacify the people by giving them a paper tiger of a
parliament instead of the real thing.
And let's not forget the military and strategic aspect, which
again I think you underplay a little. In Scotland there are naval
bases at Rosyth and Faslane, which are both capable of handling
nuclear subs: Rosyth indeed is a major sub base of US navy operating
in the North Atlantic. There are also important RAF bases in Scotland
and Wales, as well as excellent natural terrain for training purposes.
The use of both Scotland and Wales for the dumping of toxic waste is
also well documented, something again, which the political elite in
Westminster is well aware of and keen to continue.
The six counties, in 30 years of civil war, have also proved an
invaluable training ground for British troops and medical personnel.
The much-vaunted British ability in peacekeeping operations around
the world is a direct result of Brit troops patrolling the streets of
Belfast, Derry, etc. I'm sure it is a situation, which the British
military wouldn't want to change in a hurry either.
So while I do agree that the six counties is an economic drain, and a
political nightmare, I do not agree that this translates into the
British government wishing to extricate but unable to do so due to a
Unionist majority (Blair hardly needs the Unionist support in
Westminster given his overwhelming majority in the house anyway).
This is undoubtedly a major factor, but certainly not the only one. I
think it would be more accurate to say that a portion of the British
political establishment favours a withdrawal but is tied to the
province because of the Unionist hegemony. However, an equally
influential portion of the same political elite wants to stay due the
reasons that I have given.
John
*
I think there are a few flaws in this article. The general idea is
going in the right way but there are points that I don't see. I
agree much more with the analysis of Marx and Lenin on the Irish
national question. Lenin's contention was that the nationalist v
unionist conflict was class struggle, expressed in a bizarre way.
England isn't even remotely neutral. There are several instances
of members of the English ruling class saying publicly that no matter
what the unionist/protestant communities desire, they will never
allow Ireland to be reunited. Perhaps this would change if they were
assured it would be in the neo-colonial set-up via Dublin. The fact
that the ruling class has been trying to create island wide
institutions now possibly signals this.
I doubt England is reluctant to face down the unionists; they created
them and have continued to arm them. If the English decide to dump
the unionists in the future they'll arm the Provos instead, as
long as someone administers their rule and the tactic of divide and
conquer.
However, the contention that England has lost money in the north (due
to changes in industry and global economics) is true, and what could
happen is that Ireland would be reunited as a united neo-colonial
state. They won't crack heads for speaking Irish but try to speak
it fluently while being forced to speak English in a multinational
corporate office.
If the English weren't scared of the break up of the UK, they
wouldn't say flat out they refused to discuss the Scottish
national question.
There is one more factor to be considered, and that is cultural.
It's easy to think that the ruling class does everything out of
pure rational class interest, but there's evidence to the contrary.
In the same way that some criminals choose to rape rather than rob,
the English truly love domination and go out of their way to violate
the Celtic people. There is a documented instance of the Cromwellian
army faced with the choice of looting an unguarded treasure or
massacring a village. They chose to massacre the defenceless.
TJ
*******
Anti-Racist Network
The vigil organised by the ARN on International Human Rights day was
a great success. Well over one hundred people attended from over
twenty organisations. They included many minority ethnic support
organisations, trade unionist representatives from various unions,
trades union council members, political parties and leaders,
solidarity campaigns, human rights organisations, law firms, peace
organisations, community leaders, student and youth groups and more,
from across the religious and cultural sphere of society. It has been
many, many years since such a representative and collective voice has
spoken out in such a visual way against racism and we should be proud
of our collective achievements to date.
The vigil also received a lot of media coverage on television, radio
and in the written press making the ARN a more recognisable group. On
that day many also left their details to get involved in the network,
which shall be added to the network list. The ARN has agreed also to
hold music gigs after Christmas with the possibility of larger events
being discussed also. In our short time together we have had positive
results with both our statement and now the vigil. Through each we
are putting the issue of racism at the forefront and with that are
providing a collective avenue from which to speak out against racism
and in doing so are reaching wider layers of society. Much more has
been discussed and much more needs to be as to how we continue to
move forward. The next meeting of the ARN is Jan 14th at the MCRC at
7pm and in the mean time the various sub committees will be working
on their specific tasks.
D Carlin
*******
European Constitution
Under the proposed New European Constitution, which may now be
decided, when Ireland holds the Presidency from January to July 2004
the EU shall have 20 official languages. Gaeilge (Irish) will not be
included. This is an insult to the people of Ireland and an erosion
of yet another part of our national identity. It is a clear example
of how globalisation erodes local cultures languages and traditions.
This is the FF/PD government, yet again, giving the fingers to
380,000 of Ireland's citizens (who for the most part are incidentally
are located in the north and west of Ireland). They pay lip service
to both the national question and the language. There is only one
class capable of both saving the language and solving the national
question and that is the Irish working class. That will happen when
the workers take control from the parasitical capitalist class and
build a Workers Republic.
In the meantime sign and forward this petition.
To: Dáil Éireann - Irish Parliament
Is é ár n-éileamh go ngairfear teanga oifigiúil oibre de
chuid an Aontais Eorpaigh den Ghaeilge. Le meas, Muid, a chuir ár
n-ainm le seo.
We demand that the Irish language be declared an official working
language of the European Union.
http://www.petitiononline.com/gaedhilg/
*******
Irland-Information
On the 8th of November 15 Swedish comrades gathered to found the
organisation Irland-Information. We formulated the intention of the
organisation, in short to support the organisations in Ireland that
has as their goal to liberate Ireland from British rule and establish
an Irish republic. We see that this struggle is firmly linked with
the struggle against social injustice.
Irland-Information will spread information about the struggle for
freedom, keep in contact with and give support to the republican
prisoners and spread Irish republican organisations' point of view to
a Swedish audience.
We where happy to have received greetings from both Republican Sinn
Fein, Republican Forum as well as Irish Republican Socialist Party,
these greetings where read to the delegates and were greatly
appreciated.
The meeting ended in a truly positive atmosphere, there is a strong
will to work for our goals and support the struggle in Ireland.
After the meeting the pub opened, we listened to two Swedish comrades
who played rebel songs, had a few beers and raised approx. 130
dollars to the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association. (I
informed the comrades that the IRPWA does not support INLA POWs and
they will raise the matter at the next meeting of Irland-Information
and push to have funds directed to support INLA prisoners as well.)
Next step for us now is to broaden our base in Sweden, on the 30th of
January we will hold a public meeting in the city of Uppsala, 80 km
north of Stockholm, where we will show Paul Greengrass movie "Bloody
Sunday", have a debate forum and a pub to raise money for the
organisation and the republican POWs.
Beir Bua!
Joacim Cleryd
Irland-Information
*******
The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
60 Days in Jail for Peaceful Protest! The jailing of Fintan Lane is
in stark contrast with the treatment of US military that use Shannon
Airport as a stopover on the way to Iraq and Afghanistan where the US
is engaged in two brutal occupations. These occupations have resulted
in the murder of tens of thousands of civilians. Given the fact that
over 100,000 US troop have transited Shannon in the last 12 months,
it is highly likely that a large proportion of the troops and weapons
involved in these killings have used Shannon as a stopover. Recently,
US troops went on an illegal walkabout in Ennis town centre in combat
uniform but no charges were made for that trespass.
Before being jailed Fintan commented, "Innocent people are being
killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the war machine that is being
facilitated at Shannon airport. What is happening is an outrage, and
it is no exaggeration to say that Fianna Fail and the PDs have blood
on their hands."
More details on
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/fintanlane.htm
What you can do! Fly post the "Release Fintan Lane" poster available
for download at
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/freefintan.pdf
Organise a statement of support/call for release from trade union
branches, from branches of political organisations in your area, from
councillors, from student unions, from campaigning groups, from anti-
war groups, or from any other group/organisation/individual you think
might add their voice to the call for Fintan's release. Already, the
Cork Trades Council, the Irish Anti-War Movement and Joe Higgins TD
have called for the release of Fintan Lane. We need to add to this
list as quickly as possible. Statements should be sent to the media
(newspapers, radio, etc.) and copies sent to corkantiwar@hotmail.com
Send a fax, e-mail and letter to government ministers/ TD's
calling for the release of Fintan Lane. Write a letter to a
newspaper, local or national Organise a white-line picket in the high
street of your town or city. Send messages of support and letters to
Fintan. Please keep messages/letters straightforward and post in an
envelope to Fintan Lane, Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street, Limerick,
Ireland.
*******
Irish Anti-War Movement
Afghanistan American forces admit that fighter jets have bombed
six more children.
The US military has admitted that it has killed six more children at
the weekend in an attack on a compound used by a militant to store
arms' near Gardez in Paktia province. This is addition to the nine
children killed by its fighter jets on Saturday. Children obviously
continue to be a legitimate target for the US war machine.
Iraq - A new Vietnam for the USA?
As opposition grows in Iraq, more and more people are asking is Iraq
the new Vietnam? Some of the facts point very strongly towards that
viewpoint. The attrition rate among US forces (the percentage of
soldiers killed or wounded) is 9.25%, already higher than in Vietnam.
There were, of course, many more US troops in Vietnam at the peak
than are in Iraq. However, it took three years (1962-1965) in Vietnam
for the death toll to reach the level it has already reached in Iraq.
Remembering that only 30,000 soldiers are in the front line', it's
clear that these troops face a very high risk of becoming a casualty.
No wonder then that 14 soldiers have committed suicide and dozens
have maimed or injured them to avoid active service.
The Pentagon's tactics and its use of the term 'Iraqification' is
reminiscent of the Vietnamization that was a clear sign of weakness
and desire in the late 1960s to withdraw as soon as possible. One
tactic that strikes terror into the population is the bombing of
villages where suspected terrorists' live regardless of the danger
to innocent men, women and as is clear in Afghanistan, children. A
frightening article has been posted on the IAWM website on the
Israeli-style tactics now being used in Iraq.
http://www.irishantiwar.org/news/item.tcl?news_item_id=100551
Shannon 300 protesters blockade the main dual carriageway
leading to Airport
Gardai use overwhelming force and intimidation
The Shannon blockade was characterised by the non-violent, peaceful
approach by all the protesters. Unfortunately, before we even got
near the airport the Gardai upped the ante by searching' the buses
from Dublin, Cork and Galway, ostensibly looking for weapons'.
They confiscated all placard-sticks, flagpoles and even 1,000 'Free
Fintan Lane' posters. It seems that ideas are deemed to be weapons by
the Gardai. Despite this provocation the protesters behaved in a very
restrained manner through out the day. The plan agreed at the
steering committee was that if we had a critical number (400) of
protesters we would attempt to blockade both the main entrance and
the route through the Industrial Estate. Given that the number on the
day was about 300 we marched in one block to the main entrance, which
the Gardai had closed with barricade. We then returned to the
roundabouts leading to the industrial estates and the protesters
split into two groups, one at each roundabout. At both there were sit-
down protests. However, the overwhelming force of Gardai (Tim
Hourican estimated about 700 in the airport and vicinity) managed to
keep the various roads leading through the Industrial Estate open.
A letter of protest from the IAWM calling for the return of Shannon
to purely civilian use was handed in to the Aer Rianta Director of
Operations by protesters who had evaded the Gardai guarding' the
airport. After the blockade, the buses from Dublin and Cork stopped
outside Limerick Prison for noisy 'Free Fintan Lane' protests.
*******
The Curse of Employment Agencies
Temporary employment means nowadays a regression of many years of
workers' struggle for a proper wage and working conditions.
1/ Temporary employment means no holiday or sick entitlements,
2/ An uncertainty due to temporary contracts that doesn't allow
workers to organise any type of future, as they never know just how
long they are going to be employed for.
3/ Temporary employment suits the bosses down to the ground as they
have total impunity of dismissal at any time.
4/ That's why they pay a certain amount of money out to the
recruitment company and that's why the temporary worker often
works for far less money than the rest of the workforce who do the
same job.
Work is a right of each and every citizen. The IRSP oppose the
growth of this modern day slave trade.
*******
Republican Socialist Prisoners of War
Castlerea Prison
----------------
Declan Duffy [9 years-20 August 1973-Armagh/Dublin-April 2008]
Dessie O'Hare [Life-N/A-South Armagh-No Fixed Date]
Number 2, The Grove
Castlrea Prison
Harristown
Castlrea, Co. Roscommon
Ireland
Portlaoise Prison
-----------------
Gerry Burns [5 years-7 October 1962-Dublin-May 2005]
Cathal Gartland [4 years-N/A-Dundalk-May 2007]
Kevin McLaughlin [4 years-13 November 1965-Belfast-August 2004]
Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Ireland
Letters, cards, birthday greetings, and so forth are welcome.
http://www.irsm.org/irspows/
*******
What's On?
Sat. 13 December iBby Ireland Conference
Fighting for Writing Children's Book in Areas of Conflict
International Board for Books for Young People Ireland (iBby) is
holding a conference on bringing books and stories to children in
conflict situations. Speakers include Mary Robinson, Jehan Helou
(Ramallah, Palestine), Tom Hyland (East Timor SC).
Location: Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.
More details from Máire at maire@irelandliterature.com or iBby,
c/o ILE, Irish Writers' Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
*
Saturday 13 December 1-4pm opposite Downing Street
Public Rally Justice for detainees now!
Afghanistan. Iraq Belmarsh prison in the UK.... with speakers and a
petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial! For
details contact CAMPACC on 020 7586 5892
*
Saturday, 13 to Monday 15 December
Major Women-only demonstration and blockade, Menwith Hill
Info: morganshs@hotmail.com
*
THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS
It is an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS and is being
held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.
WHERE: The symposium will take place in Palazzio Vecchio in Salone
Duecentoda.
Address:
COMUNE DI FIRENZE,
Palazzo Vecchio P.zza Signoria
50122 - FIRENZE
HOW: The order is speakers is divided geographically. So, for
instance, the first day speakers from Asia, America, Africa will
speak, the next day from Europe and the final decisions will be made.
WHO: A list of organisations and persons, who have so far confirmed
their participation in the symposium:
* Ahmet Kulaksiz, he lost his two daughters Canan and Zehra during
the death fast in Turkey
* Ex-political prisoners from Turkey (and Europe)
* Wainer Burani, a lawyer from Italy, who will speak about the
prisons in Italy and the Anti-Terror-Law
* Gianfranco di Maio, a doctor from Italy, who will speak about the
force-feeding measurement
* Mohammed Safa, a representative of the Al Khiam Rehabilitation
Centre for Torture Victims, he will speak about the Lebanese
prisoners in the Zionist prisons.
* Ibrahim Mahajna, a lawyer who lives in Ramallah and is member of
the Palestinian Human Rights Commission. He will speak about the
situation of the prisoners at Ansar 3.
* Marcella della Donne, professor at the La Sapienza University in
Rome
* A representative of the Cuban Embassy in Rome and probably a lawyer
who is the brother of one of the "Cuban 5", who are imprisoned in
Miami
* Representatives of the Austrian Committee "Free the Cuban Five"
* Haidi Giulani, mother of Carlo Giulani, who was killed by police
during the demonstrations in Genoa
* Representatives of Behatokia, the Basque Observatory for Human
Rights
* Rote Hilfe (Red Help)
* A representative of the London-based Irish Political
Status Committee
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 0031-20-675 09 26
or 0032-2-280 2228;
*******
A new 2004 full colour glossy calendar is available now on the RSM
online shop.
It celebrates the brilliant work undertaken by the Teach Na Failte
Memorial Committees this past year throughout the six counties with
full colour photographs on each page.
Just in time for Christmas and the New Year this calendar can be
viewed online by clicking the link below
http://www.cafeshops.com/rsmshop.8844526
*******
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http://www.marxists.org/archive/connolly/ (James Connolly Archive)
The new Republican Socialist Forum from Derry IRSP:
http://rsmforum.proboards23.com/
*******
Republican Socialist Online Merchandise - New Website
A new website that offers a central place to go on the Internet to
find good quality items with a distinct Republican Socialist theme.
Proceeds from sales from this effort go towards the IRSM and it's
various projects.
http://www.angelfire.com/folk/irishshop/
Friday 5 December 2003
The Plough Vol 01 No 17
The Plough #17
5 December 2003
E-mail newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. Is Britain Neutral?
2. Sex Tourism
3. The Coca Cola Campaign
4. The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
5. What's On?
*******
Is Britain Neutral?
By Liam O'Ruairc
Republicans and the Left have usually analysed the British state's
presence in Ireland (so-called "British Imperialism") in terms of
selfish economic, political or strategic interests. However, this
analysis rests on shaky ground. First, the British state does not
benefit economically from its presence in the North of Ireland. It is
in fact a net financial loss. The second argument is that the British
state remains in Ireland because withdrawal would mean the beginning
of the break-up of the United Kingdom. This argument can be
criticised on the grounds that the British government sees the
province as a place apart and different from the rest of the United
Kingdom, conceding even that it would agree to Irish reunification if
a majority of the population in the North wished so. In the age of
inter-ballistic missiles, the strategic importance of the six
counties is very limited, especially after the end of the cold war.
In ideological terms, the province is of no significance to the
British identity, there is no "Jerusalem" in the North. So the
British state is telling the truth when it says that it "has no
selfish economic, political or strategic interests in the North". But
does that mean that the British state is effectively "neutral" or
even "benevolent", that because it has no economic, political or
strategic interests in the North it could join the ranks of
the "persuaders" for Irish unity? How should we analyse the role of
the British state in Ireland?
Since the days of Home Rule, the "Irish Question" has been source of
troubles for the British state. Thus since 1921, the political class
has avoided as much as possible to get involved in the affairs of the
North. Irish affairs are source of problems and troubles, so the
imperative is to avoid as much and as long as possible any direct
involvement in the affairs of the province. It is thus not surprising
for example that between 1921 and 1968 Westminster politicians have
only spent a day in the province. The six counties were not worth any
trouble from Westminster's point of view, as the place represented no
significant economic, political or strategic interest. Had there been
petrol in the North or had the six counties had a major strategic
value things would have been different, and the British state would
have played a much more active role. Significantly also, if the place
did not benefit the United Kingdom enough for the British state to
stay there forever, the six counties are not costly enough to justify
immediate or medium term withdrawal. (Remember that the cost of
running the province in 2000 in less than that of the British nuclear
programme). The North is not "bad" enough to justify an active policy
of withdrawal. Those factors account for a certain confusion and
indecision in the British state's policy towards the North. If the
North had not had this marginal importance for the British state,
British policy would have been more coherent and decisive. The only
consensus about the North in British political circles is that
minimum action or inaction is preferable to any significant
involvement, there is no solution to the problems of the North, there
is only good or bad crisis management.
It is only because it had been forced to intervene, at the point of
crisis in 1969, that the British state has had to form policies about
the North. The imperative is to avoid getting stuck in the
Irish "quagmire". The consequence of this is that there is no
political will to confront the Unionists. The more the confusion and
indecisiveness of British policy, the greater Unionist intransigence
will tend to be. In 1969, some British politician said, "the
Unionists are the majority, and we cannot afford to alienate them".
In theory, the British state might be "neutral" on whether the North
should be part of the UK, but in practice it will be objectively pro-
Unionist as it operates on the existing balance of forces in the
North, because if it has to choose between confronting the stronger
element (the Unionists majority) or the weakest (the Nationalist
minority), it will always choose to ignore the weaker element -
better displease the minority than the majority. This explains why
the British state will de facto uphold the Unionist veto and confront
the Republican challenge.
A good illustration of the above argument is the British state's
likely response to last week's elections, which saw a push for anti-
agreement elements.
"The British government is set to resume its actively pro-unionist
approach to the Good Friday Agreement. This will involve demanding
further concessions from nationalists, and refusing to implement any
parts of the accord to which unionists object. The Irish government,
in its weakest position for many years, looks likely to continue to
behave as if a junior partner in the peace process, allowing British
officials to set the agenda while it concentrates on the EU
presidency. Already there are indications that the British see the
DUP's eclipsing of the UUP as an opportunity to push for the IRA to
disband." (Sean Mac Cartaigh, "British will dance to DUP tune",
Sunday Business Post, 30 November 2003)
Tony Blair may not personally like the Unionists, but he has
suspended the institutions, postponed elections and refused to
implement many aspects of the Good Friday Agreement precisely because
he "cannot afford to alienate the majority".
(The Plough is interested in our readers' response to this discussion
paper.)
*******
Sex Tourism
Recent press coverage of how two aid workers abused their positions
to elicit underage sex whilst in Cuba brought to the fore a growing
concern that we in the IRSP must now take a stand against. Sex
tourism we feel is another yet more disturbing method of exploiting
people of our class around the world. Unfortunately as in the case of
the aforementioned perpetrators in Cuba it is not just the poor being
abused but young children.
The effects of the global capitalist system as well as corrupt
internal governments have left millions of working class people in
several countries around the world living in object poverty. In
Thailand the people have already suffered under a right wing Royal
Government that has suppressed popular movements in the past with
oppressive measures (52 killed in pro-democracy demonstrations in
1992) and through corrupt governance the majority of its population
now face economic ruin. A recent downturn in the Thai economy has
resulted in the inevitable job losses for its labour. A Thai Farmers
Bank Research report for the first nine months of 1996 says 66
companies laid off more than 4,467 white-collar employees. Job losses
in labour-intensive industries that power Thailand's export engine,
like garments, footwear, jewellery and processed foods, are estimated
to be far higher.
Agricultural workers too face ruin as the Thai government
consistently fail to raise subsistence to farmers. The outcome of
this dire poverty is disturbing. At an age when we would regard them
as still being children, over a thousand young girls from northern
Thailand are being lured every year into prostitution. Girls as young
as 10 are being sold to the brothels of Bangkok, other Thai cities
and overseas. In some places as many as 90 percent of girls have left
their village to work.
They come from families in the "Golden Triangle" area trapped in a
cycle of poverty and debt. Their parents are subsistence farmers or
landless villagers with few work opportunities, and their traditional
lifestyle and values are being constantly eroded by the influx of
consumer goods.
Faced with these pressures parents come to view their daughters as
commodities that can be traded. Brothel owners have networks of
agents combing the villages seeking out troubled families with
daughters, who move in with tempting offers of money. So begins a
cycle in which relatives, village headmen, police, government
officials and business people all benefit from the girl's labour.
We in the IRSP demand an end to this abusive violation of the poor
not only in Thailand but also in other countries with similar
conditions in the Far East as well as Central America and the
Caribbean. We support the exposing of wealthy western sex tourists
who travel to these countries to satisfy their perversion for under-
age sex in hope that they wont continue. However we know that this is
unlikely. Therefore we must try and eradicate the conditions that
force these families to offer their children to prostitution in order
to survive. A radical change of government within these countries to
the full democracy of republican socialism will pull the workers out
of their misery. There is some hope. On December 17 1997, a crowd of
around 2,000 workers set fire to the Sanyo Electric Co. headquarters
here over disputed bonus payments. The incident sent shockwaves
through the Thai government and media and dented the confidence of
foreign investors, especially those in Japan where the incident was
portrayed as the end of peaceful labour relations in Thailand. Three
months before the Sanyo incident, employees at the Japanese- owned
Thai Suzuki Motors' motorcycle factory outside Bangkok locked
management officials inside factory premises for several days. Labour
experts argue that though there has been an increase in violent
incidents and strikes and labour agitation, most have been
spontaneous outbursts by disorganised, dissatisfied workers.
We call on the workers of Thailand as well as the rest of the
affected nations to organise and continue to agitate. We call on them
to realise the power of their labour and use it to smash the
oppressive government. Only then will the symptoms of the capitalism
like child prostitution be eradicated.
Tomas Gorman
*******
WORLD WIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST COCA COLA - STATEMENT
The demands phase of the World Wide Campaign against Coca Cola was
initiated on 22 July 2003. During this phase what is sought
fundamentally is that the corporation mitigate the pain of its
victims.
The facts have already been made clear through the Public Popular
Hearings that took place last year in different cities of the world.
The assassination of 9 workers, death threats and kidnappings carried
out by paramilitary groups, plant closures and the sacking of
workers, violations of collective and constitutional agreements and
permanent repression, amongst other acts of aggression.
The three principal objectives of this current phase are:
1. That Coca Cola mitigates the pain of the victims; that is why we
the social organisations who have formed the campaign have, since
11th February, been presenting a proposal for integrated reparations
that include the minimum demands that the transnational pays
compensation for the damages caused.
2. That Coca Cola publicly recognises that it benefited from the
crimes committed by paramilitary groups continually carried out
against the human rights of the workers and the communities.
3. That the transnational commits itself to not making any new
attacks on our people, and that it hands over to justice those
criminals who carried out actions to its benefit.
We need you to continue accompanying us in this struggle to get Coca
Cola to meet the victims' demands.
And what can we do?
1. Subscribe to, endorse and actively participate in the World Wide
Campaign against the transnational.
2. Dynamise and enrich the campaign, multiplying the different
materials that we have been making collectively; videos, leaflets,
stickers, badges, post cards, posters, tee-shirts etc.
3. Do not consume Coca Cola products (Coca Cola, Aquarius, Fanta,
Lilt, Minute Maid, Nestea, Powerade, Sprite, Manantial water).
Consuming them is contributing your money to the war that the United
States has declared on all the peoples of the world. It is also
causing serious damage to our organisation.
4. Expel Coca Cola from theatres, stadia, universities, colleges,
social centres, trade union offices, alternative centres and from any
other places that we can. Let's hold popular assemblies where we the
communities decide to throw Coca Cola out of our neighbourhoods and
regions.
5. Coca Cola's propaganda contaminates the environment. We should
fight to recover visual cleanliness and public space.
6. If we have savings in banks where Coca Cola holds its money or
invests its profits, we should withdraw them and explain the reason
for our decision to the institution
7. Contribute economic resources for the development of the campaign.
8. We must recover our food culture: aguadepanela [traditional sugar
drink], natural juices, boiled maize with honey, cane juice; lemonade
should come back to our dining tables at home. We are fighting
against hunger and for sovereignty and food security.
9. Invite our friends, relatives, neighbours and co-workers to unite
in this just struggle for life, for sovereignty and against war.
10. We call on workers in other transnational corporations and entire
communities to join the Campaign Against Impunity, Colombia Demands
Justice so that between us we build a dignified and sovereign
Colombia.
11. We should contribute to the different initiatives that are being
taken forward against this transnational from different peoples in
the world. We should unite and strengthen each other in one struggle
against the empire.
We will continue contributing to new forms of global resistance.
Visit us at the website www.sinaltrainal.org and accompany us in this
great campaign of struggle for life.
*******
The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
60 Days in Jail for Peaceful Protest! The jailing of Fintan Lane is
in stark contrast with the treatment of US military that use Shannon
Airport as a stopover on the way to Iraq and Afghanistan where the US
is engaged in two brutal occupations. These occupations have resulted
in the murder of tens of thousands of civilians. Given the fact that
over 100,000 US troop have transited Shannon in the last 12 months,
it is highly likely that a large proportion of the troops and weapons
involved in these killings have used Shannon as a stopover. Recently,
US troops went on an illegal walkabout in Ennis town centre in combat
uniform but no charges were made for that trespass.
Before being jailed Fintan commented, "Innocent people are being
killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the war machine that is being
facilitated at Shannon airport. What is happening is an outrage, and
it is no exaggeration to say that Fianna Fail and the PDs have blood
on their hands."
More details on
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/fintanlane.htm#main
What you can do! Fly post the "Release Fintan Lane" poster available
for download at http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/freefintan.pdf
Organise a statement of support/call for release from trade union
branches, from branches of political organisations in your area, from
councillors, from student unions, from campaigning groups, from anti-
war groups, or from any other group/organisation/individual you think
might add their voice to the call for Fintan's release. Already, the
Cork Trades Council, the Irish Anti-War Movement and Joe Higgins TD
have called for the release of Fintan Lane. We need to add to this
list as quickly as possible. Statements should be sent to the media
(newspapers, radio, etc.) and copies sent to corkantiwar@hotmail.com
Send a fax, e-mail and letter to government ministers/ TD's
calling for the release of Fintan Lane. Write a letter to a
newspaper, local or national Organise a white-line picket in the high
street of your town or city. Send messages of support and letters to
Fintan. Please keep messages/letters straightforward and post in an
envelope to Fintan Lane, Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street, Limerick,
Ireland.
*******
"My appeal is to the working class. I appeal to them exclusively,
because they, and only they, can bring about the time when the whole
world will be one brotherhood, on a sound economic foundation. That,
and that alone, can be the means of bringing about a reorganisation
of society. That can only be obtained when the people of the world
get the world and retain the world." - John McLean
In the Cause of Labour: A History of British Trade Unionism
http://www.marxist.com/History/inthecause_oflabour/article_socapp.html
There are many narrative histories of the struggles of British
workers. However Rob Sewell's book is different. The purpose of this
history of British trade unionism is not only to recite the wrongs
inflicted on working people, or simply to describe their heroic
struggles. It is an attempt to draw out the lessons of the events
that helped shape the Labour movement, and made it what it is. This
is a book that sets out from the proposition that the interests
between capital and labour are incompatible and takes sides in the
war between the classes.
*******
What's On?
*
Resist the Multinational Empire - Boycott Coca-Cola Activist
Conference
1pm - 5pm Saturday 6 December School of Oriental and African Studies
Students Union, London WC1 and Colombia Solidarity Campaign and SOAS
Palestine Society Present
8 till late PARTY FOR PALESTINE AND COLOMBIA
Featuring: Latin and Arabic DJs
Live Music: Hip Hop from Double negative and GM Babies
Protest Songs from Robb Johnson
Plus DJ Pablo, Colombian Drummers
Cost: £7/£5 (suggested donation £2 for conference only)
*
5-6 December
NETWORK FOR PEACE CONFERENCE
Working for a peaceful future: Campaigning for peace against a
context of the never-ending "war on terrorism".
5-6 December Venue: Friends House, Euston Road, London.
Info and/or to book a stall contact: Network for Peace - tel: 020 72783267
Email: nfp@gn.apc.org
http://www.networkforpeace.org.uk/
*
Sat, 6 December U.S. TROOPS OUT OF SHANNON!
Blockade the Warport Assemble at 2 pm at Lidl Carpark in Shannon
Town. More details on IAWM website Buses will be organised from
Dublin (contact Aoife at 087 795 5013), Cork (for more details
contact John at 086 300 4573), Galway (details later),
All Anti War groups are requested to hold public meetings, if
possible in the weeks coming up to this protest. The public meeting
should be used to build for as large a protest at Shannon as
possible. Other up-coming anti-war events
*
Thurs. 11 December Public Meeting
IRAQ - The Reality of the Occupation
8 pm Snug Pub, Dorset Street, Dublin 1
*
Sat. 13 December iBby Ireland Conference
Fighting for Writing Children's Book in Areas of Conflict
International Board for Books for Young People Ireland (iBby) is
holding a conference on bringing books and stories to children in
conflict situations. Speakers include Mary Robinson, Jehan Helou
(Ramallah, Palestine), Tom Hyland (East Timor SC).
Location: Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.
More details from Máire at maire@irelandliterature.com or iBby,
c/o ILE, Irish Writers' Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
*
Saturday 13 December 1-4pm opposite Downing Street
Public Rally Justice for detainees now!
Afghanistan. Iraq Belmarsh prison in the UK.... with speakers and a
petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial! For
details contact CAMPACC on 020 7586 5892
*
Saturday, 13 to Monday 15 December
Major Women-only demonstration and blockade, Menwith Hill
Info: morganshs@hotmail.com
*
THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS
It is an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS and is being
held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.
WHERE: The symposium will take place in Palazzio Vecchio in Salone
Duecentoda.
Address:
COMUNE DI FIRENZE,
Palazzo Vecchio P.zza Signoria
50122 - FIRENZE
HOW: The order is speakers is divided geographically. So, for
instance, the first day speakers from Asia, America, Africa will
speak, the next day from Europe and the final decisions will be made.
WHO: A list of organisations and persons, who have so far confirmed
their participation in the symposium:
* Ahmet Kulaksiz, he lost his two daughters Canan and Zehra during
the death fast in Turkey
* Ex-political prisoners from Turkey (and Europe)
* Wainer Burani, a lawyer from Italy, who will speak about the
prisons in Italy and the Anti-Terror-Law
* Gianfranco di Maio, a doctor from Italy, who will speak about the
force-feeding measurement
* Mohammed Safa, a representative of the Al Khiam Rehabilitation
Centre for Torture Victims, he will speak about the Lebanese
prisoners in the Zionist prisons.
* Ibrahim Mahajna, a lawyer who lives in Ramallah and is member of
the Palestinian Human Rights Commission. He will speak about the
situation of the prisoners at Ansar 3.
* Marcella della Donne, professor at the La Sapienza University in
Rome
* A representative of the Cuban Embassy in Rome and probably a lawyer
who is the brother of one of the "Cuban 5", who are imprisoned in
Miami
* Representatives of the Austrian Committee "Free the Cuban Five"
* Haidi Giulani, mother of Carlo Giulani, who was killed by police
during the demonstrations in Genoa
* Representatives of Behatokia, the Basque Observatory for Human
Rights
* Rote Hilfe (Red Help)
* A representative of the London-based Irish Political
Status Committee
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 0031-20-675 09 26
or 0032-2-280 2228;
*******
Please feel free to comment on the contents of the Plough. We welcome
political comments and criticisms.
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entitled "unsubscribe" to johnmartinps@eircom.net
It is the policy of the Plough to acknowledge information and
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Subscribe to the bi-monthly
"The Starry Plough/An Camchéachta"
P.O. Box 1981, Derry, BT48 8GX, Ireland.
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Email: starry_plough@hotmail.com
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http://www.marxists.org/archive/connolly/ (James Connolly Archive)
The new Republican Socialist Forum from Derry IRSP:
http://rsmforum.proboards23.com/
5 December 2003
E-mail newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party
1. Is Britain Neutral?
2. Sex Tourism
3. The Coca Cola Campaign
4. The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
5. What's On?
*******
Is Britain Neutral?
By Liam O'Ruairc
Republicans and the Left have usually analysed the British state's
presence in Ireland (so-called "British Imperialism") in terms of
selfish economic, political or strategic interests. However, this
analysis rests on shaky ground. First, the British state does not
benefit economically from its presence in the North of Ireland. It is
in fact a net financial loss. The second argument is that the British
state remains in Ireland because withdrawal would mean the beginning
of the break-up of the United Kingdom. This argument can be
criticised on the grounds that the British government sees the
province as a place apart and different from the rest of the United
Kingdom, conceding even that it would agree to Irish reunification if
a majority of the population in the North wished so. In the age of
inter-ballistic missiles, the strategic importance of the six
counties is very limited, especially after the end of the cold war.
In ideological terms, the province is of no significance to the
British identity, there is no "Jerusalem" in the North. So the
British state is telling the truth when it says that it "has no
selfish economic, political or strategic interests in the North". But
does that mean that the British state is effectively "neutral" or
even "benevolent", that because it has no economic, political or
strategic interests in the North it could join the ranks of
the "persuaders" for Irish unity? How should we analyse the role of
the British state in Ireland?
Since the days of Home Rule, the "Irish Question" has been source of
troubles for the British state. Thus since 1921, the political class
has avoided as much as possible to get involved in the affairs of the
North. Irish affairs are source of problems and troubles, so the
imperative is to avoid as much and as long as possible any direct
involvement in the affairs of the province. It is thus not surprising
for example that between 1921 and 1968 Westminster politicians have
only spent a day in the province. The six counties were not worth any
trouble from Westminster's point of view, as the place represented no
significant economic, political or strategic interest. Had there been
petrol in the North or had the six counties had a major strategic
value things would have been different, and the British state would
have played a much more active role. Significantly also, if the place
did not benefit the United Kingdom enough for the British state to
stay there forever, the six counties are not costly enough to justify
immediate or medium term withdrawal. (Remember that the cost of
running the province in 2000 in less than that of the British nuclear
programme). The North is not "bad" enough to justify an active policy
of withdrawal. Those factors account for a certain confusion and
indecision in the British state's policy towards the North. If the
North had not had this marginal importance for the British state,
British policy would have been more coherent and decisive. The only
consensus about the North in British political circles is that
minimum action or inaction is preferable to any significant
involvement, there is no solution to the problems of the North, there
is only good or bad crisis management.
It is only because it had been forced to intervene, at the point of
crisis in 1969, that the British state has had to form policies about
the North. The imperative is to avoid getting stuck in the
Irish "quagmire". The consequence of this is that there is no
political will to confront the Unionists. The more the confusion and
indecisiveness of British policy, the greater Unionist intransigence
will tend to be. In 1969, some British politician said, "the
Unionists are the majority, and we cannot afford to alienate them".
In theory, the British state might be "neutral" on whether the North
should be part of the UK, but in practice it will be objectively pro-
Unionist as it operates on the existing balance of forces in the
North, because if it has to choose between confronting the stronger
element (the Unionists majority) or the weakest (the Nationalist
minority), it will always choose to ignore the weaker element -
better displease the minority than the majority. This explains why
the British state will de facto uphold the Unionist veto and confront
the Republican challenge.
A good illustration of the above argument is the British state's
likely response to last week's elections, which saw a push for anti-
agreement elements.
"The British government is set to resume its actively pro-unionist
approach to the Good Friday Agreement. This will involve demanding
further concessions from nationalists, and refusing to implement any
parts of the accord to which unionists object. The Irish government,
in its weakest position for many years, looks likely to continue to
behave as if a junior partner in the peace process, allowing British
officials to set the agenda while it concentrates on the EU
presidency. Already there are indications that the British see the
DUP's eclipsing of the UUP as an opportunity to push for the IRA to
disband." (Sean Mac Cartaigh, "British will dance to DUP tune",
Sunday Business Post, 30 November 2003)
Tony Blair may not personally like the Unionists, but he has
suspended the institutions, postponed elections and refused to
implement many aspects of the Good Friday Agreement precisely because
he "cannot afford to alienate the majority".
(The Plough is interested in our readers' response to this discussion
paper.)
*******
Sex Tourism
Recent press coverage of how two aid workers abused their positions
to elicit underage sex whilst in Cuba brought to the fore a growing
concern that we in the IRSP must now take a stand against. Sex
tourism we feel is another yet more disturbing method of exploiting
people of our class around the world. Unfortunately as in the case of
the aforementioned perpetrators in Cuba it is not just the poor being
abused but young children.
The effects of the global capitalist system as well as corrupt
internal governments have left millions of working class people in
several countries around the world living in object poverty. In
Thailand the people have already suffered under a right wing Royal
Government that has suppressed popular movements in the past with
oppressive measures (52 killed in pro-democracy demonstrations in
1992) and through corrupt governance the majority of its population
now face economic ruin. A recent downturn in the Thai economy has
resulted in the inevitable job losses for its labour. A Thai Farmers
Bank Research report for the first nine months of 1996 says 66
companies laid off more than 4,467 white-collar employees. Job losses
in labour-intensive industries that power Thailand's export engine,
like garments, footwear, jewellery and processed foods, are estimated
to be far higher.
Agricultural workers too face ruin as the Thai government
consistently fail to raise subsistence to farmers. The outcome of
this dire poverty is disturbing. At an age when we would regard them
as still being children, over a thousand young girls from northern
Thailand are being lured every year into prostitution. Girls as young
as 10 are being sold to the brothels of Bangkok, other Thai cities
and overseas. In some places as many as 90 percent of girls have left
their village to work.
They come from families in the "Golden Triangle" area trapped in a
cycle of poverty and debt. Their parents are subsistence farmers or
landless villagers with few work opportunities, and their traditional
lifestyle and values are being constantly eroded by the influx of
consumer goods.
Faced with these pressures parents come to view their daughters as
commodities that can be traded. Brothel owners have networks of
agents combing the villages seeking out troubled families with
daughters, who move in with tempting offers of money. So begins a
cycle in which relatives, village headmen, police, government
officials and business people all benefit from the girl's labour.
We in the IRSP demand an end to this abusive violation of the poor
not only in Thailand but also in other countries with similar
conditions in the Far East as well as Central America and the
Caribbean. We support the exposing of wealthy western sex tourists
who travel to these countries to satisfy their perversion for under-
age sex in hope that they wont continue. However we know that this is
unlikely. Therefore we must try and eradicate the conditions that
force these families to offer their children to prostitution in order
to survive. A radical change of government within these countries to
the full democracy of republican socialism will pull the workers out
of their misery. There is some hope. On December 17 1997, a crowd of
around 2,000 workers set fire to the Sanyo Electric Co. headquarters
here over disputed bonus payments. The incident sent shockwaves
through the Thai government and media and dented the confidence of
foreign investors, especially those in Japan where the incident was
portrayed as the end of peaceful labour relations in Thailand. Three
months before the Sanyo incident, employees at the Japanese- owned
Thai Suzuki Motors' motorcycle factory outside Bangkok locked
management officials inside factory premises for several days. Labour
experts argue that though there has been an increase in violent
incidents and strikes and labour agitation, most have been
spontaneous outbursts by disorganised, dissatisfied workers.
We call on the workers of Thailand as well as the rest of the
affected nations to organise and continue to agitate. We call on them
to realise the power of their labour and use it to smash the
oppressive government. Only then will the symptoms of the capitalism
like child prostitution be eradicated.
Tomas Gorman
*******
WORLD WIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST COCA COLA - STATEMENT
The demands phase of the World Wide Campaign against Coca Cola was
initiated on 22 July 2003. During this phase what is sought
fundamentally is that the corporation mitigate the pain of its
victims.
The facts have already been made clear through the Public Popular
Hearings that took place last year in different cities of the world.
The assassination of 9 workers, death threats and kidnappings carried
out by paramilitary groups, plant closures and the sacking of
workers, violations of collective and constitutional agreements and
permanent repression, amongst other acts of aggression.
The three principal objectives of this current phase are:
1. That Coca Cola mitigates the pain of the victims; that is why we
the social organisations who have formed the campaign have, since
11th February, been presenting a proposal for integrated reparations
that include the minimum demands that the transnational pays
compensation for the damages caused.
2. That Coca Cola publicly recognises that it benefited from the
crimes committed by paramilitary groups continually carried out
against the human rights of the workers and the communities.
3. That the transnational commits itself to not making any new
attacks on our people, and that it hands over to justice those
criminals who carried out actions to its benefit.
We need you to continue accompanying us in this struggle to get Coca
Cola to meet the victims' demands.
And what can we do?
1. Subscribe to, endorse and actively participate in the World Wide
Campaign against the transnational.
2. Dynamise and enrich the campaign, multiplying the different
materials that we have been making collectively; videos, leaflets,
stickers, badges, post cards, posters, tee-shirts etc.
3. Do not consume Coca Cola products (Coca Cola, Aquarius, Fanta,
Lilt, Minute Maid, Nestea, Powerade, Sprite, Manantial water).
Consuming them is contributing your money to the war that the United
States has declared on all the peoples of the world. It is also
causing serious damage to our organisation.
4. Expel Coca Cola from theatres, stadia, universities, colleges,
social centres, trade union offices, alternative centres and from any
other places that we can. Let's hold popular assemblies where we the
communities decide to throw Coca Cola out of our neighbourhoods and
regions.
5. Coca Cola's propaganda contaminates the environment. We should
fight to recover visual cleanliness and public space.
6. If we have savings in banks where Coca Cola holds its money or
invests its profits, we should withdraw them and explain the reason
for our decision to the institution
7. Contribute economic resources for the development of the campaign.
8. We must recover our food culture: aguadepanela [traditional sugar
drink], natural juices, boiled maize with honey, cane juice; lemonade
should come back to our dining tables at home. We are fighting
against hunger and for sovereignty and food security.
9. Invite our friends, relatives, neighbours and co-workers to unite
in this just struggle for life, for sovereignty and against war.
10. We call on workers in other transnational corporations and entire
communities to join the Campaign Against Impunity, Colombia Demands
Justice so that between us we build a dignified and sovereign
Colombia.
11. We should contribute to the different initiatives that are being
taken forward against this transnational from different peoples in
the world. We should unite and strengthen each other in one struggle
against the empire.
We will continue contributing to new forms of global resistance.
Visit us at the website www.sinaltrainal.org and accompany us in this
great campaign of struggle for life.
*******
The Gaoling of Fintan Lane
60 Days in Jail for Peaceful Protest! The jailing of Fintan Lane is
in stark contrast with the treatment of US military that use Shannon
Airport as a stopover on the way to Iraq and Afghanistan where the US
is engaged in two brutal occupations. These occupations have resulted
in the murder of tens of thousands of civilians. Given the fact that
over 100,000 US troop have transited Shannon in the last 12 months,
it is highly likely that a large proportion of the troops and weapons
involved in these killings have used Shannon as a stopover. Recently,
US troops went on an illegal walkabout in Ennis town centre in combat
uniform but no charges were made for that trespass.
Before being jailed Fintan commented, "Innocent people are being
killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the war machine that is being
facilitated at Shannon airport. What is happening is an outrage, and
it is no exaggeration to say that Fianna Fail and the PDs have blood
on their hands."
More details on
http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/fintanlane.htm#main
What you can do! Fly post the "Release Fintan Lane" poster available
for download at http://www.irishantiwar.org/users/homepage/freefintan.pdf
Organise a statement of support/call for release from trade union
branches, from branches of political organisations in your area, from
councillors, from student unions, from campaigning groups, from anti-
war groups, or from any other group/organisation/individual you think
might add their voice to the call for Fintan's release. Already, the
Cork Trades Council, the Irish Anti-War Movement and Joe Higgins TD
have called for the release of Fintan Lane. We need to add to this
list as quickly as possible. Statements should be sent to the media
(newspapers, radio, etc.) and copies sent to corkantiwar@hotmail.com
Send a fax, e-mail and letter to government ministers/ TD's
calling for the release of Fintan Lane. Write a letter to a
newspaper, local or national Organise a white-line picket in the high
street of your town or city. Send messages of support and letters to
Fintan. Please keep messages/letters straightforward and post in an
envelope to Fintan Lane, Limerick Prison, Mulgrave Street, Limerick,
Ireland.
*******
"My appeal is to the working class. I appeal to them exclusively,
because they, and only they, can bring about the time when the whole
world will be one brotherhood, on a sound economic foundation. That,
and that alone, can be the means of bringing about a reorganisation
of society. That can only be obtained when the people of the world
get the world and retain the world." - John McLean
In the Cause of Labour: A History of British Trade Unionism
http://www.marxist.com/History/inthecause_oflabour/article_socapp.html
There are many narrative histories of the struggles of British
workers. However Rob Sewell's book is different. The purpose of this
history of British trade unionism is not only to recite the wrongs
inflicted on working people, or simply to describe their heroic
struggles. It is an attempt to draw out the lessons of the events
that helped shape the Labour movement, and made it what it is. This
is a book that sets out from the proposition that the interests
between capital and labour are incompatible and takes sides in the
war between the classes.
*******
What's On?
*
Resist the Multinational Empire - Boycott Coca-Cola Activist
Conference
1pm - 5pm Saturday 6 December School of Oriental and African Studies
Students Union, London WC1 and Colombia Solidarity Campaign and SOAS
Palestine Society Present
8 till late PARTY FOR PALESTINE AND COLOMBIA
Featuring: Latin and Arabic DJs
Live Music: Hip Hop from Double negative and GM Babies
Protest Songs from Robb Johnson
Plus DJ Pablo, Colombian Drummers
Cost: £7/£5 (suggested donation £2 for conference only)
*
5-6 December
NETWORK FOR PEACE CONFERENCE
Working for a peaceful future: Campaigning for peace against a
context of the never-ending "war on terrorism".
5-6 December Venue: Friends House, Euston Road, London.
Info and/or to book a stall contact: Network for Peace - tel: 020 72783267
Email: nfp@gn.apc.org
http://www.networkforpeace.org.uk/
*
Sat, 6 December U.S. TROOPS OUT OF SHANNON!
Blockade the Warport Assemble at 2 pm at Lidl Carpark in Shannon
Town. More details on IAWM website Buses will be organised from
Dublin (contact Aoife at 087 795 5013), Cork (for more details
contact John at 086 300 4573), Galway (details later),
All Anti War groups are requested to hold public meetings, if
possible in the weeks coming up to this protest. The public meeting
should be used to build for as large a protest at Shannon as
possible. Other up-coming anti-war events
*
Thurs. 11 December Public Meeting
IRAQ - The Reality of the Occupation
8 pm Snug Pub, Dorset Street, Dublin 1
*
Sat. 13 December iBby Ireland Conference
Fighting for Writing Children's Book in Areas of Conflict
International Board for Books for Young People Ireland (iBby) is
holding a conference on bringing books and stories to children in
conflict situations. Speakers include Mary Robinson, Jehan Helou
(Ramallah, Palestine), Tom Hyland (East Timor SC).
Location: Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9.
More details from Máire at maire@irelandliterature.com or iBby,
c/o ILE, Irish Writers' Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
*
Saturday 13 December 1-4pm opposite Downing Street
Public Rally Justice for detainees now!
Afghanistan. Iraq Belmarsh prison in the UK.... with speakers and a
petition calling for an end to imprisonment without trial! For
details contact CAMPACC on 020 7586 5892
*
Saturday, 13 to Monday 15 December
Major Women-only demonstration and blockade, Menwith Hill
Info: morganshs@hotmail.com
*
THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AGAINST ISOLATION - CONFERENCE ON
POLITICAL PRISONERS
It is an INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL PRISONERS and is being
held on Dec. 19th, 20th and 21st.
WHERE: The symposium will take place in Palazzio Vecchio in Salone
Duecentoda.
Address:
COMUNE DI FIRENZE,
Palazzo Vecchio P.zza Signoria
50122 - FIRENZE
HOW: The order is speakers is divided geographically. So, for
instance, the first day speakers from Asia, America, Africa will
speak, the next day from Europe and the final decisions will be made.
WHO: A list of organisations and persons, who have so far confirmed
their participation in the symposium:
* Ahmet Kulaksiz, he lost his two daughters Canan and Zehra during
the death fast in Turkey
* Ex-political prisoners from Turkey (and Europe)
* Wainer Burani, a lawyer from Italy, who will speak about the
prisons in Italy and the Anti-Terror-Law
* Gianfranco di Maio, a doctor from Italy, who will speak about the
force-feeding measurement
* Mohammed Safa, a representative of the Al Khiam Rehabilitation
Centre for Torture Victims, he will speak about the Lebanese
prisoners in the Zionist prisons.
* Ibrahim Mahajna, a lawyer who lives in Ramallah and is member of
the Palestinian Human Rights Commission. He will speak about the
situation of the prisoners at Ansar 3.
* Marcella della Donne, professor at the La Sapienza University in
Rome
* A representative of the Cuban Embassy in Rome and probably a lawyer
who is the brother of one of the "Cuban 5", who are imprisoned in
Miami
* Representatives of the Austrian Committee "Free the Cuban Five"
* Haidi Giulani, mother of Carlo Giulani, who was killed by police
during the demonstrations in Genoa
* Representatives of Behatokia, the Basque Observatory for Human
Rights
* Rote Hilfe (Red Help)
* A representative of the London-based Irish Political
Status Committee
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Call 0031-20-675 09 26
or 0032-2-280 2228;
*******
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