The Plough Vol 01 No 47

The Plough #47
12 July 2004

E-Mail Newsletter of the Irish Republican Socialist Party

1) Orange Marches -- A Carnival of Reaction
2) What's On

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Orange Marches -- A Carnival of Reaction

On this day, July 12, 2004, it is time to remember and reflect what
the Orange marches of this day mean. On the surface it is a
celebration of the victory of a Dutchman over an Englishman fighting
on Irish soil for the kingship of England. In reality it is a
celebration of bigotry and intolerance. Watching the serried ranks of
drummers in their gaudy uniforms one is minded of the Redcoats in the
old movies lording it over the natives. The Orange marches are
militaristic, racist, intimidatory and an affront to decency. The
hangers on with their beer bellies and bottles are like storm troopers
eager and willing to swarm all over the croppies if there are any
about. This is not about cultural identity -- it is about domination.
What sort of culture is it that depends on its validation by walking
through areas where it is not welcome? What sort of culture is it that
needs to express itself by waving the flag of a brutal and now
thankfully declining British imperialism? What sort of culture is it
that prances about huge bonfires on the 11th drinking to excess and
cursing the Pope? What sort of culture whoops and cheers when the drug
dealing thugs of the UDA appear on platforms with guns and taunt their
former hero Adair with calls to "bring it on" while the TV cameras
whirl away and the police do nothing? Sectarian murderers are
lionised, Chinese homes attacked, Catholics burned out, all in the
name of some ill defined cultural identity that can not decide if it
is British or Protestant or both or Ulster Scottish or God knows what.

The Orange Order does not give one damn about the condition of
Protestant working class people so long as those same people see their
main enemy not as the rich unionist middle classes but the poor
Catholic working classes. Orangism is the means of perpetuating
divisions among working class people. And while that division exists
the working classes of all traditions will be slaves to nationalisms
that favour their own exploitation.

The Orange Order is a successful all-class alliance that has roped the
exploited into facilitating their own exploitation. The trouble at
Ardoyne was to be expected. Nationalists, republicans, Catholics will
no longer put up with these displays of bigotry. The way in which both
the DUP and the UUP have rowed in behind the Orange Orders in relation
to the march past Ardoyne should have sent a clear message out to all
republicans. So long as the six county state exists there will be no
movement from unionism and the working classes of all and no
traditions will still be the ones suffering, in the words of James
Connolly "a carnival of reaction."

*******

What's On

*
SATURDAY 17th JULY 3PM: WHITE LINE PICKET AND RALLY
Meeting @ entrance to Falls Park.

Speakers to be announced.

"(We) call on all groups and concerned individuals to attend the
above protest to highlight the ongoing harassment and abuse of
Republican prisoners in Maghaberry Jail.

"Despite achieving the hard won but moderate demand of segregation
from Loyalists and criminals the POW's in Roe House are still under
pressure from the Prison Administration and vindictive screws. This
includes the continuation of forced strip searches, denials of basic
amenities, the intensification and lengthening of lock-up time plus
the humiliation still being endured by visiting family members,
friends and political representatives.

"We urge everyone to stand behind these men and their families by
coming out onto the streets in the coming weeks and making their
voices heard once more."

*

Friday, July 30th

BALKANS SEMINAR

Democratic Dialogue is organising a seminar, in conjunction with the
Institute of Governance at Queen's University Belfast and the de
Borda Institute, on 'The Difficulties of Democracy Building, Identity
Formation and Ethnic Nationalism in the Balkans'. The seminar is to
be led by Rory Conces, an assistant professor of philosophy and
member of the International Studies faculty at the University of
Nebraska at Omaha, who is also editor of the International Third
World Studies Journal and Review. The event will take place on
Friday, July 30th, at 11.00am in room 101 Lanyon North (first floor,
Lanyon Building), at Queen's (directions from the porter's lodge at
main entrance). Prof Conces has lectured in China, Croatia, and
Kosovo; as well as having been a Fulbright Scholar in Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Approaching issues of ethnic identity from a political-
philosophical standpoint, his talk will be of considerable resonance
to Northern Ireland.

Further information from robin@democraticdialogue.org.

*

Saturday 31 July

As part of the discussions and debates at the West Belfast Festival
there will be a event about Racism, featuring prominent speakers.

Date: Saturday 31 July
Venue: St Mary's University College
Time: 2.00pm ­ 3.45pm

"Anti-Irish Racism and the Experience of Belfast's Ethnic Minorities
Today: Making the Connection"

Chair: Fr. Des Wilson

Speakers:
Dr. Robbie McVeigh, The Experience of Anti-Irish Racism
Claire Hackett, Falls Community Council's Dúchas Oral History
Archive

Video presentation on the Belfast historical experience of
sectarianism and discrimination.

The Experience of Ethnic Minorities Today

Armie Cerezo - Filipino Nurse
Jamal Iweida - Belfast Islamic community Anti-Racist activist
Bernadette McAliskey ­ Civil Rights, Ireland and the USA: Making
the Connection

*

August 2-7-2004

1) Resistance and Hope ­ Assisi, August 2-7
Call for the Anti-imperialist Camp, Assisi, Italy, August 2-7

Mankind is travelling in fear on a train towards the abyss. This
abyss is the mercilessly waged global war. The train is steered by
the United States of America, to be precise, by a group of
adventurers dreaming of a dead and mute world with one single God,
the dollar; with one single banner, that of stars and stripes; with
one single language, that of American oppression.

These adventurers are driven by a vision which neither admits
compromises nor half ways: the clash of civilisations not only with
Islam but also with anybody who believes in the co-operation between
the peoples and who consider peace as the holiest of all values. They
have given a name to their doctrine: "permanent and pre-emptive war"
which not only displays the warmongering character of the North
American regime but also the idea that the US were a superior nation
with a special mission namely to exercise the global predominance at
any cost. The alibi, which this doctrine builds on, is the terrorist
threat. Those who employ indiscriminate force against defenceless and
innocent civilians, those who consider a person guilty if it does not
believe in their God, might believe to be on a straight way to
paradise but surely contribute to the transformation of this world
into an inferno without hope. The only remaining hope of the world is
the Resistance, the struggle of the peoples for freedom and self-
determination.

The American aim is not only to subjugate the poor and oppressed
nations but also those who still enjoy some liberty. The Patriot Act
and the anti-terrorist Black Lists show that the most elementary
democratic rights are at stake also in the West and particularly in
the United States. Virulent racist and chauvinist crusades attempt to
criminalise the anti-imperialist and revolutionary forces as well as
the organisations of immigrants. They even want to silence the peace
movement.

The anti-imperialist Resistance has indestructible roots and dates
back to the very beginning of the imperial North American ambitions.
Where there is oppression there will always be revolt as well, where
there is dictatorship there will always be the struggle for
democracy, where there is injustice there never will be peace.

Today the Iraqi people is testifying for the Resistance keeping up
their heads against the American war criminals and their paranoid
designs to Guantánamise the world. The Iraqi resistance has taken
the way paved by the Palestinian Intifada. By building a united front
of all the fighting forces it will gain further strength transforming
itself into a national liberation war. This front, the embryo of a
future government of a liberated Iraq, will be able ­ once the
invaders are driven out ­ to call upon the Iraqis to elect a
democratic constituent assembly exercising the full and undivided
sovereignty of the Iraqi people.

The future of humanity depends on the outcome of the battle raging in
Iraq. The heroic town of Falluja, having chased away mercenaries
armed with the most sophisticated weaponry, shows that the Iraqi
people are able to win as the Vietnamese people won. The decisive
factor ­ in war even more than in peace ­ is not technological
superiority but what motivates the people to fight.

We have to unite with the Resistance of the Iraqi people to help
mankind to liberate itself from the North American menace.

The future of the world depends on the victory of Iraq!

2) Iraqi presences and programme of Assisi

This year's Anti-imperialist Camp will have its focus on the Iraqi
resistance. The Iraqi Patriotic Alliance (IPA) will present its
efforts to build a common political front of all forces struggling
against occupation. For the Iraqi Democratic Communist Current, which
is a component of the IPA, Ahmed Karim will be present and for the
Iraqi Communist Party (cadre) Nori al-Moradi.

A global meeting of all the forces and committees in open support of
the Iraqi resistance is scheduled. The preparation of the
international day of action for the resistance scheduled for
September 25 will be one of the topics on the agenda.

The preliminary programme:
http://www.antiimperialista.com/en/view.shtml?category=48&id=1083700704&keyword=+.

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