Letters

Because some of Irish name and Irish birth accept this as the way to peace does not make it reasonable or workable. Earlier there were others of Irish name and birth responsible for the execution of Republicans, who were a hindrance to setting up governance which was supported by Churchill and the wily Lloyd George, a “fellow Celt”.

The resultant treaty has not worked for the past 80 years and this pending one will not either, simply because it is not intended to work – Glasnevin reburials notwithstanding. Plainly put, acceptance of Partition is being sought anew.

Every partition is the work of England: Ireland, Palestine, Cyprus, Iraq/Kuwait, the Balkans and so forth. Nowhere has this ruse worked, in fact it was never intended to work. How a newly-attired Partition of Ireland will emerge is presently seen in the fixation on arms decommissioning. Out of all the armed groups on the ground, from the British army on down to street gangs, none but the Provisionals is being pursued to disarm. It is clear who will be dominated in a power-sharing Stormont, and many people will need to be told – this is what you asked for.
MICHAEL GERAGHTY
Chicago, USA Contents

Yes, three years on and things are getting worse not better. Last summer saw some of the worst rioting since 1969 as I’m sure will this summer the way things are going. Loyalists have sunk to a new low with their attacks on young girls and their parents on their way to and from school.

The Stormont Agreement is only postponing the inevitable. The only answer is ÉIRE NUA, where all the citizens of Ireland can determine their own future acting as a single unit. But this can only happen when the British colonial power pull their forces out of the north.

I very much believe that there is great potential among the greater unionist community to discuss their future on this island of ours. Republican Sinn Féin and the Republican Movement as a whole must now carry the torch of Irish Republicanism into this new century.

We have been sold out, the wool pulled over our eyes and true Republicans must open their eyes and see the traitors among them and deal with them as such.
CHRISTÓIR K PIONDER
Co an Chláir Contents

He further said that it was “an Irish problem” and the Irish should be left to sort the matter out on their own involving a united Ireland with some measure of autonomy for the Protestants in the north.

As we know the ÉIRE NUA policy is designed to allow all peoples a democratic say in their affairs. These revelations and those that follow demonstrate that the British government’s agenda has more to do with maintaining the status quo than the well-being of the Irish people and it remains so to this day.
SÉAMUS WALSH
London Contents

What about freedom of speech to which everyone has a right.

I would also like to see how the Provos can say there are no political prisoners. What about these eight men (not forgetting Tommy Crossan and his comrades and Colm Maguire and his comrades in Portlaoise jail). How did this State think they could crush these Republicans’ spirits? They haven’t quenched the flames of freedom and we can’t but admire the spirit and determination of Nora Lynch in one of the houses raided and her stance on the brutality by 26-County Special Branch which shows the spirit of all these Republicans. It’s great to see that there are people to carry on the fight that the Provos have abandoned.
SEOIRSE Ó LAOIRE
Co Meath Contents

To stress the frustration we feel we have the threat of loyalists, Brits and the RUC/PSNI. The latest threat on us is the Provisional movement. We were told that if we didn’t stop we would be dealt with swiftly and were also told ‘you know exactly how we’ll deal with you’.

Now this in itself was awful, to experience one Irishman threatening another and doing Britain’s dirty work for them. I and my friends are an oppressed people. We have the right to use every means necessary to defend ourselves from British instruments.

While the Provos have attacked their own or ‘marshalled us’ as they like to put it, they have also handed up their weapons, which were secured for our defence and our fight for freedom, which has still not been achieved.

Now we have a nationalist postman murdered, nightly pipe bomb attacks and constant threats on us, only to be betrayed by the Provos for the Queen’s Shilling and if the US Ambassador to the Six Counties had his way, the American dollar also.

I was delighted when I purchased my first SAOIRSE to see there is a Movement which is not about itself but for the people and I can tell you I am 110% behind it. Keep up the good work.
ARDOYNE REPUBLICAN Contents

In the 1990s we were told Ruairí and Co were wrong to have maintained their Republican principles and that Republican Sinn Féin should have accepted Stormont, Leinster House and Westminster, that maybe the Provisional movement can bring about normalisation and ignore the root of the problem, which is British occupation.

My pride being that there is a Republican Movement (though sadly it had taken me a while to realise) which has clung to the ethos of Tone, 1916, the hunger strikers etc who will stay on that road to the Republic. And a Movement which proudly states: “As long as there is one British foot in this beloved country of ours there will always be political prisoners and resistance to occupation.”

So Gerry, Redmond went the road you and the Provisional movement are going and you know what happened to him, your misled followers will realise you have committed the ultimate betrayal.
NORTH BELFAST REPUBLICAN Contents

By the Provisionals choosing ‘internal association’ they tell us that change can come about and a united and free Ireland can be established. Does anyone honestly believe that by ‘internal association’ and not force that the All-Ireland Republic proclaimed in 1916, voted overwhelmingly in 1918 and established by the First Dáil in 1919 can win freedom from the British and their collaborators. It’s been tried and tried again: Butt, Parnell, Redmond etc, only to taste defeat, and that was just about Home Rule. No nationalist or watered-down Republicanism will gain freedom. It is a farce that the Provisionals parade themselves as the guardians of Republicanism.

As we have seen, year after year, they have broken the basic tenets of Republicanism – abandonment of abstention, recognition of both northern and southern governments as the legal, lawful authority and their source of power being the British. We have also seen them support the surrender of arms and their destruction. We will one day see them legislate with the British for the Six-County colony. In 1998 they turned their back on Republican POWs who refused to submit to British authority. Republican POWs find themselves once again fighting for political status, won in 1981 by the deaths of ten brave Volunteers. What do you say to these brave freedom fighters who suffer again at the hands of the screws. Is the official Provo line “there are no political prisoners? Tell that to Tommy Crossan!

The Provisionals should come clean and speak the frank truth. No more lies, confusion, double-talk, deceit or “cute” language. They have chosen a different path and have relinquished the right and lost the credibility to carry on the struggle for Irish independence. The Provisionals should drop the name and the mask of Sinn Féin, for there is yet a true Republican Sinn Féin to carry on the fight!
SEÁN Ó LÚBAIGH Ohio,
USA Contents

These weapons were not just for the war effort but to defend the nationalist people’s homes on the interface areas like Ardoyne, Newington, Short Strand and mid-Springfield Road to name just a few from loyalist terror attacks. Almost every night some poor nationalist family is attacked and where are the Provos? Either in Dublin, America or in their plush Westminster offices, talking to people who don’t give 2p about attacks on nationalists’ homes and their families. Yes, they come out when the TV cameras are about, (must be on the evening news!) to give some impression that they are very worried for the people in that area (sic). The only thing that worries Adams & associates is that people don’t trust them any more and that their cushy paid jobs up at the hated Stormont might come to an end. That would be horrific to the Provos.

Having decommissioned the people’s weapons and told their volunteers a load of lies, some of them have now seen through their deceit and defected. Liars are always found wanting in the end.
JOHN BANNON
Belfast Contents

I suggest that we in Republican Sinn Féin lead the way in correcting the problem by introducing an agricultural policy which will incorporate organic food production.
Not only will this minimise animal and human health problems but it will also go hand in hand with our policy of localisation, thus reducing transport problems and caring for our environment from another angle. With organic farming there is very little waste as almost everything on a mixed organic farm is recycled.

Even waste from our urban areas can be used as feed stuff and for compost and mulch. In practise this would, without doubt, improve not only the health and well-being of humans and domestic animals, via the quality of our air, water, food and soil, but also our scenery and wildlife, a resource on which much of our tourism industry is based.
PAT CANNON
Gaughan/Stagg/McNeela Cumann
Republican Sinn Féin
Mayo Contents

All the best to you.
JENNY JAMES Atlantis,
Columbia South America

Contents

Web layout by SAOIRSE -- Irish Freedom February 11, 2002  Send links, events notifications, articles, comments etc, to the editor at: saoirse@iol.ie.