2011 Easter Statement from the Leadership of
the Republican Movement
ON the 95th anniversary of the momentous
Easter Rising of 1916 the Leadership of the Republican
Movement once again sends greetings to all who are gathered
in commemoration at the graves of the patriot dead or at
monuments in their honour.
From Easter
Sunday 2010 the Republican Prisoners in Maghaberry jail, Co
Antrim embarked on a five-month long protest in support of
their just demand for political status. That status was
taken away when the Provisionals signed the 1998 Stormont
Agreement.
On August 12
last this protest ended with an agreement in which
facilitators, including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
and others were involved. More than six months later key
elements of that agreement were not implemented.
Specifically, the “BOSS chair” x-ray machine was installed
to replace the strip-searching of prisoners, but despite the
availability of that machine the original degrading practice
was continued.
As a result
Republican prisoners refused to cooperate with further strip
searches. This, in turn, led to two prisoners being denied
parole. The facilitators of the agreement returned to the
prison in March and met the prisoners and the prison
governor. The governor refused to abide by the terms of the
August Agreement. The responsibility for reneging on the
compact entered into in good faith lies with the Stormont
Minister for Justice who sits at the cabinet table beside
the Provisionals.
The Provos
repeat Bobby Sands’s name while as the new jailers they deny
Bobby Sands’s objective of political status to present-day
Republican prisoners. They flaunt the Easter Lily in
Leinster House while they punish the prisoners for wearing
an Easter Lily in Maghaberry Prison.
Meanwhile the
Continuity IRA has been carrying the war to the enemy and
Republican Sinn Féin has campaigned tirelessly in support of
the prisoners. To the Republicans prisoners in Maghaberry
and Portlaoise the leadership sends greetings and
congratulates and salutes their courage and sacrifice.
In the 26
Counties the hard-won rights of working people are under
attack and must be defended. World-wide corrupt practices
and bad management at home has resulted in almost
half-a-million being unemployed and 1,000 per week
emigrating in search of work. Whatever economic independence
existed has now been ceded to the EU and the IMF. Real
revolutionary change is necessary based on the principles of
the 1916 Proclamation. ÉIRE NUA and SAOL NUA
provide the basis for such a New Ireland.
Now to put the
seal on the surrender process and the 1998 Agreement, which
is not a settlement, the Queen of England is being brought
to the 26 Counties – the first such occasion in 100 years.
This is a political action designed to normalise and make
acceptable British rule in Ireland.
Republicans
must protest and tell the world that the English government
will never be normal or acceptable here. The struggle is not
over. It never will be over until the English government
leaves Ireland – for all time. Spending €8 million on
security for the Queen of England is sheer waste of the
people’s money.
Up to this when
the Dublin Administration and the British government joined
together with Stormont in repression and coercion, their
objective was, of course, to destroy the Republican
Movement. In this they always failed.
In our time,
they seek to go further. They are attempting to demolish the
basic idea of Irish Republicanism, Irish national
independence and control of our own natural resources. They
have given away our Six north-eastern Counties to England
and have handed over our natural resources for nothing to
multi-national companies. The creeping tide of Anglicisation
sweeps over our people gradually every day. In all of this
they have the support of former comrades masquerading as
Republicans.
We must resist
this surrender process. We must be true to the ideals of the
men and women of 1916 and of those who stood in the Bearna
Baoil, the Gap of Danger, before 1916 and since 1916. Let us
arise!
An Pboblacht
Abú!
Issued by the
Leadership of the Republican Movement, Easter 2011
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