Derry Sinn Féin
A number of years ago Martin McGuinness contended that the group which calls itself the Real IRA had nothing to offer strategically, tactically or politically in ending British rule in Ireland.
With each passing year and sporadic armed incident this analysis has grown in strength and therefore cannot be dismissed as the ritual politics of condemnation.
Indeed the rationale provided for the recent attack on Jim Doherty on Bishop Street, planting hoax bombs outside Martin Meehan's house and shooting up Liam Bradley's home can be viewed as products of that political and strategic bankruptcy.
I have not met a single person who argues that the activities of this group will in any shape, form or fashion advance the cause of Irish re-unification or effect to any degree the current political arrangements on the island of Ireland.
Nothing I have heard or read from its spokespersons has convinced me that they themselves believe that their strategy has any hope of success.
It is for this reason that they receive little or no support, be it here in Derry or elsewhere on the island.
Their combined voice of opposition (and it was made up of every shade of anti Sinn Féin rhetoric) in the Assembly elections was weak, and not a single candidate could be mustered for the recent elections down South.
Without support their actions are increasingly seen as those of a collection of individuals. Those involved in political struggle accept the need for popular support and importantly know only too well the means by which it can be appraised and measured.
Ignoring the expressed will of those they purport to draw support from, to in turn represent leads to regression and often to alliances with those who are nothing more than opportunistic carpetbaggers.
Of course one can retreat in to the comfort zone of believing that they require no mandate except that of the British presence in Ireland.
However one cannot ignore, dismiss or fail to respond to the reality that the context in which Britain remains in Ireland has changed. That change came about as a direct result of decades of continuing and ongoing political struggle.
Once the context changes then it follows that the means by which it will end can and should change.
It was with this in mind, coupled with the growing strength and organisational capacity of Sinn Féin that Gerry Adams in April 2005 stated.
"That struggle can now be taken forward by other means. I say this with the authority of my office as President of Sinn Féin. In the past I have defended the right of the IRA to engage in armed struggle. I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee, or turn a blind eye to oppression, or for those who wanted a national republic.Now there is an alternative.I have clearly set out my view of what that alternative is. The way forward is by building political support for republican and democratic objectives across Ireland and by winning support for these goals internationally."
He asked the IRA leadership and its volunteers to give due consideration to his position and who in turn on July 28th responded by declaring a formal end to its armed struggle and stating.
"We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this (republican and democratic objectives) and to end British rule in our country. It is the responsibility of all Volunteers to show leadership, determinationand courage."
Let no-one be in any doubt that history will record that the IRA was in the vanguard of shifting British policy in Ireland.
It was successful for a variety of factors but fundamental to this was its ability to justify and sustain itself in political and strategic terms and in so doing ensure popular support.
In the early 1990s the Sinn Féin leadership in an open and transparent way articulated its strategy to end British rule and bring about an Ireland of Equals.
In numerous public meetings that strategy was explained, discussed and debated.
Sinn Féin asked for a popular mandate to pursue this strategy. We challenged others to provide an alternative and to test it with those who matter most - the people. In election after election the people gave their answer.
Bear this in mind, in 1994 Sinn Féin had no Westminster MPs, no TDs in Leinster House, no MEPs and approximately 100 councillors.
Today Sinn Féin has 5 MPs, 4 TDs, 2 MEPs, 28 MLAs, 5 ministers in the Executive, 243 councillors, Gráinne Mhic Géidigh in Udaras na Gaeltacha and Pearse Doherty in the Seanad.
I outline this not as a simple matter of statistics but to reinforce my contention that the politics of struggle requires popular support to sustain itself and to bring about change.
Those who try to suggest that the politics of struggle manifested itself on Bishop Street a couple of weeks ago fool no-one, not even themselves.
The reality is that failure to listen to the critical analysis provided by someone like Martin McGuinness only leads to a retreat to a world of fantasy, deceit, and unfortunately on occasion, worse.
What more an appalling vista than that of the deaths of Ed Burns and Joe Jones in Belfast earlier this year. Consider these words:
Afford the butchers that stalk our streets masquerading as republican volunteers the slightest modicum of political recognition and the unbridgeable chasm between Tom McElwee or Michael Devine and the slayers of Ed Burns and Joe Jones starts to become blurred. The volunteers who died to proclaim the political validity of their armed actions shouldremain upon a coveted pantheon never to be placed side by side with the new 'comrades' of the CLM.
Not mine, but those of Anthony McIntyre, hardly an exponent of my political outlook.
But that is the territory now occupied by groups who call themselves the Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the Irish Republican Liberation Army or whatever the banner required at the appropriate time - devoid of tactics, strategy, support and political legitimacy.
Closing eyes or putting fingers in ears will not make this reality go away.
Asking young teenagers to act on your behalf, be that by attacking the Fountain and protestant churches, destroying community property and then deserting them by denial is not what leadership is about.
Indeed pursuance of these actions makes it difficult not to draw but one conclusion that your distinct lack of politics insists you continue on a journey to nowhere.
I ask this simple question to each of you. Without politics what can you claim to be?
Killing Ed Burns and Joe Jones, by wounding Denis Bradley or Jim Doherty, or by attacking Liam Bradley's home, cannot disguise the answer to this question.
Indeed it exposes you to scrutiny and the judgement, which deems you as apolitical, which in itself is a short journey from the worst place of all - being viewed by the community you come from, the community you seek to represent as "criminals".
Consider the weight of history if that word is now brought to rest on your shoulders.
12 comments:
Yeah hit the nail on the head! excellent piece.
young criminal wannabes are being recruited into the ranks of these missionless organisations which is a real concern. will sending more working class young people to prison or even the grave be worth satisfying the fansasy of some dissillusioned RIRA/CIRA members?
we must also keep in mind who's agenda is at work when we examine the actions of these micro groups. mindless apolitical criminals who live in the nationalist/ Republican comunity are wide open to infiltration by MI5 etc.
To anonymous,
Id be cautious on the word 'criminal' no doubt in any organisation there is a worse element, but having come through a heavy campaign of criminalisation ourselves we need to watch were we use this word.
I think those opposed to the SF strategy are ineffective, and misguided, but I certainly wouldnt call them criminal.
Also anonymous, in future, write ur name and wer ur from, it mite give some prespective to the piece.
Brilliant piece by Raymond.
Sinead, Tyrone
Great piece.. I also think the fact that Raymond is a former hungerstriker demonstrates his convictions and ensures the article carries alot of weight.
It doesn't mean that he is right, itr doesn't mean that everyone must agree, but the fact that he was a former hungerstriker and is continuining to be active today means that people can't dismiss the article as some Walter Mitty Armchair.
I for one agree and I hope more and more Ógra activists can read and discuss this piece.
To Victory!
Joanne
For years it is well known the brits have inflitrated these organisations and only allowed them to operate when it suited the political agenda of the securocrats. As SF start to bring accountability into policing in an organised and disciplined fashion and at a time when the DPP's (district policing partnerships)) are being constituted the breakaway micro group RIRA (the omagh bombers remember) are allowed to shoot two cops when for years the cops have been easy targets such as when they have been driving around on cycles across the North with no attacks on them,there is'nt even a british army base in derry now,our strategy ensured that,the dissidents only ensured that they stayed longer ?.I am a republican activist in every sense of the word for the past 30 years and i have never had anyone i trust in those policing partnerships fighting my corner,now i have and i trust them wholeheartedly with my life.they are not there for tea parties they are there to tell them what real policing is all about and hold them to account.
bogside and proud !!!
The real criminals are those within the British police force in Ireland upholding and defending an illegal occupation. McCartneys argument is exactly what I would expect from a British quisling and is reminiscent of statements from the SDLP 15 years ago. When republicans attacked crown forces in Derry and Dungannon Sinn Fein came down on the side of the crown forces proving once and for all that they are nothing more than poachers turned gamekeepers.
To say that Raymond McCartney is a quisling is an abomination. I may disagree with the likes of the Dark and others but i certainly wouldn't turn around and bad mouth them.
They played there part, I disagree with them now, but I still have republican respect enough not to bad mouth.
Sinn Féin did not come down on the side of the crown forces.. Sinn Féin have a clear strategy for Irish Unity and actons like what happened in Derry and Dungannon are not assisting these efforts.
Please tell me how the injuring of tow cops detached from anything else is going to free Ireland?
Sometimes those opposed to SF annoyt me, in that they can ridicule, criticise and lambast SF yet when Sinn Féin challenge their strategy or lack of then we are the devil incarnate.
We have a clear strategy for victory that is picking up momentum and popular support all the time.
As long as that is the case no other republican group can emerge suucessfully.
Onwards to Freedom!
Sarah
MR.MURPHY,look back 15 years ago and look at the lives that were lost previously to that,do you really want irish people to go through all of that again before they realise that they can achieve their goals peacefully and democratically,i believe the dissidents are creating circumstances were going into ceasefire will be easy from a point of strength.if they could only see that saving lives is better than taking them,they can then fight their campaign to unite the people of ireland through common sense.
bogside and proud (there is only one IRA, remember that)
Sinn Fein came down on the side of the Brits by calling on people to inform on those who carried out these actions. Also labelling such groups as apolitical is inferring that they are criminals and their actions are criminal actions.
The attacks were not meant to free Ireland and nobody has pretended that this was what they intended to do. What they were aimed at in my opinion is dissuading people within the nationalist community from joining the RUC. In this I think they will be proven to have been successful. Fair enough if people don't agree with such actions and I can accept that but there is a big leap from opposing them to calling on locals to become informers and despite what you say this is clearly taking sides.
As for Sinn Feins strategy well that relies on turning unionists into nationalists and then relying on the goodwill of Westminster - not much of a strategy in my opinion.
so what is your strategy then MR.Murphy ? more people in jail,more bodies in the street,more omagh bombs,more paddy murrays or john hogans,more divide and conquer and agent provocueters....wise up....martin meehan said before he died that he wanted the younger generation to live for ireland not die.
I see when you mentioned Paddy Murray and John Hogan that you seemed to forget some others like Denis Donaldson and Freddy scappaticci.
You also failed to answer the points which I raised concerning Sinn Feins calling on people to become informers and indeed their own lack of strategy for achieving the republican objective. To often when Sinn Fein are criticised they ask "what is your strategy?" wrongly implying that they themselves have one.
My own strategy is not based on violence however in saying that I see armed actions against the crown forces as completely legitimate. Republican separatism has suffered a major defeat since the signing of the GFA and the subsequent counter revolution and the immediate task now is to regroup and reorganise. In the longer term we must build alternative grass root structures which challenge the British structures in Ireland.
I think that Republican separatism is beginning to gain strength and some very positive moves have been made in the last few months most notably the republican unity initiative involving the 32CSM, IRSP and RNU.
I want people to live for Ireland also but I want an Ireland free from British rule, something which the GFA will not deliver.
kevin i only mentioned the two recent sppoks because they are the most recent and the ones that were mixing the most,after all paddy murray was at the forefront of every dissident march or protest in derry,rubbing shoulders with every irsp,rnu and 32 county wannabe if they could be,so young people who are associating with these people can see that they are really infiltrated.this is my last message on this subject as i know you will have more trying issues to deal with and i am not going to get in your negative way.
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