These recruitment drives have been ongoing with the British Army having a stall at the fresher’s fair in September.
Student and QUB Sinn Féin activist Gemma Mc Kenna stated that,
“I was appalled at the presence of the British Army at the university. The British war machine is an occupying force in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and should not be allowed to recruit young Irish students. They promise students adventure, excitement and good career prospect when in reality all they will be doing is giving their lives to an imperialist power that will use them to invade and occupy other countries.”
She continued:
“Here in Ireland we are trying to build an inclusive and demilitarised society. It is a disgrace that following the outrage and controversy the RIR ‘victory parade’ caused, that they would choose to target a majority nationalist university. It is outrageous that the British Army is allowed by Queen’s University to recruit their students. It is an affront and insult not only to republicans but to all those who protested against the war on Iraq. I call on all Queens’s students to reject the presence of this war force on our campus and for the University to no longer permit them to recruit”.
“I was appalled at the presence of the British Army at the university. The British war machine is an occupying force in Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, and should not be allowed to recruit young Irish students. They promise students adventure, excitement and good career prospect when in reality all they will be doing is giving their lives to an imperialist power that will use them to invade and occupy other countries.”
She continued:
“Here in Ireland we are trying to build an inclusive and demilitarised society. It is a disgrace that following the outrage and controversy the RIR ‘victory parade’ caused, that they would choose to target a majority nationalist university. It is outrageous that the British Army is allowed by Queen’s University to recruit their students. It is an affront and insult not only to republicans but to all those who protested against the war on Iraq. I call on all Queens’s students to reject the presence of this war force on our campus and for the University to no longer permit them to recruit”.
10 comments:
féach ar seo / look at this
http://glormhicairt.blogspot.com/2009/03/o-donnghaile-condemns-short-strand.html
Good notice well written I hope a delegation from sinnféin student societies make the student union aware of this, and that it never happens in any university again.
BRITS OUT NOW
this does not shock me i have raed about british army recriting flys going thour door in shortstrand i have saw recruiting post on bus in belfast and now we have them in full miltary regalia trying to recruit students. well done gemma on this post
First of all, the Army is NOT an Army of occupation. Northern Ireland is legally and constitutionally a part of the United Kingdom.
Bandying propagandistic slogans to suit your pathetic republican audience doesn't detract from that reality.
Secondly, Queens has a majority Catholic student body. That does not mean it is majority nationalist. I love the way republicans always equate religion with constitutional beliefs and preferences. And you call the Protestants 'sectarian' (LOL).
My only regret is that more republicans weren't taken out by the Army during their years of fighting IRA terrorism and butchery. That said, the Army is entitled to recruit anywhere in the United Kingdom. Belfast is no different.
Whilst there are those on this so-called blog who would cheer on the filth that gunned down two Sappers a few weeks ago, I am a British citizen from Northern Ireland who will cheer the Army and everything it does from the rooftops.
Deal with this 'British occupation' you rancid cretins.
Republicans should protest by not joining the British Army. Or by inviting the Irish Army to set up a recruitment stall too next year. Otherwise - remember the Good Friday Agreement specifies that NI is part of the UK, *and* that the British army can keep a garrison here. The Saint Andrews Agreement made no change to that whatsoever. Recruitment seems to follow as a consequence of the agreements.
If you don't want to join don't join. They are doing recruitment not conscripting. Aren't universities supposed to be places of free thought? Why not set up a counter recruitment stall next to them when they are there? Isn't one of our aims a free Ireland? In working toward that aim can we deny others their freedom?
"Republicans should protest by not joining the British Army. Or by inviting the Irish Army to set up a recruitment stall too next year. Otherwise - remember the Good Friday Agreement specifies that NI is part of the UK, *and* that the British army can keep a garrison here. The Saint Andrews Agreement made no change to that whatsoever. Recruitment seems to follow as a consequence of the agreements."
The GFA agreed to the full Demilitarisation of the North of Ireland, and we must continue to press those commitments from the British government.
Sinn Féin have played a massive role in taking the gun out of Irish politics, the British army and the loyalist groups must follow suit and live up to their commitments under the GFA.
Colleen
"If you don't want to join don't join. They are doing recruitment not conscripting. Aren't universities supposed to be places of free thought? Why not set up a counter recruitment stall next to them when they are there? Isn't one of our aims a free Ireland? In working toward that aim can we deny others their freedom?"
It is wrong on so many levels, not only because it is actually an attempt to remilitarise as opposed to demilitarise, which is counter to the GFA, but also because recruiting in a majority nationalist university is highly insensitive and insulting to many nationalists and republicans, some of whom who have loved ones killed by crown forces.
Colleen
no right in ireland
never had any right
never can have any right
British must fulfill their commitments
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