Independent Media Centre Ireland http://www.indymedia.ie
Mid-West Alliance Against Militarism and Aggression disaffiliate from IAWM
limerick |
anti-war / imperialism |
news report 
Tuesday March 02, 2004 01:16
by Reporter
The Limerick-Clare based Mid-West Alliance Against Militarism and Aggression (MAMA) have followed the Cork Anti-War Campaign lead and disaffiliated from the now completely misnamed 'Irish Anti-War Movement' (IAWM). Reasons are much the same as those expressed by Cork and Fairview.
Tim Hourigan (Limerick) had already resigned from the IAWM steering committee.
Comments (22 of 22)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22last one out the door, please turn off the lights
Anyone still left is proping up a lie, and by default is a stooge for the SWP. It should dissolve before it does any more damage.
Take the trip down memory lane at http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=60061
They still have Fintan Lane on their website as being the PRO and responsible for media enquiries.
Very clever celebrating the crumbling of one of the best movements this country has seen in recent years. You can make all the remarks you want about whose fault it was or is, but it doesn't excuse the triumphant ntaure of the comments- it actually shows up that your more concerned about infighting than the movement...good luck to you all...sad...
The anti-war movement in Ireland is indeed one of the best movements to arise in the last few years. This movement is still going strong.
The IAWM is not the movement. It never was all of the movement, and now its very little of the movement. Don't let the similarity in names confuse you.
(And if you must mourn the death of a potentially useful umbrella group, blame those who made it useless as an umbrella group)
what is sad is that so many people and groups tried really hard to work with the SWP leadership on the IAWM and the SWPers could never think beyond their narrow politburo agenda.
sad that the org broke, but not bad that people are now free to think and organise for themselves on a local level - the trick is, how do people start working together on a national level. Shouldnt be difficult, but still has yet to be proven.
Impressed has a point..I remember the IAWM being around for Balkans war and other anti-war stuff years ago, when I'd never heard of any other active anti war group. Thne in the lead up to Feb 15th- it was the IAWM that organied 90% of the anti-war stuff in my area. Plus the Feb 15th was identified with many people in the country with the IAWM. To dismiss it so lightly and celebrate its demise is very sad indeed. Especially so if shite liek Phoenix magazine is laughing about it- sends out a great signal to ordinary people across the world who are not directly involved in IAWM, GG or CW activity...I too feel sad!
The IAWM emerged as the Afghan war was just about to get underway. So your probably remembering some other SWP front from the Balkan war (did they call it IAWM too?)
Every time there is a movement the SWP sets up a front and pretends to be The Movement. This is facilitated by their 'access' to the media and their dealings with the state.
The only way to stop them is to have a nationwide non-cooperation policy. If the swp is involved in an organisation, front, etc., we all stay away.
(ref. ummm yeah) I find the whole thing very, very, very sad & disappointing indeed.
On an organizational basis, it seems to me that 4 options face us:-
1. Everyone work on a local level against war/Shannon and do their own thing.
2. Everyone work on a local level AND stay in constant COMMUNICATION with other groups who are anti-war and work together where possible - e.g. in planning a mass demo. (also see end of option 4)
3. Attempt to salvage the IAWM though communication - Preferably physical rather than over email or over the phone.
4. Attempt to create another umbrella organization with PRE-SET democratic rules which prohibit any one organization from dominating it. For example a steering committee which contains one representative from each of the groups/organizations within that umbrella organizations. Eg. 1 from CAWC, 1 from MAMA, 1 from SP, 1 from PANA, 1 from SWP, 1 from WSM etc. etc.
This last option could also be used in conjunction with option 2. I.e. a formal umbrella organization does not have to be set up. Rather one representative from each group stays in touch with one another. The use of e-mail is perfect for this. Say a group of 8 representatives. Each person keeps the other 7 people informed of what they are doing and when the opportunity arises to work together on a physical basis, e.g. organizing a demo - the communication process is in place to make this happen.
Take your pick.
(or add in other options)
To, Poor quality watching Joe
"...The IAWM emerged as the Afghan war was just about to get underway.."
Sorry have to correct you there..the IAWM existed during the Balkans War and did not just 'emerge' during the Afghan war. Maybe you were still in pampers. Its you therefore who needs to get your facts straight and improve the 'poor quality' of your 'informed' comments!
I thought the Cuban Solidarity guy set up the IAWM.
The SWP may have run a front called the IAWM during the Balkan wars. But not only can I not remember if they did before the Afghan war neither could they. Which is why they called the first demonstration (Sept 30) wearing not the IAWM hat but the Globalise Resistance one. See http://struggle.ws/wsm/news/2001/antiwarSEPT.html
Watcher is becoming a bit of a by word for 'clueless speculator' in these parts
Sorry Fidel: I didn't say who set it up- it may have been someone from Cuban Solidarity- i was just merely commenting that it did exist..
As for Joe- you just sound like a sore bastard. I was just commenting on the fact that the IAWM has been around for a long while- as far back as the Balkans War- just a simple comment- you then go off on some rant about the SWP- whats that got to do with my comment- you just sound like some sore narc!
You people annoy me. Tthe IAWM are splitting up because you and your ilk on the extreme left on this island, spend so much time navel gazing, engaging in mutual admiration of your own political theories, are deeply narcisits and equally suffer form the narcissim of small difference that you infect any positive broad left with irrelevant point scoring over dead russian and german writers driving away ordinary decent people and leaving just the mirrors of self produced magazines and pampltes glorifying and justifying your latest "project".
As things stand IAWM-SWP. What's the difference?
The reason the IAWM are splitting up has nothing to do with navel gazing on the extreme left, mutual admiration (hardly!), or being narcisits [sic]. In fact dead russian or german writers have barely (I can't recall one instance) been mentioned in any of the threads relating to IAWM since Fintan resigned or for quite a while before that. Who, incidentally are the "positive broad left"?
The real reasons for the IAWM splitting up were clearly enunciated by the various individuals and groups who disaffilliated publicly. The people who have done so in many cases joined the IAWM knowing what might be in store for them in terms of democracy but obviously felt that they had a better chance of making it better by being on the inside and arguing the case. They were not happy with the results and were not prepared to continue to have their names associated with an organisation which made decisions on their behalf with which they did not agree. They were thwarted in their efforts to change this situation in a democratic manner (by packing meetings with phantom delegates, suspending opponents within, etc as documented on this site).
Groups that were never affiliated with the IAWM tried repeatedly to make positive contact with that group but were ignored at every effort.
The latest series of resignations is likely to be well received by the majority of activists in the country (I know it certainly is in my neck of the woods) because now we can get on with trying to build a really inclusive network that will oppose the war by all available means with solidarity between different groups and support for those arrested or incarcerated for their efforts.
Of course all of this is well known to "Dera".
Dera is dead on in her succinct description of the debacle that is irish activism. Very well put, Dera...
erxact same words politics.ie 2 days ago. Always remember kids some people are paid to disrupt - it's a jungle in here.
MEMO IMC RCLL DC HOSTILE APPLET
Is this the Irish Anti-SWP Alliance homepage? or have I called at a bad time? Peace (wasnt it?)
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