Make Partition History!

national | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday September 20, 2005 15:40 by Bara

What are you talking about?

Here is a recent quote by the spokesperson of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, whom I consider to be one of the most progressive current forces in the world that form a radical new anti-imperialist liberation movement, based on creative and open nationalism and socialism.

Their current and successful efforts, specifically engage with the issues regarding National Unity, while forcefully resisting their oppressors. Therefore, I include these words by Marcos, sub-commandant of the EZLN of Chiapas.
They are most appropriate words of reference for anyone considering fighting for such a thing as they are - for such a thing as a United and Free Ireland.

“The unity we need is not the one to which we’re accustomed, unity as hegemony and homogeneity. Someone who wins and leads all the others and makes them equal.
In that unity, someone wins and someone loses, but not the one who should lose, the one above.
Building unity with a thirst for hegemony and homogeneity is condemned to failure.”
- End of quote.

So, is it only (not meaning to belittle the goal) getting rid of the direct British control in the six occupied counties, that Republicans see as a United Ireland? That they will then be united in the same capitalist social system that exists in the Republic today governed by Dail Eireann?

I think a lot of so called Republicans actually see no further than this, for what they claim will be a united Ireland, including Gerry Adams by evidence of his wishy-washy statement about what this ‘make patition history’ campaign is about.

They don’t actually envisage the same United Ireland which Republicanism set out for; the age-old nationalist agenda merged with a crucial socialist agenda, that was the Republicanism developed from Fenianism which was developed from aspirations to the old Irish Clan system which like socialism was founded on common property and so on.

Then what’s the big fuss about? apart from getting rid of the Brits government in the North, which will be great, then it’s just a bigger Irish Republic of capitalists, living under the same bad system of government. Ok, it will also be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye when observing the Irish Republic as a unified mass of green land surrounded by the blue waters. Is that it? Wow, big deal for humanity! What a freedom that Republican fight was for!
No! That’s not what the fight and the suffering and the deaths of great Irish people were for, not by a long shot!

The southern Republic which Northern Republicans and Nationalists want to amalgamate with has been since its establishment, governed by a carbon copy parliamentary system of Westminister, governed by a parliament that has not been representative of Republicans and has criminalised Republicans like the British have over the years, criminalising them in the same non-jury courts.

So, as the main Republican and Nationalist political party, Sinn Fein, settles itself snugly into the imperial-leather parliamentary seats in Stormont and Dail Eireann – what the hell are they at? They don’t have a plan! Why do they not promote a clear picture of their United Ireland instead of it being an enigma to all?

Well, judge Sinn Fein by their actions, by their comfortableness sitting on the fence. Judge them by their selfishness and lack of humanitarian unity - as demonstrated when they met with Bush and Blair to discuss the peace process at the time they were invading Iraq – the most blatant propaganda stunt imaginable made successful due to Gerry Adams and his party.

Judge the Sinn Fein leadership by their inability to share, as to whether they are for a sharing united Irish society; have they shared leadership of Sinn Fein over the years – No! It’s the same cronies at the top holding the reins, who wont trust anyone else to take control. They own Republicanism, it’s Gerry and Martin’s dream machine.

It has always been Sinn Fein policy to discuss things behind closed doors and leave people guessing until the last minute, which was a necessary security policy at times but which has resulted in a blind following. What is their strategy now while seated in parliament with the enemy, because of the growth of a new support base who haven’t a clue about the age-old Republican goal of a nationalist socialist Republic? They are using Republicanism to further their own interests but it is not the same cause.

Yes they may give some representation to Republicans now in the Dail and Stormont, so what? Will that bring about change? Do their supporters not realise that these parliaments are designed to forbid the opposition win changes over the party in government, to forbid topics being raised which have been deemed by the government appointed Chairman or Ceann Comhairle to be out of order, and so on with their parliamentary house rules, to ensure the status quo control.

Has the politics taken place in those parliaments ever brought about the social change we wanted? The politics of Dail Eireann through the successive governments of the southern people, have embraced the neo-colonial (socio-political-military-industrial) system of united western nations, to allow Irish people work and live as part of it. So yes Irish people have become materialistically richer, and more because of their own labour efforts than because of the politicians guidance of society into capitalism.

I’m not suggesting this growth in wealth has not taken place, I’m not suggesting people in the Republic in the 80’s were not suffering from poverty and that they don’t thank Fianna Fail for saving them then. However, that’s specific to that time, and of course under a different government from the start, things may not have ever got as bad as they did in the 80’s, but those arguments aside… Republicanism is supposed to be about something these parliaments will never offer – securing the social change we want.

For Republicans to trumpet calls for a United Ireland they must explain exactly what they mean by it. Otherwise call on! for a Brown or a Pink Ireland! it makes as much sense. If Republicans cannot be united themselves on Republican principles they how are they to define unity for the diverse Irish society of today. Sinn Fein already named their campaign as a call to ‘End Partition’ as opposed to the traditional Republican call for a ‘United Ireland’ which encompassed so much more to so many more Republicans.

Sinn Fein try to lay claim to being the 100 yr party, as if no changes had taken place to it.
I’m not surprised if their new supporters believe this because Sinn Fein aren’t the party to educate them in what Republicanism is really about.
Republican Sinn Fein have not developed dramatically like Sinn Fein but that doesn’t deny that serious party split and change in the ‘100 yr party’. Forget those who want to rewrite history to their own advantage.

Republicans! Educate yourselves! Create your own views! Take the lead! That’s your way forward as currently you face a most depressing situation but if you believe in yourselves that you are fighting for the same humanitarian causes that Irish people have always been fighting for under various banners, then what Republicanism has become will not hinder you.

Do not blindly accept that Sinn Fein are Republicans unchanged in 100 years – it’s a lie that anyone with basic knowledge and intelligence can see, so challenge them and confront them and question them – if they are your political party. Sinn Fein can claim to own Republicanism, it’s politics and the IRA, but that’s a pathetic claim, as the past and future will prove.

Seek out other Republicans with different views to Sinn Fein. Do your own Republican studies and exercises. Find unity with other revolutionary activists no matter what their banner - who are fighting for the same humanitarian concerns.

See how much closer that will bring you towards realising the true humanitarian goal of a United Ireland - a New Ireland! A successful and influential society of multicultural people who will proudly fight on for global unity and humanity.

Barra