Posted by Jim on February 18, 2018
By Stepen Murney, Saoradh National Secretary
Easter 2017 saw thousands of Irish Republicans march defiant and proud
behind an impressive colour party in Derry at the Unfinished Revolution
Easter commemoration.
Truculently dressed, and following their orders as gaeilge, the 30
strong display marched through the city, before paying their respects to
Ireland’s fallen at Derry city cemetery.
Comrades young and old, male and female, veterans and youths all played
a part in the colour party. This represented the unique and impressive
mixture of activists signifying the diverse make up of Saoradh as an
organisation.
Since this extremely successful event, many members of the colour party
have been arrested, detained and interrogated by the RUC Crown Forces,
clearly nerved at the fact Saoradh can mobilise thousands of
revolutionary republicans on our streets.
Five Saoradh activists have been seized and detained by the RUC in the
past week in Derry alone in relation to this.
Unionist hysteria and Constitutional Nationalist opposition has resulted
in an obvious clampdown of any political alternative to the status quo.
Our enemies, in all guises, clearly don’t want us mobilising and
organising within our communities in this fashion.
They are worried and worried they should be. Our business is revolution
and this is something they fear greatly.
The excuse given for the arrests of our comrades focuses on the clothing
worn by the participants of the Easter march.
This is clearly an absurd excuse given the fact that former republicans
in Sinn Fein can put their activists on the street during commemorations
wearing full combat uniform including replica weapons and balaclavas
unhindered.
Loyalist Death squads can also freely display UDA and UVF insignia on
their clothing at various events whilst the RUC don’t bat an eyelid.
The difference in the treatment meted out by enemy forces is telling.
One rule for some is obvious.
The Unfinished Revolution march in Derry was a display of defiance and
opposition to British Occupation.
Saoradh is a militant, radical movement committed to ending British rule
in Ireland and establishing a socialist Republic. Therefore because of
who we are, and what we represent, we expect to be targeted by the
state.
As an organisation Saoradh will face down any and all attempts by our
enemies to quell dissent. It is our right to remember our fallen
comrades and volunteers in a way we see fitting.
* Saoradh’s annual Easter commemoration takes place on Saturday 31st
March at 2.30pm, leaving from the International Wall in West Belfast.
Posted by Jim on
Poo
An element of sectarianism has surfaced in the the mainstream media as
extreme unionism rallied in opposition to the Irish language this week.
Several major news organisations, including the Irish Times and the
Guardian, used the language of violence to claim Gaelic was being used
by nationalists as “a weapon” in the peace process.
A Guardian editorial sparked anger when it said: “The darker truth here
is that Sinn Fein has chosen to weaponise [the Irish language] for
political ends, less to protect a minority than to antagonise
unionists”, and claimed the small number of Irish speakers in the North
— a result of centuries of persecution — justified it having no
special protection.
At the same time, fringe and militant unionists were given substantial
airtime to rally hatred against the language and the nationalist
community in general.
The worst offender was the BBC, a public broadcaster which is funded by
a television licence. Its presenter, Stephen Nolan, sought to deride the
Irish language by repeating anti-Irish comments previously uttered by
DUP MP Gregory Campbell.
In 2014, Campbell mocked the Irish language expression for ‘Thank you,
Chairperson’ [‘Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Chomhairle’] as “Curry my
yoghurt, can Coca-Cola”. The phrase has since become a catch-cry for
anti-Gaelic sentiment.
On Nolan’s programme, the veteran broadcaster appeared to try to
belittle Niall O Donnghaile, an Irish speaker and Sinn Fein political
representative, by repeating the phrase directly into his face as
elements of the audience laughed.
Nolan’s choice of commentators this week also included extreme
anti-Irish unionist David McNarry, who vowed to tear down signage
carrying words in Gaelic.
“What I am actually advocating is unionism taking a stand now, saying
that ‘look, enough is enough’,” the former MP said. “It wouldn’t be
lawful and I think that is the notice that has to go out because there
will be resentment to this and there will be people who will feel as I
do, don’t want to break laws, never been in trouble in their lives
before but actually want to take a stand.”
Jim Allister of the North’s most extreme unionist party, ‘Traditional
Unionist Voice’, is frequently interviewed by Nolan. This week he sought
to increase hostility to the Irish language and claimed Irish language
legislation could “destabilise Northern Ireland”.
Nolan has also regularly promoted notorious flag protestor Jamie Bryson,
who is associated with widespread loyalist disturbances in 2013. His
frequent appearances on the Nolan Show have been linked to a recent
invitation to address a meeting of a Westminster parliamentary
committee. The leader of the cross-community Alliance Party, Naomi Long,
this week refused to appear before the committee because of Bryson’s
attendance.
In response to the media assault on his language, Irish speaker and
commentator Seamas O’Reilly wrote: “Why on earth should we indulge the
whims of people so systemically racist that they are ‘antagonised’ by
people speaking their native language in their own country?
“Why should that kind of small-mindedness be taken as a given?”
Posted by Jim on
There is mounting concern that unionists in the north of Ireland are
incapable of treating nationalists with respect after the DUP suddenly
backed away from a deal which would have legislated for the rights for
Irish language speakers.
Twelve years after the DUP first signed up to an Irish Language Act in
the St Andrews Agreement, its senior members became panicked this week
by the prospect of that finally coming to pass. The legislation could
have meant the language becoming visible in unionist areas and would
have paved the way for the return of power-sharing in the north of
Ireland.
However, the arrival into Belfast of the British Prime Minister and
Irish Taoiseach on Monday, amid reports that a deal was to be signed,
generated a sectarian backlash among unionist extremists. On Wednesday
the nonplussed DUP leader Arlene Foster announced that the talks were at
an end.
Her party’s refusal to accept official status for the Irish language has
become a symbol of the party’s sense of supremacy over the nationalist
community, as well as its refusal to accept the ‘parity of esteem’
referred to in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The DUP has also refused to countenance the prospect of marriage
equality, adding to a growing conviction that the DUP may never yield on
equality issues.
British Direct Ruler Karen Bradley is due to update MPs at Westminster
next week, amid speculation of a possible Assembly election or a return
to full Direct Rule from London. Speaking during a walkabout in Belfast
on Friday, she said it had been “a difficult week” but said she believed
there was still a way to restore powersharing in Belfast.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said ‘a draft agreement was in
place’ before the DUP walked away from it. She revealed that there had
actually been a compromise plan for three related pieces of legislation,
on the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and cultural diversity.
However, Mrs Foster has insisted no draft agreement was in place. “I
regret that we didn’t reach an agreement because they were insisting on
having this free-standing Irish language act,” she said.
Both parties have refused to reveal specific details of the
negotiations, insisting that confidentiality is still required because
the process could e revived at some stage. No imminent attempt to
restart the talks is likely.
Sinn Fein negotiator Conor Murphy said that the “good faith” that has
existed during the negotiations “evaporated” with the DUP move on
Wednesday.
“We had reached an accommodation, everyone involved in the process
understood that, and the DUP failed to close the deal in relation to
that and abruptly called a halt to proceedings,” he said.
The 26 County Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, said the
collapse of negotiations was “hugely disappointing” and insisted there
was “no appetite” for a return to full Direct Rule from London. He said
he believed an “accommodation” on the key disputes was close and the
parties were just hammering out how the “basket of legislation” could be
presented.
“We didn’t see a final text from the two parties but we had a clear
understanding of where this was going,” Mr Coveney said.
At a press conference in Belfast, the Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald
said that by the end of last week the DUP and Sinn Fein had agreed a
draft agreement to restore Stormont. “At that time we advised the DUP
leadership that the deal should be closed before those opposed to it
could unpick what we had achieved,” she said.
But the DUP leader Arlene Foster said no draft agreement was in place
and that Sinn Fein “certainly didn’t have an offer of an Irish language
act”.
She later said she would not agree to anything that “diminishes the
Britishness of Northern Ireland” and claimed a Sinn Fein insistence on
the Irish Language Act would “hold Northern Ireland to ransom”.
“I am not going to do anything that will impinge on the lives of those
of us who don’t engage with the Irish language,” she said.
She accused the new Sinn Fein leader of “bullying” and “trying to put
out propaganda.” She added that full Direct Rule “is always a second
best option… but it is the only option at the moment.”
Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who has remained involved in the
negotiations, insisted progress had been made despite the “step back” by
the DUP.
“The focus now is on getting the final bits and pieces tied down and
producing an agreement that is fair and balanced, based on equality and
the rights of citizens, and which creates the opportunity for more
progress in the time ahead,” he said.
“In a very real sense this is the last chance agreement.”
Posted by Jim on
There is mounting concern that unionists in the north of Ireland are
incapable of treating nationalists with respect after the DUP suddenly
backed away from a deal which would have legislated for the rights for
Irish language speakers.
Twelve years after the DUP first signed up to an Irish Language Act in
the St Andrews Agreement, its senior members became panicked this week
by the prospect of that finally coming to pass. The legislation could
have meant the language becoming visible in unionist areas and would
have paved the way for the return of power-sharing in the north of
Ireland.
However, the arrival into Belfast of the British Prime Minister and
Irish Taoiseach on Monday, amid reports that a deal was to be signed,
generated a sectarian backlash among unionist extremists. On Wednesday
the nonplussed DUP leader Arlene Foster announced that the talks were at
an end.
Her party’s refusal to accept official status for the Irish language has
become a symbol of the party’s sense of supremacy over the nationalist
community, as well as its refusal to accept the ‘parity of esteem’
referred to in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The DUP has also refused to countenance the prospect of marriage
equality, adding to a growing conviction that the DUP may never yield on
equality issues.
British Direct Ruler Karen Bradley is due to update MPs at Westminster
next week, amid speculation of a possible Assembly election or a return
to full Direct Rule from London. Speaking during a walkabout in Belfast
on Friday, she said it had been “a difficult week” but said she believed
there was still a way to restore powersharing in Belfast.
Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said ‘a draft agreement was in
place’ before the DUP walked away from it. She revealed that there had
actually been a compromise plan for three related pieces of legislation,
on the Irish language, Ulster-Scots and cultural diversity.
However, Mrs Foster has insisted no draft agreement was in place. “I
regret that we didn’t reach an agreement because they were insisting on
having this free-standing Irish language act,” she said.
Both parties have refused to reveal specific details of the
negotiations, insisting that confidentiality is still required because
the process could e revived at some stage. No imminent attempt to
restart the talks is likely.
Sinn Fein negotiator Conor Murphy said that the “good faith” that has
existed during the negotiations “evaporated” with the DUP move on
Wednesday.
“We had reached an accommodation, everyone involved in the process
understood that, and the DUP failed to close the deal in relation to
that and abruptly called a halt to proceedings,” he said.
The 26 County Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, said the
collapse of negotiations was “hugely disappointing” and insisted there
was “no appetite” for a return to full Direct Rule from London. He said
he believed an “accommodation” on the key disputes was close and the
parties were just hammering out how the “basket of legislation” could be
presented.
“We didn’t see a final text from the two parties but we had a clear
understanding of where this was going,” Mr Coveney said.
At a press conference in Belfast, the Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald
said that by the end of last week the DUP and Sinn Fein had agreed a
draft agreement to restore Stormont. “At that time we advised the DUP
leadership that the deal should be closed before those opposed to it
could unpick what we had achieved,” she said.
But the DUP leader Arlene Foster said no draft agreement was in place
and that Sinn Fein “certainly didn’t have an offer of an Irish language
act”.
She later said she would not agree to anything that “diminishes the
Britishness of Northern Ireland” and claimed a Sinn Fein insistence on
the Irish Language Act would “hold Northern Ireland to ransom”.
“I am not going to do anything that will impinge on the lives of those
of us who don’t engage with the Irish language,” she said.
She accused the new Sinn Fein leader of “bullying” and “trying to put
out propaganda.” She added that full Direct Rule “is always a second
best option… but it is the only option at the moment.”
Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who has remained involved in the
negotiations, insisted progress had been made despite the “step back” by
the DUP.
“The focus now is on getting the final bits and pieces tied down and
producing an agreement that is fair and balanced, based on equality and
the rights of citizens, and which creates the opportunity for more
progress in the time ahead,” he said.
“In a very real sense this is the last chance agreement.”
Posted by Jim on February 16, 2018