IRPWA: DIRTY PROTEST NELL’ALA E3 DELLA PRIGIONE DI PORTLAOISE

E’ con grande rammarico che l’IRPWA invita la famiglia repubblicanaa a sostenere ancora una volta i POWs (prisoner of war, ndr) nella loro protesta contro la palese ingiustizia del sistema carcerario in Irlanda.
L’IRPWA è stata incaricata dai POWs repubblicani a precisare come e perché si è verificatoa questa protesta e di chiarirne le ragioni
Una protesta è attualmente in corso nell’ala E3 di Portlaoise Prison a causa della sospensione dei programmi di ‘rilascio temporaneo’ (TR, temporary release ndr) e del ‘rilascio compassionevole’ (CR, compassionate release ndr). E ‘ convinzione dei POW’s che questa sia una ritorsione alle azioni dell’ IRA nelle sei contee occupate, infatti, l’Irish Prison Service ha incaricato alcuni dei suoi portavoce a chiedere all’OC (Officer Commanding, ndr) dell’ala E3 se ‘crede nel frontiera’!
La situazione attuale è la seguente: due prigionieri repubblicani (Vinny Kelly e Justin McCarthy) sono attualmente impegnati in una no wash/dirty protest, non in una blanket protest come inizialmente lasciato trapelare.
Ad intervalli di tempo, tutti i POWs repubblicani aderiranno alla protesta, e in quella fase, vi sarà la sua escalation.
Il rappresentante dell’Irish Prison Service e il governatore hanno chiesto all’OC di riconsiderare la posizione dei POWs in attesa di un colloquio con il Free State Government. L’unica concessione dei POW sè stata di ritardare l’adesione di altri uomini alla protesta per un breve periodo di tempo per dare loro la possibilità di risolvere il problema. E’ impressione dell’IRPWA, che questa finestra di opportunità si chiuderà rapidamente e per questo ci appelliamo a tutti coloro che sono coinvolti nel Free State Government e nell’Irish Prison Service, a compiere notevoli sforzi per risolvere questa situazione intollerabile, non appena possibile.

Seguono il comunicato ufficiale dell’IRPWA e il comunicato ufficiale dei POW dell’ala E3 di Portlaoise Prison all’Irish Prison Service

Protest on E3 Portlaoise Gaol (IRPWA)
It is with great regret that the IRPWA call upon the republican family to once again support POW’s in their protest against the blatant injustice of the Prison system in Ireland.
The IRPWA have been tasked by the republican POW’s to state how and why this protest has occurred and to clarify the facts of this protest.
A protest is currently underway on E3 Portlaoise due to the suspension of the temporary release (TR) and compassionate release (CR) programmes. It is the belief of the POW’s that this has happened due to IRA actions in the occupied six counties, indeed the Irish Prison Service have indicated this much and one of their spokespersons has even asked the OC of E3 if he ‘Believed in the border’!
The situation at present is as follows: Two republicans prisoners (Vinny Kelly and Justin McCarthy) are currently involved in a no wash/dirty protest, NOT on the blanket as some have suggested. At intervals republican POW’s will join this protest until the whole landing is on protest , at this stage the protest will escalate.
The Irish Prison Service representative and the Governor have asked the Officer Commanding to reconsider the POW’s stance pending talks with the Free State government, the only concession the POW’s have been willing to make at this stage is to delay further men joining the protest for a short period to give them a chance to resolve the issue. It is the understanding of the IRPWA that this window of opportunity is fast closing and we would urge all those involved in the Free State government and the Irish Prison Service to make strenuous efforts to resolve this intolerable situation as soon as possible.

Statement from Republican Prisoners E3 to the Irish Prison Service.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) states in its mission statement that one of its goals is to try to maintain relationships between prisoners and their families. This is one of the reasons for it’s Temporary Release (TR) programme. When a prisoner is released his chances of settling back into normal family relationships are improved. The programme was also to help prisoners to seek housing accommodation and social welfare payments and help further their education upon release.
The process for Political prisoners has always been compassionate on TR. We have always obeyed the rules set out surrounding releases of this nature. We have always maintained the integrity of being Republican prisoners by returning on time and there has never been an issue with this. We recognise the importance of these releases on the grounds that if we are to maintain family ties important events must be attended. In the past the IPS has allowed Republican prisoners to attend funerals of family and loved ones. It has also allowed for important religious events such as Christenings, First Holy Communions and Confirmations.
It has recently stopped all of this without any explanation being given. Examples of this include denials of applications to attend children’s First Holy Communions and funerals of close relatives. One application was submitted when a Republican prisoner’s only aunt passed away and the application came back denied after the funeral had already taken place. Another application was denied for a prisoner to attend the funeral of his twin’s mother and denied again for the twins Confirmation eight months after the death of their mother.
We the Republican prisoners of E3 landing will not tolerate this blatant discrimination and unjust treatment. It is only following recenet events in the six counties that this unfair treatment of our prisoners has intensified. We believe it is directly related and until the IPS and the Governor of Portlaoise Prison are willing to stop this harassment and mistreatment of all Republican prisoners we will commence protest. We will not be used as leverage for the British and Free State governments.

Protesta per Terry McCafferty

Ieri a Belfast c'e stato una protesta per Terry McCafferty. Abbiamo anche scoperti che persone dello Sinn Fein hanno cancellati gli scritti sui muri di Free Terry McCafferty, questa fa vedere quanto è cambiato lo Sinn Fein. Invece di sostenire i prigioniere vogliono nascondere la loro esisenza e il fatto che un ragazzo è stato arrestato senza motivi, poco prima di natale, il suo primo natale a casa in 6 anni. Ecco un video della protesta ieri a Belfast.

Terry McCafferty

Il 32 County Sovereignty Movement ha emesso un comunicato datato 22 dicembre richiedendo l’immediata scarcerazione di Terry McCafferty, arrestato a 4 mesi dal suo rilascio senza un’accusa precisa.
Il 32CSM lo ha qualificato come una molestia nei confronti di un repubblicano e della sua famiglia, ipotizzando anche un atto di ripicca contro la liberazione dei Four Derry, avvenuta nei giorni scorsi, dopo che il processo nei loro confronti è miseramente controllato alla Special Criminal Court di Dublino.

E’ in programma una manifestazione per il 24 dicembre alle ore 15 a Dunville Park, Falls Road, Belfast.

Ecco il testo del comunicato

32 County Sovereignty Movement
22/12/2008

Free Terry McCafferty now
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement call for the immediate release of North Belfast Republican Terry McCafferty who was returned to Maghaberry gaol last night just four weeks after being released having served half of a 12 year sentence for his part in Republican activity in Belfast.
Terry McCafferty was returning from a holiday in Spain with his family when he was arrested and told he was being returned to Maghaberry having had his license revoked by British secretary of state Paul Goggins.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement view this action as blatant harassment of a Republican and his family just before Christmas. We have little doubt that there is no reason to revoke Terry’s license and we believe it may be a spiteful reaction to the release of the Derry 4 last Friday. It is quite clear that MI5 did not get the result they wanted in the Special Criminal Court in Dublin and they have ordered that Terry be imprisoned due to the fact that he has been recently released and his first Christmas with his family for years is approaching, It was designed to cause maximum misery to Republicans
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement call on all Republicans to unite to ensure that this spiteful action be overturned immediately.

50 I PRIGIONIERI REPUBBLICANI ANCORA IN CARCERE

Sono passati dieci anni da quando nel 1998 vennero aperte le porte del Maze ai detenuti repubblicani e lealisti nel rispetto di quanto stabilito dall’Accordo del Venerdì Santo (Good Friday Agreement n.d.r.).
Ad oggi sono circa 50 i detenuti ancora rinchiusi nelle carceri sia in Irlanda del Nord, che nella Repubblica di Irlanda.
31 si trovano in una sezione separta del carcere di Maghaberry. Quasi tutti appartenenti alla Continuity IRA ed alcuni affiliati alla Real IRA. L’unico di questi ad aver usufruito della scarcerazione fu John Brady originario di Strabane. Rilasciato nel 1998, venne arrestato nuovamente nel 2004 e successivamente scarcerato sulla base dell’inattendibilità della prova del DNA. Questo non ha significato la libertà per John brady, in quanto ora si trova a dover scontare un condanna all’ergastolo precedente.
Nel carcere di Portlaoise Co Laois, la stragrande maggioranza dei detenuti repubblicani sono affiliati al Real IRA, di cui un nome di spicco è Michael McKevitt.
Ci sono otto prigionieri appartenenti all’INLA a Portlaoise, la maggior parte in custodia preventiva in attesa di processo per accuse che vanno dal appartenenza all’organizzazione, al possesso di armi.
Infine sono 2 i prigionieri che si trovano al di fuori del territorio irlandese. Michael Campbell (36) originario di Dundalk, è stato arrestato in Lituania perchè sospettato di acquistare armi da fuoco ed esplosivi per la Real IRA.
Noel Maguire, condannato insieme ad altri quattro uomini per attentati della Real IRA a Londra e sta scontando una condanna di 22 anni in un carcere nel Cambridgeshire (Regno Unito).
All’inizio di questo mese il ministro della giustizia irlandese Dermot Ahern, rifiutato l’eenesima richiesta avanzata da Maguire per il trasferimento di Portlaoise, dicendo che egli non è riuscito a dimostrare di avere legami familiari nel Paese.

50 republicans still in prison - Dissident violence has to stop
History was made in 1998 when the gates of the Maze prison opened and republican and loyalist inmates were freed under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
But 10 years on from their early release – agreed as part of efforts to consign the Troubles to history – there are around 50 republican prisoners in jails north and south of the border.
Maghaberry jail has 31 inmates housed in its republican ‘separated’ unit.
The only one to have had his early release licence revoked is John Brady from Strabane.
Released from the Maze in 1998 after serving seven years for the murder of RUC reservist David Black in 1989, he was arrested in 2004 and charged with allegedly attempting to kill a part-time RIR soldier two years earlier.
The charge was later dropped by the Public Prosecution Service, which had been due to rely on controversial ‘low copy number’ DNA evidence but he remains in jail for the previous life sentence.
The majority of republican prisoners in Maghaberry are affiliated with Continuity IRA, with a handful of Real IRA prisoners also held on the wing.
Also in Maghaberry are two of the four men convicted of the Provisional IRA kidnapping of veteran republican Bobby Tohill in 2004.
Tommy Tolan and Gerard McCrory, both from west Belfast, handed themselves in to police in January 2007 after a period of being unlawfully at large.
In Portlaoise prison in Co Laois, the vast majority of republican inmates are affiliated to the Real IRA.
The most high-profile of these is Michael McKevitt, serving a 20-year jail term for directing terrorism. One of the founding members of the Real IRA, the veteran republican has since turned his back on his former associates.
There are eight alleged INLA prisoners in Portlaoise, the majority on remand awaiting trial for charges ranging from membership of the organisation to possession of weapons.
Armagh man Declan Duffy is among them, having been arrested earlier this year and charged with membership.
West Belfast man Gerard Mackin has also been in Portlaoise and is now on trial in Dublin’s Special Criminal Court charged with the murder of Eddie Burns in the city in March last year.
Two other republican prisoners are being held in jails outside of Ireland.
Dundalk man Michael Campbell (36) is being detained in Lithuania on suspicion of buying firearms and explosives for the Real IRA.
The last republican prisoner in England, Noel Maguire, was convicted along with four other men for a Real IRA bombing campaign and is serving 22 years in a prison in Cambridgeshire.
Earlier this month the Republic’s justice minister Dermot Ahern turned down a request by Maguire for transfer to Portlaoise, saying he had failed to prove he has family links in the jurisdiction.

http://thefivedemands.wordpress.com/2008/11/21/50-i-prigionieri-repubblicani-ancora-in-carcere/

Lavori dei POW in vendita

Abbiamo in vendita lavori artigianato e questi lavori sono disponibile per la vendita, dove i soldi vanno ad aiutare i POW e la loro famiglia. Ogni lavoro e firmato da tutti gli POW che si trovando in galera al momento. Eccovi qualche lavoro che e in vendita. Per informazione e prezzi mandi un mail a napoli32csm@gmail.com

Protesta per Michael Campbell

IRPWA ha tenuto una protesta all’ambasciata lituana a Ballsbridge, Dublino il 8th novembre alle 13 in sostegno di Michael Campbell un uomo irlandese tenuto correntemente in un prigione a Vilnius.

CARCERI: ALFANO INCONTRA MINISTRO GIUSTIZIA IRLANDESE

(AGI) - Roma, 17 ott. - Il ministro della Giustizia Angelino Alfano ha ricevuto in via Arenula il ministro della Giustizia irlandese Dermot Ahern, che aveva chiesto un incontro a Roma con il Guardasigilli per conoscere piu’ da vicino la realta’ carceraria dell’Italia e le politiche in materia. A renderlo noto e’ l’ufficio stampa del dicastero di via Arenula Nel corso di un lungo e cordiale colloquio, il ministro Alfano ha illustrato priorita’ e peculiarita’ dell’amministrazione penitenziaria italiana. Il Guardasigilli - conclude la nota dell’ufficio stampa - ha molto apprezzato il vivo interesse mostrato da uno Stato di antica tradizione democratica, come l’Irlanda, nei confronti dell’esperienza italiana nella complessa gestione del mondo carcerario. (AGI)

Red/Oll

Fonte

Mah Ahern viene qua per parlare della gestione del mondo carcerario quando in irlanda lui lascia morire i ragazzi in galera come Kevin Murray e dopo tutto cio che è successo in settimana con Aidan???? Ma Ahern ci prenda in giro o è cretino puro?

Irlanda. Il prigioniero repubblicano Aidan Hulme riceve cure

La mobilitazione umanitaria internazionale alla fine ha vinto. Il prigioniero repubblicano irlandese Aidan Hulme, detenuto nel carcere di Portlaoise, che da mesi aspettava urgenti cure mediche, è stato finalmente visitato da uno specialista. E potrà anche essere portato in una struttura esterna al penitenziario.
L'agenzia di stampa Inedita, durante la scorsa settimana, aveva portato la notizia in Italia, che poi era stata ripresa dal quotidiano nazionale Rinascita con un'intervista al portavoce italiano del movimento 32Csm (County sovereignity movement), Saoirse Harte. Inoltre era stata subito interpellata l'ambasciata irlandese. Martedì Inedita ha ricevuto una mail dall'ufficio stampa della rappresentanza in Italia di Dublino. “L'addetto stampa – spiegavano - ha ricevuto la risposta dall'Irish Prisoner Service, i quali riferiscono che il prigioniero in questione ha ricevuto tutte le cure mediche necessarie ed è anche stato portato in visita ad un ospedale esterno”. Dall'Irlanda, invece, confermavano le gravi condizioni di Aidan. Poi la buona notizia, giunta in Italia ieri sera.
“L'Irpwa (Irish republican prisoners welfare association) accoglie con favore gli ultimi sviluppi della campagna per Aidan Hulme. Il direttore del penitenziario di Portlaoise si è accordato con i prigionieri e ha dato il permesso ad Aidan di essere visitato anche all'esterno”. “Oggi (era ieri 15 ottobre 2008) il prigioniero è stato visitato ed è arrivata la conferma che la cancrena al piede non è presente e i sintomi sono risultato di una grave infezione”. Ora, gli accordi sono che il personale dell'ospedale visiterà Aidan per “pulire le superfici infettate del suo piede” e per “impedire un'ulteriore diffusione dell'infezione”. Inoltre è stato assicurato che entro la fine del mese sarà pianificato e sviluppato un programma per dare le cure necessarie al prigioniero, permettendo così un controllo continuo della sua salute.
“L'Irpwa a nome dei Pow (Prigionieri di guerra) vuole ringraziare le persone che si sono mosse per sostenere Aidan – ha detto la responsabile dell'associazione dei prigionieri repubblicani, Marian Price - Vorremmo estendere il ringraziamento a quelle organizzazioni repubblicane che hanno dato il proprio supporto per assicurare ad Aidan un intervento medico immediato. Aidan è molto riconoscente per tutto il supporto che ha ricevuto ed estende il suo apprezzamento sincero a tutti le persone che si sono mobilitate”.
Inedita ha inoltre raccolto le dichiarazioni di Saoirse Harte, il portavoce italiano del 32Csm, che ha voluto “ringraziare i media italiani che si sono mobilitati per la causa di Aidan Hulme, in particolare il quotidiano Rinascita e l'agenzia di stampa Inedita”.
Così da oggi in poi il prigioniero irlandese Hulme dovrebbe ricevere (e il condizionale in un caso del genere è purtroppo d'obbligo) le necessarie cure mediche. Adesso però i due governi d'Irlanda dovrebbero imparare a non trattare come cittadini di “serie b” i militanti della causa repubblicana, per non dover mai più temere per la sorta di alcun prigioniero o peggio piangere ragazzi come Kevin Murray, lasciato a morire in carcere senza alcuna cura specialistica

http://www.agenziainedita.it

Republican POW's protest at denial of Temporary Release

IRPWA: Republican POW's protest at denial of Temporary Release
Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association
31/05/2008

Republican POW’s protest at denial of Temporary Release.

On Friday 30th May, Republican prisoners on E3 wing, Portlaoise Gaol refused to lock up for a period of an hour in protest at the denial of the Minister of Justice to grant Temporary Release to two prisoners to attend their children’s first holy communion. The POW’s were joined in the protest by prisoners allegedly aligned to the Irish National Liberation Army on E4. The prisoners, Justin McCarthy from Dundalk and Shane Hickey from Cork, were denied TR without an explanation from the Ministry of Justice, this despite the fact that other prisoners, with different perceived affiliations have been granted TR for the same reasons recently.
The prisoners and the IRPWA are convinced that this denial of TR is based upon the perceived affiliations of the prisoners involved and is directly linked to attacks by the IRA in the six counties.
The Officer Commanding of E3 made it clear to the governor of Portlaoise that this was a protest against Dermot Ahern and not against the prison which he accepted.
The IRPWA condemn the Minister of Justice for his pathetic and petty minded attempts to punish Republican POW’s and their families and we salute the IRA and INLA prisoners for the principled stance they have taken in order to highlight this injustice.

Orla Brady interview on Radio Free Eireann

Orla Brady recently gave an interview on Radio Free Eireann regarding the internment on remand of her partner Gary Donnelly together with his comrades in Portlaoise gaol.She also takes us through the raiding of her house by British crown forces whilst her partner was interned.

Republicans are still being interned on remand

Republicans are still being interned on remand

To be a republican today with a belief in ending British rule in the six counties and restoring national sovereignty and re-unification is a crime in the eyes of the 26-county administration. To campaign politically in pursuit of these aims is so great a crime that you could find yourself effectively interned and spending a considerable number of years in prison as a result.


At present they are a substantial number of people in prison on a ‘membership’ charge with no evidence to substantiate this but the opinion of a garda. This is nothing new for republicans for whom injustice is no stranger. Internment aimed at Republicans has been a regular occurrence throughout the history of the 26 county state. In the six counties, the British have not been as blatant to intern people openly, at present, for reasons of political expediency. Instead they have chosen the option of planting falsified evidence and attempted frame ups, fortunately, they have been exposed in quite a number of cases.


However, it seems that the British are preparing to copy the tactics of their Free State allies and evidence of an ever increasing campaign of criminalisation is the forbear to the introduction of the draconian measures already employed in the 26 counties.


That such measures are used by our enemies is no surprise, the Republican cause is used as a jackboot of British imperialism and their Free State lackeys. Unjust and repressive measures like these are necessary to keep such corrupt and undemocratic institutions like the Free State and the six county state-let in existence. Perhaps the most hypocritical aspect of this is that those who deploy these repressive measures masquerade as ‘republicans’ and every Easter are quick to seen paying homage to Pearse, Connolly and the martyrs of Easter week.


Martin McGuinness once proclaimed in a Free State court room that he was a member of the Derry Brigade and “very, very proud of it” and received a six-month jail sentence. At present there are Republicans who are serving six years for membership despite there being no evidence.


On Easter Sunday Martin McGuinness joined Bertie Ahern in Dublin to observe a free state military parade in his capacity as a Crown minister, no doubt to bolster the relationship between the Crown and the Free State. This should be an ominous warning to Republicans in the occupied territory that McGuinness and the rest of the British executive is ready to follow Bertie’s lead and introduce internment by remand. As McGuinness stood with Bertie watching the parade of the perpetrators of Ballyseedy and those responsible for the execution of Republicans, the Crown force which he gives allegiances to (RUC/PSNI) was in the streets of the Creggan harassing Republicans and intimidating nationalist children.


Nevertheless, Republicans should take heart that we still hold true to the ideals and aspirations of the Proclamation.


We have not besmirched the name of republicanism by such acts as allowing imperialist murderers to use our airports while on their way to slaughter innocent people, we have not dishonoured republicanism by being mired in corruption and sleaze, we’ve not tried to desecrate our national heritage by running a motorway thorough the Hill of Tara and by not selling our resources to greedy capitalist companies such as Shell. Yes, today in Ireland those in power see republicanism as a crime yet the sectarian drug dealing UDA are received by the President like old friends and Martin McGuinness rubs shoulders in Washington with war criminals like George Bush.


Gary Donnelly


Paddy McDaid


Mickey Gallagher


Marty O’Neill


E3 Portlaoise.

32 County Sovereignty Movement Cork Commemoration

Oration by Marian Price

It is indeed a great honour and privilege to be invited here today, to the rebel county, to give the oration at this years commemoration of the 92nd anniversary of the Easter Rising.

This city and county has a long and proud history in the struggle for Irish Independence, a struggle to end British Parliamentary Activity in Ireland.

Today you the people of Cork are not only upholding the ideals of the leaders of 1916, you are remembering them with the pride and honour they deserve.

When the Proclamation was written it was done so with vision and spelt out clearly the legality of the Provisional Government.

The legality of that position in 1916 is as relevant to the Irish people today as it was then because Ireland today remains under British occupation.

The British Home Rule preference of that era remains the preferred choice of the present day British Government.

Unfortunately and sadly, former comrades have joined the ranks of the Home Rulers and have moved to the British agenda with the continuance of British Rule in Ireland and are now actively administering that rule.

Today those same people will besmirch the name republican as they use and abuse the proud name republican to bolster their own ego’s and to bolster their failed agenda.

Here in the 26 counties the people gave PSF their answer at the last election, when they decided there wasn’t room for two Fianna Fail’s.

PSF and Fianna Fail are two sides of the same coin and today both are competing for a share of the same things.

PSF have failed their own people and their Southern project is dead in the water. At their Ard Fheis it was acknowledged their Northern leadership failed the South because of their partitionist mindset.

I do not see the Southern project being resurrected as their policies are now in conflict between North and South and between the socialist left and the conservative right.

This begs the question, would James Connolly a signatory of the Proclamation have reached this position?

Would Padraig Pearse have entered negotiations that refused to address the core cause of conflict and accept the perpetuation of British Rule and continue to facilitate it with the public decommissioning of arms, end the struggle without any republican gains and criminalize Irish men and Irish women who continue to oppose British Rule in Ireland, who continue to oppose the partition of our country and who oppose the continuation of sectarian strife in the occupied six counties.

Today just like 92 years ago there is the ongoing effort to criminalize the republican position, criminalize and vilify us for putting forward the legality of our position and for stating clearly just as Pearse did that Ireland unfree will never be at peace.

History has taught us there will always be opposition to the occupation of any part of the Irish Nation.

The criminalization I refer to takes many forms with vilification of individuals, the intimidation of our members and brutal beatings resulting in serious injury by the PSNI.

The PSNI in conjunction with MI5 are actively targeting individuals in a pattern just as they done under their former name the RUC and we believe they are deliberately setting up people for murder.

In the past weeks we are aware of suspicious activity across the 6 Counties emanating from the British military presence and we are certain that circumstances prevented the murder of at least one individual.

In the days and weeks ahead we appeal to the republican base in the occupied territory to be vigilant in the face of this serious threat and to report all suspicious activity to the 32 CSM, no matter how insignificant you think it is. It could save some one’s life.

Amazingly the quislings in Dublin and Stormont have not uttered a word of condemnation, instead their public pronouncements are that of continuing such practices and by giving their support to an unacceptable police force they are supporting such practices and supporting British political policing in Ireland.

Those who claim the PSNI are not involved in political policing are liars and are involved in the cover up to conceal the extent of their involvement in carrying out British practices in the occupied 6 Counties.

This very month the PSF leader in Leinster House, in response to Fine Gael criticism of the continued existence of the PIRA Army council, stated that the core reason for its existence was to act as a bulwark against the growing influence of so called dissident republicanism particularly in the border area. It now seems that a new slogan is required for them, ‘With an MI5 agent in one hand and a private militia in the other we’ll secure British rule in Ireland.’

We in the 32 CSM could never and will not accept such practices, that fails the Irish people, practices that fail to uphold the sovereignty of the Irish people and practices that allows a foreign government to maintain their illegal presence through the use of force, intimidation, threat and murder.

In our discussion document Dismantling Partition we recognize the strengths and weakness’ of the republican position following the damage that it has withstood when former leaders accepted the British agenda in the GFA. We are confident that the position we adopted prior to the GFA, with our challenge lodged in the UN, secured the basic tenet of the republican position and by so doing we have set out a course to pursue that challenge.

We recognize in the present climate we cannot do it alone and we recognize that by uniting the separatist position across the republican base republicanism will realign itself to the position of the 1916 leaders.

In doing so we are confident that together republicans will make a difference in upholding the Proclamation and in so doing uphold the right of the Irish people to National Self-determination. In other words uphold the Sovereignty of the Irish Nation.

The Republican Unity Initiative has the capabilities to promote debate, discussion and formulate republican strategy based on democratic principles, agreement and decision.

Republicanism divided into factions only assists those who are content to ignore us.

They refuse to challenge our analysis, our position leaves them uncomfortable so they have to retreat to ignore us in the hope we will go away.

That is not going to happen, we in the 32CSM know that with debate and understanding across the republican base, republicans will come together just as they done in 1916 and that with such unity the republican position cannot be ignored.

Who would have thought that as we prepare for the centenary of the1916 rising in 8 years time that we would be back at the same position as they were in the coming together of the differing organizations to present the true challenge based on truth and justice.

In 1916 their leaders came together to thwart the push for Home Rule and by doing so they lit the torch of freedom.

Their analysis in the Proclamation was correct.

They were vilified by the British and by the Home Rulers and because they set out with the right analysis, their position was ratified by the Irish people two short years later.

The people of Ireland elected them based on that analysis and they formed the first Dail Eireann. The Brits refused to accept the democratic will of the Irish people and executed our national government because it was an Irish agenda and like today they refused to accept anything outside their own agenda.

Does that sound familiar in to day’s terms.

Over the past year republicans have come together with their first tentative steps in discussion and debate and have united with a number of projects such as the Wolfe Tone commemoration, the anti- British policing debate and in the Truth and Lies debate remembering the victims of Bloody Sunday in Derry.

We continue to extend the hand of friendship to all republican organizations and individuals to come together in debate and discussion so that the real challenge based on firm analysis can be pursued to end British parliamentary activity in Ireland.

That is what the men and women of 1916 gave their lives for and that is the only solution to end conflict and strife in Ireland.

As the realignment of the Home Rulers begins to crack and divide, republicans should be seeking to unite the republican position to promote the challenge and capitalize on the flaws of our opponent’s position.

Let us move forward from today with more tiny steps on the road to unity so that we can grow and look to 2016 with a shared confidence for the 100th Anniversary of a significant historic event.

An event that has left us in the position we find ourselves today by successive intransigent British Governments.

We have a serious and sincere challenge, let us develop it with a unified republican position.

Go Raibh Maith Agat.

Maltreatment of POWs Will Not Be Tolerated

PRESS RELEASE: 32 COUNTY SOVEREIGNTY MOVEMENT 26/03/2008 32 CSM warn ill treatment of republican POW's will not be tolerated. The 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association and the wider republican family will not tolerate any further attacks on republican prisoners such as that carried out by the prison riot squad against republican remand prisoner Anton Craig. Anton, 23 from the Short Strand area of Belfast was returning from the canteen with his food when he was told to remove an Easter Lilly which the prison officer told him was a 'sectarian emblem'. As a republican Anton obviously refused and was then informed that he was on a charge and would face punishment for refusing an order. Anton proceeded to his cell where he staged a token protest by wrecking up certain items such as table, chairs and other furniture. At around 4.30-5.00 pm, eight members of the prison's riot squad entered Anton's cell and seriously assaulted him leaving him black and blue. They rammed his face into the cell floor asking him who ordered him to protest and calling him 'nothing but a provie bastard'. The riot squad also trashed the sink, toilet and electrics in his cell. As a consequence of the actions of the prison staff, Anton Craig has been sitting in a cell with out electric, washing facilities and a toilet that will not flush since Easter Sunday, there is nothing in his cell but a bed. A number of other prisoners were charged with wearing lilies and were charged, adjudicated on and sent to the punishment block the next day for 48 hours, all are back on the republican wing whereas Anton has yet to be adjudicated on and is facing up to seven days solitary confinement on top of the punishment he is already enduring. The republican movement urge all republicans to resist this criminalisation and to support republican prisoners in their battle for political status. The attitude of the prison staff against republicans is nothing but the attitude of the British to Irish republican separatists in microcosm. The republican base can no longer and will no longer endure attacks on republicanism either within the prisons or outside their walls.

Statement From Portlaoise POW's

This year marks the 7th anniversary of the death of volunteer Kevin Murray due to the neglect of the Free State prison service and yet again Republican POW's are suffereing under this regime. At this moment Aidan Hulme is lying in a cell in Portlaoise in severe pain due to a motor accident that occured proior to his incarceration by British forces over six years ago.
Since his return home over a year ago he has still not recieved the surgical attention he requires in order to relieve his pain and aid his mobility. His hope in returning to Ireland was that his fellow country men would help in his plight, but all he has recieved is a deaf ear and a daily dose of 23 tablets and a morphine patch.
The more Aidan complains the more the authorities attempt to silence him with more and more medication when all that is required is a simple operation.
Republican prisoners have experienced this before, Kevin Murray made numerous complaints to the medical staff in the prison and was given glasses for 'bad eyesight' when in actual fact he had a brain tumour.
Aidan was offered an amputation in England despite the fact that a relatively simple operation would solve his problem. Recently he needed to go to hospital but was forced to wait a day and a half owing to the fact that he is a political prisoner whereas criminals have much better access than republicans.
The state of medical attention is sub standard with delays of days to see a doctor and months to see a dentist. This situation is intolerable and we will not wait for the death of another comrade before we act.

Republican POW's
E3 Wing
Portlaoise.


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MEDICAL NEGLECT AT PORTLAOISE PRISON
12 February 2008

Irish Freedom Committee NewsList
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee. net

The shameful record of medical neglect to Irish Republican political prisoners continues at Ireland's Portlaoise Prison!!

Aidan Hulme, long in grave pain from a poorly treated injury sustained before he was first interned in a British prison over 6 years ago; must have immediate and specialist care for his worsening physical condition. Send an email and letter today to the addresses below to let the Irish Government know you will not tolerate this barbarian treatment of an Irish citizen in an Irish jail!

Please send an email or letter today to the Irish government bodies listed below. Sample letter enclosed or use your own text.

Items Below:

--------------------

1. STATEMENT FROM PORTLAOISE P.O.W.S
2. HISTORY OF MEDICAL NEGLECT TO P.O.W.S
3. CONTACT IRISH GOV'T – SAMPLE LETTER
4. BACKGROUND – MORE INFORMATION on AIDAN HULME

-------------------

1. STATEMENT FROM PORTLAOISE POW'S, E3

This year marks the 7th anniversary of the death of volunteer Kevin Murray due to the neglect of the Free State prison service and yet again Republican POW's are suffering under this regime. At this moment Aidan Hulme is lying in a cell in Portlaoise in severe pain due to a motor
accident that occurred prior to his incarceration by British forces over six years ago.

Since his return home over a year ago he has still not received the surgical attention he requires in order to relieve his pain and aid his mobility. His hope in returning to Ireland was that his fellow country men would help in his plight, but all he has received is a deaf ear and a daily dose of 23 tablets and a morphine patch.

The more Aidan complains the more the authorities attempt to silence him with more and more medication when all that is required is a simple operation.

Republican prisoners have experienced this before, Kevin Murray made numerous complaints to the medical staff in the prison and was given glasses for 'bad eyesight' when in actual fact he had a brain tumour.

Aidan was offered an amputation in England despite the fact that a relatively simple operation would solve his problem. Recently he needed to go to hospital but was forced to wait a day and a half owing to the fact that he is a political prisoner whereas criminals have much better
access than republicans.

The state of medical attention is sub standard with delays of days to see a doctor and months to see a dentist. This situation is intolerable and we will not wait for the death of another comrade before we act.

Republican POW's
E3 Wing
Portlaoise.

-------------------

2. WHY WAS KEVIN MURRAY ALLOWED TO DIE?

http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/kmurray.htm


Remember Vol. Kevin Murray -- died as a direct result of total medical neglect for a massive brain tumor in 2001. Not again!!

-------------------

3. SAMPLE LETTER – PLEASE CONTACT
Department of Justice
Brian Lenihan
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
94 St. Stephen's Green
Dublin 2
Phone: + 353 1 602-8202
Email: info@justice.ie

Irish Prison Service
IDA Business Park, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Co. Longford
Tel: +353 43 35100
Fax: +353 43 35101
Email: info@irishprisons.ie

Governor Mr. T.J. Walsh
Portlaoise Prison
Dublin Road,
Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
Tel: 0502 21318
Fax: 0502 20997
Email: info@irishprisons.ie

To whom it may concern,

I am writing with grave concerns for the health and welfare of Aidan Hulme, a Republican political prisoner at Portlaoise Prison.

Since being repatriated to Portlaoise in 2006, Aidan has continued to suffer great pain from injuries sustained over six years ago before being interned in Britain. It was his great hope, as mine, that his repatriation to Ireland would finally result in the proper medical care he so badly needs.

Aidan Hulme desperately needs surgery, not more pills. Currently he is taking 23 tablets for pain per day. He has made numerous complaints and requests for surgical attention to the Portlaoise prison governor and to the medical officer, but has only received more pain pills in response.

You will recall, as I do, the 2001 death of another Republican prisoner, Kevin Murray, who had also made numerous complaints and requests for medical attention. Like Aidan, all that Kevin Murray received from Portlaoise doctors were tablets. When the massive brain tumor was
finally discovered, it was far too late to operate, and Kevin was released to hospice to die.

Please allow Aidan Hulme the simple operation that he requires. Under international Human Rights laws including the Geneva Convention for the Treatment of Prisoners of War; the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Aidan Hulme is entitled to the same comforts of any Irish citizen while in your care.

Please advise. The favor of a response is requested.

Thank you,

NAME
ADDRESS
- The Irish Freedom Committee

-------------------

4. MORE INFORMATION on AIDAN HULME
http://www.irishfreedomcommittee.net/POWs/ Aidan_Robert_ Hulme_REPATRIATE D\.htm



Vi chiedo tutti di mandare un mail con la lettera sopra per attirare piu attenzione possibile su Aiden e il modo in qual'è costretto a 'vivere'

Real IRA: 'The war is back on'

THE Real IRA says it is preparing to launch a new offensive after a major three-year internal reorganisation.

The paramilitary organisation said police officers in the north would be primary targets in its campaign.

"With more attacks on the RUC/PSNI we believe we can reach the stage where British soldiers are brought back onto the streets to bolster the cops.

"This will shatter the facade that the British presence has gone and normality reigns.

People will once again be made visibly aware that we remain occupied, " the dissidents said.

In its first interview in five years, two members of the Real IRA army council met the Sunday Tribune at a location near the border. The newspaper was also given photographs and a DVD of six heavily-armed Real IRA members on a training exercise near a British security watchtower along the border.

The Real IRA said that, after substantial restructuring, which saw some members in Belfast and elsewhere dismissed and units that "weren't up to scratch" disbanded, it now had "a new confidence".

The attempted murder of two police officers in Derry and Dungannon in November showed "the IRA believed it could kill a cop and take whatever the state threw at it". The Real IRA hasn't bombed Britain in six years. When asked if this was to change, the army council representative said: "We will attack Britain where and when we see fit. The law of averages suggests the longer a target hasn't been hit, then the more likely it is to be attacked."

The paramilitary group warned of firebomb attacks on shops and businesses in the north. Although it views members of the Stormont executive, including Martin McGuinness, as "British ministers" and hence "legitimate targets", it is unlikely to attack them.

"Targets aren't always chosen on legitimacy but on whether hitting them would be politically expedient or counter-productive and on the likely effect on public support, " the Real IRA leader said. But this decision would be "kept under review".

In a controversial claim, the Real IRA alleged it had "minimal involvement" in the Omagh bomb: "Our codeword was used . . . nothing more. To have stated this at the time would have been lost in an understandable wave of emotion. That is the only detail on Omagh we're prepared to give at the moment."

Previously, it had been claimed in some quarters that while the Real IRA made the bomb, Continuity IRA members planted it. However, the Real IRA is now alleging it didn't even make the bomb. Coming 10 years after the atrocity in which 29 people were killed, and without any detailed information to support its claim, the Real IRA's statement will be treated with scepticism.

The Real IRA denied reports it wanted to unite with Continuity IRA or INLA. It would work with both "on issues where there is common ground", but there would be no joint operations. "We are not seeking to amalgamate three armies into a 'super republican group', " the army council member said. He denounced Sinn Fein and Provisional IRA leaders for urging people to pass information about Real IRA attacks to the PSNI. The Real IRA said it wasn't engaged in any direct or indirect talks with the British or Irish governments.

http://www.tribune.ie/article.tvt?_scope=Tribune/News/Home%20News&id=82895&SUBCAT=Tribune/News/Home%20News

Full interview:


What are the Real IRA's objectives?

Our goal is the same as the IRA's has always been . . . to force a British withdrawal.

We're no different than the men and women of 1916, 1919, or 1969. Past generations of republicans are always used to condemn the present generation. There's a long tradition of comparing the 'good old IRA' with the 'bad new IRA'. It's nonsense. We follow in the tradition of Pearse and Connolly.

Who are the Real IRA's targets?

Those who promote and protect the illegal occupation of the six counties . . . British soldiers, RUC/PSNI members, and British government ministers. A pragmatic approach has always been taken to prison officers depending on conditions in the jails.

Does that mean members of the Stormont executive, including Martin McGuinness and other Sinn Fein politicians, are viewed as British ministers and thus legitimate targets in Real IRA eyes?

Those running the Stormont administration are as much British ministers as those sitting in Downing Street. However, targets aren't chosen always on legitimacy but on whether hitting them would be politically expedient or counter-productive and on the likely effect on public support.

The IRA never attacked the British army in Scotland because of its support base there and what was seen as solidarity with a fellow Celtic nation. But the decision on whether to actually hit a legitimate target is one that is kept under review.

Since its formation, the Real IRA has been unable to kill a single British soldier or police officer. From its own perspective, that must represent complete failure.

What are its future plans?

We're emerging from a threeyear period of reorganising in preparation for a renewed offensive. Success shouldn't be judged solely on body count so far. If there was minimal visible military activity in recent years, there was plenty of behind-the-scenes restructuring. Important groundwork has now been completed. In November, the IRA carried out operations within days in three separate locations, attempting to kill RUC/PSNI officers in Derry and Dungannon, and planting a bomb on Remembrance Sunday in Newry.

That shows increased confidence. The IRA believed it could kill a cop and take whatever the state threw at it. The Derry RUC/PSNI target survived because the metal headrest of his car seat took most of the shotgun blasts. The British are worried. There was talk of a 'new style' unarmed RUC/ PSNI in non-combative clothing. Well they're back wearing flak jackets and still carrying guns. Strand Road barracks in Derry is being refortified to make it rocketproof.

With more attacks on the RUC/PSNI we believe the stage will be reached where British soldiers are brought back onto the streets to bolster the cops. This will shatter the facade that the British presence has gone and normality reigns. People will once again be made visibly aware that we remain occupied.

In terms of other internal changes, people have been dismissed from the movement in Belfast and elsewhere. Units that weren't up to scratch have been disbanded. Mistakes were made previously but more rigorous vetting of volunteers is now in place.

The Real IRA hasn't carried out attacks in Britain for six years. Has it any plans to do so?

We will attack Britain where and when we see fit. The law of averages suggests the longer a target hasn't been hit, then the more likely it is to be attacked.

Have the attacks on the US in 2001 and subsequent acts not transformed terrorism and made Real IRA activities like leaving bombs on railway lines and incendiaries in shops look low-level and amateurish?

In the context of 800 years of struggle against the British, 9/11 is irrelevant. Don't ridicule planting incendiaries in shops.

They cause millions of pounds worth of damage, present little risk to civilians and volunteers, and cost the movement minimal expense. A few incendiaries can have the same impact as a 500lb bomb without the risks. Incendiaries will not be the main thrust of our campaign, but they will play a part.

After the appalling loss of life in the Omagh bomb, the Real IRA called a ceasefire but later resumed attacks. Doesn't that show utter disrespect for human life and contempt for public sentiment?

The IRA had minimal involvement in Omagh. Our code word was used, nothing more.

To have stated this at the time would have been lost in an understandable wave of emotion. That is the only detail on Omagh we're prepared to give at the moment. Omagh was an absolute tragedy. Any loss of civilian life is regrettable. No one in any army, except perhaps those in the American or Israeli forces, wants to kill civilians. But wars don't end because civilians die in them.

How can the Real IRA possibly succeed in securing a British withdrawal when the larger and more powerful Provisional IRA failed?

The Provisional IRA didn't fail as an organisation, it was failed by its leadership. It had ample weaponry and members. It could have been much stronger militarily. The decline in operations was due to its leadership. Winning elections became more important than winning the war. We are not unthinking militarists. Politics is important and there are those who share our political analysis [apparent reference to 32 County Sovereignty Movement], but we aren't answerable to any political party and that's a strength, not a weakness.

How can the Real IRA justify a campaign with no electoral mandate?

Oglaigh na hEireann derives its mandate from the illegal occupation of Ireland and the right of Irish people to take up arms in defence of national sovereignty. Only during their latter years did the Provos receive an electoral mandate.

And 1916 and 1969 had no electoral mandate.

What weapons does the Real IRA have?

Hand-guns, rifles, submachine guns, assault rifles, plastic explosives and our own improvised weapons. We have added to our arsenal since 1997 and are always seeking new ways of re-arming. Of course, the acquisition of weapons is a problem but it's one which the IRA has overcome and will continue to overcome.

Did loyalist drug dealers transport an arms haul for the Real IRA, as stated in a recent newspaper report?

Absolutely not. This allegation is part of an ongoing criminalisation campaign against us. We believe MI5 is the original source of the story. We've no links with the Shoukri brothers, whom we find morally repugnant. It's ludicrous to suggest that, unable to transport weapons safely ourselves, we turn to known British agents.

Given the huge technological advances in British surveillance, how can any republican campaign be 'successful'?

We've no illusions about these advances which we have learned, and are still learning, to overcome. Historically, the British have enjoyed more sophisticated equipment than republicans and we're still here. We don't underestimate the British . . . indeed we tend to overestimate their capabilities.

How many members does the Real IRA have? What is their gender, geographical and age profile?

We have enough volunteers to carry out the army's functions. We're currently recruiting across Ireland. I can't be more specific for security reasons. Women volunteers play a full and active role. Oglaigh na hEireann is open to over17s. We have a balance between youth and experience. Many volunteers were active [in the Provisional IRA] and new volunteers are being trained up.

Why would a young person join the Real IRA when it offers only jail or the grave?

For the same reasons as they've always joined the IRA . . . to challenge British sovereignty in Ireland. On joining, they're made aware of the possibilities of jail or the grave. If they're still interested, they're put through a rigorous training period. If after this they're at all unsure, they can walk away. The IRA is a volunteer army.

Life in the North has improved hugely for Catholics. No grave socio-economic injustices exist that could possibly justify an armed campaign.

Why continue?

The IRA campaign was never about reformism or civil rights, it was about resisting foreign occupation. The IRA is committed to fighting for the freedom of our country, not just improving the social and economic lot of an occupied people. It's not a case of 'Brits out' if people are poor, then 'Brits in' if there are loads of jobs.

FBI/MI5 agent Dave Rupert infiltrated the Real IRA, leading to the conviction of its then leader, Mickey McKevitt.

Hasn't the Real IRA huge infiltration problems?

Dave Rupert was a paid perjurer and proven liar. He faces execution from the IRA as does anyone else who places her or himself in that position.

We've been no more infiltrated than any other republican organisation. If internal rules and regulations are implemented, these problems are less likely to recur. The Provos have had Freddie Scapatticci and Denis Donaldson and we're only at the tip of the iceberg in establishing how far they were infiltrated.

Paddy Murray, a republican widely associated with the Real IRA, has recently faced substantial allegations that he is a British agent? What is your position on him?

No comment.

How is the Real IRA funded and how does it compare financially to the Provisional IRA?

As an organisation we continue to seek funds. It would be inappropriate to give further details. Towards the end, the Provisional movement became more interested in monetary gain than challenging British rule. This led to a situation where corporate America had more influence over the republican movement than IRA volunteers.

We don't wish to go down that route. You can't appeal to millionaires and multinationals and remain engaged in revolutionary activity. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Former Real IRA leaders in Portlaoise prison accused the external leadership of criminality and lining its own pockets. Were they right?

These allegations were fully investigated and found to be without foundation. They were a red herring to facilitate someone else's agenda. Our volunteers on the outside paid no heed to them which is why there was a split in the jail but the movement outside remained 100% intact.

Does the Real IRA plan to unite with the Continuity IRA and INLA?

The IRA will work with the Continuity IRA and INLA on issues where there is common ground. But there are no organisational links and there will be no joint operations. We are not seeking to amalgamate three armies into a 'super republican group'.

What is the Real IRA's relationship with the Provisional IRA?

We're not under threat from them as we were in the past, with activists being abducted, beaten and threatened with death. We have never attacked the Provisional IRA despite attacks on us and volunteer Joe O'Connor's murder.

Has the current Real IRA leadership held direct or indirect talks with the British or Irish governments and does it have channels of communication with either?

We haven't engaged in any talks and there are no such channels. We're certainly not talking to them through Bradley, Duddy or any Redemptorist priests. [Denis Bradley and Brendan Duddy from Derry were go-betweens for the Provisionals and MI6;

west Belfast priests have acted as mediators with Dublin. ] Under what conditions would the Real IRA call a ceasefire?

A declaration of intent by the British to withdraw their military presence from Ireland and to cease all parliamentary activity here.

Real IRA's second interview marked by extreme security I WAS taken to a secret location near the border where I met two representatives of the Real IRA army council.

Only one spoke during the interview.

I have interviewed all the major paramilitary groups during the conflict and never before have such extreme security measures been taken. I was ordered to leave my coat, handbag and mobile phone at another location.

The Real IRA representative wore dark civilian clothing and a balaclava with holes for his eyes throughout the three-hour interview. He was well-spoken and courteous, even when complaining about the nature of some of the questions.

He wasn't nervous but he was ultra-cautious in some of his replies. This was the Real IRA's first media interview in five years.

The paramilitary group gave the Sunday Tribune photographs and a DVD of six members involved in a training exercise along the border. A British army watchtower can be seen in the background. The men are armed with AK47s, AKMs, a machine pistol with a silencer, a Dragunov and a hand-gun.

Beware Black Propaganda.

Beware Black Propaganda.

The 32 County Sovereignty Movement urge all republicans to be wary of black propaganda emanating from within the British intelligence services as evidenced in the lead story of The Jan 16th issue of The Irish News.

The 32CSM have every faith that the republican base will see such stories for what they are, a clear attempt to criminalise and demonise the wider republican movement in advance of a possible reintroduction of some form of internment in the six counties.

The media in recent weeks has carried a number of reports from the constitutional nationalists, policing board and the leadership of the RUC/PSNI stating the need to deal with the ‘dissidents’ as a matter of urgency. Many such leaders have pointed out the success of the Dublin government in dealing with republicans. We believe this is all choreographed and may be the first move in introducing legislation similar to that in the twenty six counties that allows republicans to be interned of the word of a senior garda alone. We believe that either new legislation will be used or that the British will enact existing legislation such as the ‘anti terror’ legislation that was recently cobbled together to intern Muslims in Britain.

Republicans are of the opinion that the ‘exclusive’ in The Irish News has been place by elements within MI5 in order to make moves to introduce such legislation more palatable to the wider nationalist community. Sunday tabloid style sensationalism on the front page of The Irish News is a part of the choreography

Attempts to link Óglaigh na hÉireann to drug dealers and loyalists is an exercise in barrel scrapping which will not fool a single person who has any knowledge of the use of black propaganda in the conflict in Ireland.

We would also advise republicans to be vigilant at this time as such a story may have another sinister purpose. It is possible that this story has been planted in advance of moves to eliminate members of the republican movement and then to write it off as simply a fall out between criminals, thus absolving the British and their pro Stormont allies from any blame.

Finally we would question why not one member of the republican movement was contacted in advance of this story to check its veracity and when did the Irish News begin to use unnamed ‘sources’ to build stories around and then present them as fact. The onus is now on The Irish News to prove their allegations or to risk being viewed as tools of the British intelligence services, whether willingly or otherwise.

32 County Sovereignty Movement

32 County Sovereignty Movement

2008 New Year Statement

In extending New Years greetings to the Irish people at home and abroad let us reflect on the past year to help us move forward in the new. We extend also greetings to all republican prisoners of war (POW’S) who find themselves incarcerated in gaol because of an intransigent British Government who are unwilling to engage with the Irish people unless they are addressing a British agenda. From our perspective the Republican Unity Initiative formed a major plank of our strategic efforts to advance the restoration of our National Sovereignty. The 32CSM approached this vital area in an incremental manner so as to maximize inclusivity amongst other republican organizations. We deliberately chose a private route to engagement with other republicans given the British and media efforts to deliberately misrepresent what the Republican Unity Initiative was trying to achieve. We first circulated a discussion document simply titled Republican Unity to give a degree of focus to a debate which was already well underway within the broad republican base. As interest in the initiative grew and formal meetings were arranged the 32CSM put forward a proposal titled Preparing An Irish Democracy which was intended to act as a mechanism within which all republican organizations could collectively draft a republican blueprint of the independent Ireland we envisaged. Reaction to the initiative was predictably cautious but the mixed to poor result showing in what was ostensibly a referendum on British Policing in Ireland conclusively demonstrated that Irish republicanism needs a political initiative to move it on from its inert state. On the back of an IRSM proposal a Unity Commemoration was held at Bodenstown to honour Wolfe Tone which was widely received as a very positive development.

To augment our existing proposals and to build on this positivity the 32CSM now launch Dismantling Partition, A Unified Republican Approach.. Here we outline where and how we believe this project should develop. We introduce timeframes and achievable goals coupled with a realistic appraisal of our current strengths. But as with our previous proposals the 32CSM strongly urge a parallel response from other republicans so as to make the Republican Unity Initiative truly representative of the broad republican family. 2008 will offer republicans an opportunity to both consolidate and advance our goals and the 32CSM herein publicly declare our intention of working tirelessly to achieve this end.

The 32CSM strongly believes in political engagement with our opponents. We have sought this engagement on a number of fronts but focused squarely around the issue of our national sovereignty. Through this engagement we have sought to advise that national sovereignty is not confined to the national question as that pertains to partition but to all other questions of national concern. Issues such as Shell To Sea and the Save Tara project are all urgent matters of national sovereignty and as such are deserving of intense republican involvement. The impending EU Constitution referendum in the twenty six counties is one such issue that deserves republican attention. Whether it is called Constitution, Treaty or whatever its essential components remain the same. The 32CSM communicated with a variety of republican and nationalist organizations with a view to citing Partition as valid grounds for its rejection. We circulated Six Points of Objection that we believed could form the basis of a strong separatist No Campaign without alienating other valid objections which may also exist. The 32CSM will be pursuing this correspondence in 2008 seeking definitive responses to our circular.

Following on from our AGM in December the incoming National Executive will be tasked with implementing the changes and policies mandated by that AGM. These will include political policies as outlined above, organizational changes and proposals for updating our print and electronic publications as well as the launch of our newly revamped website. We look forward to the challenges we have set ourselves.

Again we have it demonstrated that British Policing in Ireland will never change no matter what titles are invoked and no matter how many token nationalists sit on token Policing Boards. The Hoey debacle laid bare both the unchanging nature of British policing and the facile arguments from those who would plead with us that it can.

Notwithstanding the importance of these issues and their relevance to Irish republicanism the 32CSM is of the firm belief that the most salient issue which will face republicans in the coming year will be the issue of criminalisation. We say this because those in the driving seat of this policy are Provisional Sinn Fein, acting under obligation to the agreements which they entered into with both governments. History, both ancient and modern, has taught us that the occupier will always covet an indigenous political voice to do its dirty work. PSF have stepped into this breech. Following recent acts of armed insurgency there came an almost panicked response from the PSF leadership. They publicly called for informers to be activated against insurgent forces claiming a lack of electoral mandate invalidated their right to rebel. The glaring hypocrisy of this stance was designed to distract republicans from the fact that it was political challenges to the PSF position which forced this outburst and not merely criticism of them.

We have sought engagement with PSF since 2005 wherein the 32CSM were greeted with duplicity, subterfuge and lies. Our persistence however has been rewarded with the political exposure as to exactly what signing the Good Friday Agreement entails for them. Whereas political criticism theorizes, political challenges demonstrate. These challenges must continue, and emanate from broader quarters, because the resources behind the criminalisation policy far exceed the resources of those whom the policy is directed against. As before when the British government were the direct vanguard for this policy manipulation, deceit and murder were the hallmarks of this campaign. Coupled with a media who afford republicans scant exposure to air our views the only resources open to Irish republicanism are those which we already possess and the argument for republican cooperation on this issue is self evident. The policy of criminalisation will pay scant heed to technical differences of position amongst us as it seeks a broad labeling for those opposed to the current political direction.

The emergence of seemingly new armed groups making threats of a kind which give succor to the PSF call for informers is yet another dimension of this dirty war. All of this requires a political response from Irish republicans which removes any semblance of cover or distraction for any group pursuing the criminalisation agenda. There can be no place within republicanism for a civil war mentality. Such a mentality is a British device. The 32CSM response is first and foremost a call on PSF to forward to us their alleged written response to our Submission to them in 2005 and for them to outline the lawful basis upon which they call for informers to be activated against those who struggle against British Parliamentary activity in our country. We respond also by seeking engagement with other republicans on the national issues which are relevant to our struggle. And we respond by stating that we will never allow the republican struggle to be criminalized no matter how treacherous the status of those who would try.