Issue 128, Saoirse: Irish Freedom (December, 1997)

              uimh 128 nollaig — december 1997 50p usa 1 sean sabhat commemoration limerick sunday january 4 assemble 12.45om bedford re british rule don't update i i i at republican sinn fein's 93rd ard-fheis in dublin on november 8-9 delegates pledged to oppose the may 1998 referendum in the six occupied counties and the 26 counties and reiterated their rejection of any settlement seeking to legitimise english rule in ireland with every day that passes at the stormont talks it becomes more obvious that the present process will strengthen and update british rule here — not weaken it . nose compromisers who are now dusting off that discredited old line about stepping-stones to irish freedom were rocked back on their heels by the gaffe by dublin foreign minister david andrews at the end of november trying to boost the terms of the partitionist settlement he talked about cross-border bodies with executive powers not unlike a government having first been attacked by the unionists he was then rebuked by bertie ahem for going over the line the incident revealed that what is on offer is even less than the framework document and that the dublin administration will settle for less the three prongs to the stormont talks are • to get the largest section of the nationalist population in the six counties to collaborate with a new stormont • to get as many ex nationalists as possible to join a new british colonial police force and • to obtain the fullest collaboration from the dublin administration the last involves dublin redefining the national territory in its constitution as the 26 counties does all this not amount to reinforcing the rotten door of the six-county state which fell to nationalist and republican pressure in 1972 with the collapse of the old stormont and will such a modernised and steel reinforced door not be much more difficult to kick down the supporters of the current process need to answer this question where is the dynamic that is going to keep an updated version of british rule in ireland evolving into the all-ireland republic there was no dynamic in the treaty sell-out in the 26 counties in 1922 and there will be none in the agreed ireland within british rule proposed for 1998 as has happened in the 26 counties the stepping-stone becomes comfortable and an end in itself in reality the stepping-stone becomes a millstone as liam mellows predicted in the treaty debate on january 4 1922 men will get into positions men will hold power and men who get into positions and hold power will desire to remain undisturbed and will not want to be removed in reality the british are repeating what they tried in sunningdale no 1 in 1974 that did not work and sunningdale no 2 in 1998 will not work either even with the provisional on board the only dynamic that will work is the political mobilisation and resistance of the irish people on the ground with that impetus the kicking down of the rotten door of british interference in ireland and the creation of a new ireland can be achieved • british disengagement from ireland can be achieved by the people's own freedom struggle dait com glasnei new years day 1998 12.45pm assemble at main galfs cliisncvln cemetery hi 6 conaill memoration in cemetery dublin organised by his comrades in republican sinn f&in h we believe in the establishment of a national i parliament representative of the \ people of ireland in an ireland 4 where social justice is a reality and \ not a political catch-cry in an i ireland where our language and culture enhance our life and are not objects of scorn and derision in an ireland where past dissensions are a forgotten memory and rish people irrespective of \ creed live in peace and prosperity j j — daithi 6 conaill \ bodenstown oration 1970 republican sinn fein 223 parncll street dublin i bicentenary calendar 1798-1991 my object . . . to break the connection with england . . . to substitute the common name of irishmen in place of the denominations o protestant catholic and dissenter - wolfe tone founder of the united irishmen 3 plus available from local paper seller or 223 parnell street dublin 1 special rates for bulk orders presidential address of ruairi o bradaigh to the 93rd ard-fheis of republican sinn fein poblachtach 9 november 1997 and a summary of the eire nua programme for a federation of the four provinces of ireland • ruairi 6 br&daigh's address to the 1997 ard-fheis has been published by irish free dom press for 1 plus p&p from 223 parnell street dubin 1 • ard-fhetsreports-paqes7,8,9.10inside • nollaig shona dar leitheoiri go leir