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So
Gerry Adams has sounded off about the appointment
of a ceasefire monitor (whose identity is apparently
a closely guarded secret). He calls it a "sop
to Trimble". Well what does he call his visit
to Westminster to see Tony Blair? A friendly lunch
date? A mutual consultation? An opportunity to air
his views on the state of events in the Six Counties?
Let us look at it for exactly what it is - Mr Adams'
unqualified endorsement of the British presence in
Ireland. By agreeing to see Mr. Blair on his 'home
turf', Adams validates Blair's position as leader
over the Six Counties, something one can hardly believe
a self-respecting "Republican" would do.
So what can we expect next from Mr. Adams? Will he
kneel before the Queen (the real one, not Charles),
and pledge his undying loyalty? Will he pay a friendly
visit to his "old friend" David Trimble
and debate on how they can make the assembly a better
place for all - as long as they toe the line, of course.
Again,
let's all be honest and realistic - the GFA had fatal
flaws from the start.
1.
It recognised "Northern Ireland" as a part
of Britain, and only the inhabitants of this ersatz
province - not all of Britain or all of Ireland -
are to decide its future. Is this not unprecedented?
If this is the standard, why cannot only the people
of Scotland (or Wales, the Isle of Man, or Cornwall,
all historic Celtic homelands) decide their future.
Any decision on the future of any part of Ireland
must be decided by all the people of Ireland. The
Brits, master of the bait and switch, simply twist
any agreement, treaty or law to their advantage.
2.
In that same vein, the unionists, of whatever stripe,
simply used the GFA to their own ends - witness Trimble's
repeated threats to resign, his incessant complaining
and dictating to the Assembly, perpetuating the hidebound
unionist ascendancy. We may as well be in 1922, rather
than 2002. And then their are the likes of Paisley
(times two, no less), Robinson and others of the even
more extreme strain of unionism.
3.
Annex B did the most inglorious disservice of hamstringing
and bastardising Articles 2 and 3 of the Irish Constitution,
invalidating generations of sacrifice by uncounted
numbers of Irish men women and children. The Dail
must be held to account for this, a clear instance
of treason with whatever that may portend.
In
final analysis, I have concluded that the GFA is an
iniquitous document, an obscenity to anyone who calls
themselves Irish. For my purposes, the GFA is utterly
without merit, unfit even to wipe my arse with. It
is high time that it be dispensed with, consigned
to the rubbish heap of British gun-barrel diplomacy.
Now,
what can we as good Irish Republicans do? We must
direct our focus towards the important issues. The
first and foremost thing is this: we are at war. Never
mind if operations have been at a premium, that certain
groups have, in essence, hung up their guns. We are
faced with the reality that a foreign army, and its
indigenous lackeys, occupy our native soil. Never
mind any pronouncements to the contrary, it is conquest,
repression, and imperialism that drive these malignant
stormtroopers. Our course is clear, and cannot be
denied. We must act, now, strongly, and decisively.
Let those soldiers at Thiepval Barracks and Aldergrove;
at Victoria and Chelsea Barracks; at Portsmouth and
Yeovilton; in Germany and Cyprus all shudder when
they hear an auto backfire - it might be a Bunker
Buster headed their way. Let them huddle in fear when
a strange lorry is parked nearby - it might be a bomb.
Let them fear to leave the security of their base
- they may never return. The battle must be taken
to them, none of this waiting around for history to
happen. We must make it! How will posterity judge
us?
Sure,
I can't order any action myself, that duty falls to
the true leaders of the true Republican Movement.
They must sit in Council and decide what actions are
in the best interests of the Movement, and for the
Irish people as a whole. They must, however, know
that the people are behind them. Not necessarily all
the people, dissent is a natural occurrence of a democratic
institution. But they must have no doubt that they
are not acting without a mandate. Support must be
public and vocal.
And
as for those shadowy little denizens listening out
there: whether you be RUC, Special Branch, SAS, MI5,
FBI, or whoever - crawl back to your cesspool, lest
you be exterminated like the verminous infestation
that you are. Let the process of democracy be steered
by those who value, cherish and defend it. Your's
is with the likes of the SS, the KGB, the Stasi, the
Securitate and others who prey on those who cherish
freedom. Away to your foul lairs, and emerge not again.
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