Liam Lynch
05-03-2008, 04:47 PM
EASTER ORATION,
Given by Francis Mackey, National Chairman 32 County Sovereignty Movement.
At Arbour Hill, Dublin; 27th April 2008
Friend, Comrades,
In preparing for this dignified commemoration to remember the sacrifices of the 1916 Rising, a conscious decision was taken to move from the Easter Weekend to the Sunday closest to the actual date of that heroic period of our history, a history that challenged the British Government and the Home Rulers from a Republican Separatist position.
That decision to move this commemoration to today is based on the fact that there is now a battle not alone for the hearts and minds of the Irish people but more specifically a battle to win the allegiance of the republican base.
This battle has moved to claim the streets of Dublin by those engaged in revisionist politics on Easter Sunday and it is deliberately designed to prevent republicans having a dignified and fitting commemoration, one which upholds the ethos of the 1916 Proclamation and upholds the Sovereignty of the Irish Nation as outlined by the leaders of 1916 and for which they gave their lives.
I would like at this point to pay tribute to the organizers in the National 1916 Committee for this pragmatic approach.
I would also to like send solidarity greetings to all imprisoned republicans both at home and abroad and to draw a parallel with their sacrifice and those who we honour today.
Over the Easter period this year both the Dublin Government and PSF leaders engaged in playing revisionist politics with the memory of men and women of 1916.
They do so because both know that having taken the Home Rule position they can only pay lip service to the ideals of Pearse and Connolly.
They cannot deliver the republican position, they have failed, they have failed the leaders of 1916, they have failed the Irish people and they have moved to administering British Rule in Ireland.
Within this battle between FF and PSF, PSF’s failures continue as their Southern project failed to produce their projected targets in the last general election. A truly significant message from the republican base, that their leaders had failed them.
Today republicans are effectively picking up the pieces following that leaderships handling of their talks with the British Government, talks which tore Republicanism asunder and almost caused irreparable damage to the struggle for Irish freedom.
Had it not been for the foresight of those who challenged that leadership and moved to lodge an international challenge to the legitimacy of British Rule in Ireland, the republican position would have been annihilated.
The international challenge has protected the legitimacy of the republican position and has not allowed the criminalization of the republican struggle, despite renewed attempts by the British Government, the Dublin Government and sadly by former comrades, the leadership of PSF.
I said 1916 was a heroic and significant period in our history and it is because it demonstrates that the Irish people, right through from the Fenian era, were not going to allow the British Government to go unchallenged in their illegal occupation of a proud Irish Nation.
Equally they had the vision to stop the Home Rulers from accepting an Irish administration carrying out the function of British Rule in Ireland.
By their actions in 1916 they lit the flame of freedom and in so doing their vision was ratified by the people of Ireland in 1918. The First Dail Eireann, representing the lawful Parliament of the Irish people declared our independence to the world.
I am not going to give a history lesson but I believe it to be important to highlight the legitimacy of the republican position and where that legitimacy stems from.
The British Government refused to recognize the democratic will of the Irish people with the threat of a terrible war and the Irish negotiators were put in the position of accepting the partition of our country.
The Treaty of 1922 was a British led agenda and roll forward to 1998 and the GFA, that agenda is continued. Both treaties are cut from the same political cloth and both are founded on the template of partition.
At no stage in our history has the British Government accepted the legitimacy of Irish democracy and it has always taken the defenders of that democracy to force the British to the table for talks.
Sadly it has been republican leaders who when they got to the table forgot about their own people, forgot about their own legitimacy and entered into negotiating a settlement based on the British agenda.
That is why 92 years later republicans like you assembled here today are again facing the opposition of former comrades who let go of the republican position and moved to the home rule position and the Brit agenda, in an attempt to bolster their own egos and electoral percentages. Once again the specter of a rabid criminalization policy is to the fore in defending what they deem to have settled the constitutional question. The horse trading of Irish rights for piecemeal British concessions as to how their rule will be administered has exposed just how far we have been sold short. The slow but inexorable acceptance of the legitimacy of partition is most vividly seen in the defence of partition. Political policing will always be such because it exists to secure the political status quo. And it will have no qualms in holding republican and nationalist communities to ransom concerning criminality in return for their abject submission in recognizing London as their lawful ruler. And just as a name change from Long Kesh to the Maze or from the RUC to the PSNI did not alter the strategic intent of both those institutions neither will calling Political Policing - Civic Policing alter the intent of what that is intended to achieve.
Today just like in 1916 republicans see the merits of working together and today I welcome the representatives from other organization who have through the Irish Republican Unity Initiative come together for this dignified commemoration, to honour the men and women of 1916 and to remember them with pride. We also remember all those who have paid the supreme sacrifice with their lives for Irish freedom.
The Republican Network for Unity, the IRSP, Republican individuals and ourselves in the 32 CSM have for some time been involved in discussions on Republicanism and the way forward.
It has recognized the issues that unite us and we in the 32CSM feel heartened at the response.
The Republican Unity Initiative or Forum have worked together on a number of projects such as the Wolfe Tone commemoration, the anti British policing debate and today we are here united in commemorating the sacrifice of the 1916 leaders. The very fact of a unified presence here today is a political act that will not go un-noticed.
Such a forum allows all republican organization to maintain their own identity and also work together in areas of agreement for the betterment of the republican position, in pursuing the ideals of the 1916 Proclamation. Its inspiration is drawn from the republican unity demonstrated in 1916.
It allows us to analyise the mood of the republican base and it allows us all to rebuild a vibrant republican movement that cannot be ignored.
Today it is the policy of the British Government, the Dublin administration and PSF leaders to ignore us in the hope we will go away.
Well let a clear message go out to them today from this hallowed spot in Arbour Hill, we are not going away, rather we will continue to politically challenge your every move as we continue to expose every hypocritical action you make and try as you will you will never defeat the republican struggle.
They will try to intern on remand, they will use special courts and specials powers designed to discriminate against us but one thing is clear no matter what injustice they come up with, they will still have to come back to address the injustice of British rule in our country.
Our challenge to them today is why not do it now?
Why can’t the Dublin Government, PSF and united republicans not take on the challenge to the legitimacy of the British Governments illegal sovereign claim to part of the Irish Nation.
Why must all agreements be based on the British Agenda?
Why is the Irish Agenda not a sound basis to open debate with the foreign occupier?
Meanwhile whilst we await their response we urge all republican organizations and individuals to join with us in the republican forum and with agreement let republicans demonstrate we can work together and that we can deliver.
Republicanism united is a very strong position.
Republicanism divided only suits the British Agenda.
Let us move from here today with a resolve to ensure the best fitting tribute to those who rest here in Arbour Hill is to fulfill their dreams, to fulfill their ideals and uphold Ireland, a Democratic Social and Sovereign Nation.
Go Raibh Maith Agat.
Given by Francis Mackey, National Chairman 32 County Sovereignty Movement.
At Arbour Hill, Dublin; 27th April 2008
Friend, Comrades,
In preparing for this dignified commemoration to remember the sacrifices of the 1916 Rising, a conscious decision was taken to move from the Easter Weekend to the Sunday closest to the actual date of that heroic period of our history, a history that challenged the British Government and the Home Rulers from a Republican Separatist position.
That decision to move this commemoration to today is based on the fact that there is now a battle not alone for the hearts and minds of the Irish people but more specifically a battle to win the allegiance of the republican base.
This battle has moved to claim the streets of Dublin by those engaged in revisionist politics on Easter Sunday and it is deliberately designed to prevent republicans having a dignified and fitting commemoration, one which upholds the ethos of the 1916 Proclamation and upholds the Sovereignty of the Irish Nation as outlined by the leaders of 1916 and for which they gave their lives.
I would like at this point to pay tribute to the organizers in the National 1916 Committee for this pragmatic approach.
I would also to like send solidarity greetings to all imprisoned republicans both at home and abroad and to draw a parallel with their sacrifice and those who we honour today.
Over the Easter period this year both the Dublin Government and PSF leaders engaged in playing revisionist politics with the memory of men and women of 1916.
They do so because both know that having taken the Home Rule position they can only pay lip service to the ideals of Pearse and Connolly.
They cannot deliver the republican position, they have failed, they have failed the leaders of 1916, they have failed the Irish people and they have moved to administering British Rule in Ireland.
Within this battle between FF and PSF, PSF’s failures continue as their Southern project failed to produce their projected targets in the last general election. A truly significant message from the republican base, that their leaders had failed them.
Today republicans are effectively picking up the pieces following that leaderships handling of their talks with the British Government, talks which tore Republicanism asunder and almost caused irreparable damage to the struggle for Irish freedom.
Had it not been for the foresight of those who challenged that leadership and moved to lodge an international challenge to the legitimacy of British Rule in Ireland, the republican position would have been annihilated.
The international challenge has protected the legitimacy of the republican position and has not allowed the criminalization of the republican struggle, despite renewed attempts by the British Government, the Dublin Government and sadly by former comrades, the leadership of PSF.
I said 1916 was a heroic and significant period in our history and it is because it demonstrates that the Irish people, right through from the Fenian era, were not going to allow the British Government to go unchallenged in their illegal occupation of a proud Irish Nation.
Equally they had the vision to stop the Home Rulers from accepting an Irish administration carrying out the function of British Rule in Ireland.
By their actions in 1916 they lit the flame of freedom and in so doing their vision was ratified by the people of Ireland in 1918. The First Dail Eireann, representing the lawful Parliament of the Irish people declared our independence to the world.
I am not going to give a history lesson but I believe it to be important to highlight the legitimacy of the republican position and where that legitimacy stems from.
The British Government refused to recognize the democratic will of the Irish people with the threat of a terrible war and the Irish negotiators were put in the position of accepting the partition of our country.
The Treaty of 1922 was a British led agenda and roll forward to 1998 and the GFA, that agenda is continued. Both treaties are cut from the same political cloth and both are founded on the template of partition.
At no stage in our history has the British Government accepted the legitimacy of Irish democracy and it has always taken the defenders of that democracy to force the British to the table for talks.
Sadly it has been republican leaders who when they got to the table forgot about their own people, forgot about their own legitimacy and entered into negotiating a settlement based on the British agenda.
That is why 92 years later republicans like you assembled here today are again facing the opposition of former comrades who let go of the republican position and moved to the home rule position and the Brit agenda, in an attempt to bolster their own egos and electoral percentages. Once again the specter of a rabid criminalization policy is to the fore in defending what they deem to have settled the constitutional question. The horse trading of Irish rights for piecemeal British concessions as to how their rule will be administered has exposed just how far we have been sold short. The slow but inexorable acceptance of the legitimacy of partition is most vividly seen in the defence of partition. Political policing will always be such because it exists to secure the political status quo. And it will have no qualms in holding republican and nationalist communities to ransom concerning criminality in return for their abject submission in recognizing London as their lawful ruler. And just as a name change from Long Kesh to the Maze or from the RUC to the PSNI did not alter the strategic intent of both those institutions neither will calling Political Policing - Civic Policing alter the intent of what that is intended to achieve.
Today just like in 1916 republicans see the merits of working together and today I welcome the representatives from other organization who have through the Irish Republican Unity Initiative come together for this dignified commemoration, to honour the men and women of 1916 and to remember them with pride. We also remember all those who have paid the supreme sacrifice with their lives for Irish freedom.
The Republican Network for Unity, the IRSP, Republican individuals and ourselves in the 32 CSM have for some time been involved in discussions on Republicanism and the way forward.
It has recognized the issues that unite us and we in the 32CSM feel heartened at the response.
The Republican Unity Initiative or Forum have worked together on a number of projects such as the Wolfe Tone commemoration, the anti British policing debate and today we are here united in commemorating the sacrifice of the 1916 leaders. The very fact of a unified presence here today is a political act that will not go un-noticed.
Such a forum allows all republican organization to maintain their own identity and also work together in areas of agreement for the betterment of the republican position, in pursuing the ideals of the 1916 Proclamation. Its inspiration is drawn from the republican unity demonstrated in 1916.
It allows us to analyise the mood of the republican base and it allows us all to rebuild a vibrant republican movement that cannot be ignored.
Today it is the policy of the British Government, the Dublin administration and PSF leaders to ignore us in the hope we will go away.
Well let a clear message go out to them today from this hallowed spot in Arbour Hill, we are not going away, rather we will continue to politically challenge your every move as we continue to expose every hypocritical action you make and try as you will you will never defeat the republican struggle.
They will try to intern on remand, they will use special courts and specials powers designed to discriminate against us but one thing is clear no matter what injustice they come up with, they will still have to come back to address the injustice of British rule in our country.
Our challenge to them today is why not do it now?
Why can’t the Dublin Government, PSF and united republicans not take on the challenge to the legitimacy of the British Governments illegal sovereign claim to part of the Irish Nation.
Why must all agreements be based on the British Agenda?
Why is the Irish Agenda not a sound basis to open debate with the foreign occupier?
Meanwhile whilst we await their response we urge all republican organizations and individuals to join with us in the republican forum and with agreement let republicans demonstrate we can work together and that we can deliver.
Republicanism united is a very strong position.
Republicanism divided only suits the British Agenda.
Let us move from here today with a resolve to ensure the best fitting tribute to those who rest here in Arbour Hill is to fulfill their dreams, to fulfill their ideals and uphold Ireland, a Democratic Social and Sovereign Nation.
Go Raibh Maith Agat.