CPGB letter on the IRSP

[Puddies]

Got this from Vox earlier:

IRSP politics

Mark Kevson asks, why support the Irish Republican Socialist Party, given it is “minuscule” and has little support among the Irish working class (Letters, October 11)?

Well, it is not for communists in Britain to advise, let along tell, the Irish people to whom they should lend their political support. But surely it is politics which counts, rather than numbers? Otherwise, we should all of us just give up now! But, of course, we all know from history that those advocating liberation and emancipation always start off as small, sect-like minorities, before building and developing strength, before ultimately becoming irresistible and irreversible majorities.

My understanding is that the IRSP stands for national liberation and socialist revolution in Ireland, expressed as three fundamental objectives:

l The end of partition and the reunification of the island of Ireland, with the complete removal of the British political and military occupation in the north;

l The ending of British/European imperialist domination over the whole of existing divided Ireland;

l And the common ownership and control of the whole of the resources of Ireland by the working people of Ireland, for the benefit of the working people of Ireland.

That is, for the working people of Ireland to be united, sovereign, independent, self-determining, and to exist as equals and in peace with the peoples of Britain, Europe and the world.

Further, the IRSP argues that all three fundamental objectives are dialectically interconnected, interdependent and reinforcing: ie, all must be progressed together, as part of an integrated and coherent revolutionary political and military strategy.

As to the INLA, my understanding is that the organisation is currently on cessation, accepting that the votes in the referenda - on both sides of the partition border - on the Good Friday agreement meant there was currently no political basis for a military campaign. This does not, of course, equate to IRSP/INLA support for the GFA, which, on the contrary, represents a defeat for republicanism and socialism.

I struggle to think how any decent and principled socialist or communist could disagree with any of the above ...

Andrew Northall
Kettering

http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/693/letters.htm

[Vox Populi]

INLA’s past
Mark Kevson, in his original letter (October 11), makes the claim that “the Irish National Liberation Army has a history of violence, terrorism, internal feuding and organised crime.” Whilst I will refrain from an attempt to sanitise past actions of the INLA, I feel it necessary a few truths are laid bare.

The INLA does indeed have a history of violence, terrorism and internal feuding - this is not something that can be denied. It is a revolutionary organisation and a product of the conditions prevalent within society at that time. I find it strange that an avid reader of Marxist websites would neglect to mention that the Bolsheviks too were guilty of these three points.

The Irish republican socialist movement collectively have challenged those who claim the INLA are involved in crime, whether drug dealing or otherwise, to provide the evidence. It is 10 years since Irish Republican Socialist Party spokesperson Kevin McQuillan challenged journalists at the burial of a volunteer in Dublin and not one piece of evidence has been forthcoming since from any quarter.

Mark continues: “The IRSP has no standing within the Irish working class and is in fact a minuscule organisation.” Of all leftwing organisations within Ireland of any hue, the IRSP is the only one that has a strong base within nationalist working class areas. It is safe to say the majority of the left in Belfast would be more accustomed to Stranmillis than the Short Strand.

In Mark’s second letter (October 25) he claims “the IRSP do not renounce their past”. This is correct. We do not deny or renounce our past. To do so is entirely dishonest and not based upon Marxist methods. Collectively we have painstakingly analysed our past and drawn strong lessons for the road ahead. I would recommend Mark gives the Ta power document careful consideration.

If Mark is genuinely seeking answers as to the basis for the International Marxist Tendency’s relationship with the IRSP, then I am certain he could arrange to meet the relevant organisations and discuss the matter.

Sean McGowan
Belfast

http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/695/letters.htm

[communitarian]

I agree with Vox, I do not consider myself as an RSM man though I do honestly believe in "the times of suffering" and in my own experience the INLA never left the people wanting, they were there for the people all the time, now I only know one unit of the RSM and perhaps they are different to the rest but I would lay my life down in the seriousess of how the RSM has dealt with (quite amicabily) its past, personally I believe that the RSM after the state sponsered murders of Patsy O'Hara and Micky devine posed such a threat to the establishment that there was indeed a campaign to infiltrate the RSM, unfortunatly Ta Power was I think the victim of a British campaign of anihalation though his words were printed and thankfully they remain today! If I could act upon these words, If I could only find the courage then I would only presume I was worthy of what every member of the RSM has been true to since 1996 and many years before!!

[FTA69]

CPGB? Big whoop, I see these types over here all the time selling their rubbish papers outside the Tube station, I wouldn't be losing any sleep on their opinions at all lad. That having been said they're not the worst by any means, some of the Spartacist and loony Trots over here are simply off their game.

[KillinSnakes]

CPGB? Big whoop, I see these types over here all the time selling their rubbish papers outside the Tube station, I wouldn't be losing any sleep on their opinions at all lad. That having been said they're not the worst by any means, some of the Spartacist and loony Trots over here are simply off their game.

The CPGB has different factions within it and apparently the Leninist faction has been friendly towards the IRSP.

[redflag32]

In fairness to the person who sent in this letter,he is a dublin man and the INLA have a terrible name there. It is unjustified but all the same its a reality. Only the other day i was flicking through a sunday rag and in nearly all of the stories on drug delaers and gangsters there is a dig at the INLA. Not all people are as wise as we are to the rags that print this stuff,and something has to be done to try to counter this.