Stand by the Republic 11/10/97 (excerpts)


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ireland_list@email.rutgers.edu  Wed Nov 12 06:10:55 1997

"Stand by the Republic" excerpts
nov 10, 1997

The way Forward for English Republicans

Of all the groups we deal with the IRSP in GB believe that one of the most
important is The Republican Forum (TRF). TRF are, we believe, one of the
most courageous groups active in Britain today. Our rationale for this
belief is based on the premise held by English Republicanism, while
commendable in itself as an ideal when seen in a historical context in
post Diana England it's about as popular a belief as popery on the
Shankill Road. 

The IRSP GB will offer all possible support to the RF and will continue to
play an active role with in it. Here the Chairperson of the RF gives a
brief history of the movement and its hopes for the future. The IRSP GB
hope that TRF will make use of SBTR in the future and have plans to offer
the group a permanent space in the publication. 

What Is The Republican Forum? 

Modern Republicanism in England dates back to 1983 and the foundling in
that year of Republic, In the course of time, Republic was hijacked by
bourgeois corstitutionalists. Headed by a former theorist of the Social
Democratic Party ready for the day when the ruling class would need a safe
alternative to the monarchy. The sanitised academics of Republic, however,
have their stern opponents impolite, disrespectable, militant, working
class, unconstitutional red republicans, It was these elements which care
together in 1995 to form The Republican Forum). 

TRF is a united front organisation of communists socialists and militant
republicans comprising representatives of the Republican Worker Tendency,
the Revolutionary Democratic Group, the Colin Roach Centre/Resistance, the
South London Republican forum (an autonomous local group) Republican Sinn
Fein and the Irish Republican Socialist Party. While working in the
English context, at present it is mostly London based, TRF has fraternal
links with groups in Wales and Scotland such as Cymru Goch, The Red
Republicans in the Scottish Socialist alliance as well as with militant
Republicans on both sides of the partition line in Ireland. Next year, as
part of its contribution to the celebration of the bi-centenary of the
1798 Irish uprising TRF intends to hold a major meeting in London with
speakers from English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish militant republican
organisations on the platform. 

Given that the Irish struggle, a struggle often ignored by the British
Left when revolutionary violence becomes reality rather than the subject
of abstract debate, remains the main challenge to the UK state, inevitably
much of TRF's work has been around this. To date TRF has held three big
meetings in opposition to the very British and very phoney peace process
in the occupied Six Counties. Kevin Mc Quillan of the IRSP addressed two
of these. 

TRF has also been campaigning for the release of Cumman Na mBan member
Josephine Hayden. Who, despite her ill health, is held in disgusting
conditions in Limerick Prison. TRF is non-sectarian and campaigns for the
release of all Republican POWs regardless of their political affiliation. 
Now that it can forge ahead, TRF is hammering out its united front
platform.Given that members come out of different traditions, have vastly
different experiences and often use the same words and phrases to mean
very different things, this is no easy task. To reach a common definition
and understanding of such basic concepts as united front, militant
republican and socialism and to synthesise this into an agreed policy
platform requires a great deal of patience, tolerance, intellectual effort
and strict adherence to democratic procedure. At present much of the
debate centres on the concepts of rational democracy and class and the
relationship between class and national struggles. The process is
difficult and demanding, but once it is completed TRF will be able to
present its platform to the English working class, the Largest and
potentially the most powerful of the working classes in the countries
which make up the UK; a class which lives and struggles in the very heart
of The Beast. 

TRF is proud to have taken as the name of its newsletter "The Red
Republican;"  "Red Republican" being the periodical published by The
Chartist George Harney in the 1850s. Part of TRF's work is recapturing the
history of militant republican struggle in England. Which since the defeat
of the Levellers in the Civil War has been constantly hidden from the eyes
and minds of the working class. To this end, TRF has organised meetings on
the Chartists and William Morris. Recently, the South London Republican
Forum has published a pamphlet on Harney. The TRF now aims to expand "The
Red Republican" into a full-scale magazine, a focal point and resource for
the struggles ahead. 

If you want to know more about The Republican Forum: 

Write to: The Secretary, TRF, 2 Bitten Court, Lumbertubs, Northampton. To
subscribe to "The Red Republican", send 2 Pounds for four issues. Or
obtain a copy of the pamphlet on Harney (Pound 1.50) write c/o:  83,
Snowerby Close, Eltham, London, SE9 6EZ Make cheques payable to T. Liddle

Censorship in Camden

On Monday 06/10/1997 The Camden Irish Centre became the scene of a farce
played out on the streets. 

The North London Irish venue had been booked by an individual member of
the IRSP GB for a public meeting to discuss the validity of the ongoing
so-called peace process. A few minutes before the meeting was due to
commence the CIC was closed by members of SO13, the metropolitan polices
Anti-Irish Squad. Scotland Yard has stated that a warning was sent via the
Samaritans alleging that a Loyalist bomb had been planted at the centre. 
That in its self is no surprise. 

For generations these thugs claming allegiance to the British state have
used any and all excuses to attack the body politic of all segments of the
Republican platform. However it must be stated that on this occasion they
had a little inside information courtesy of the British left. The week
before the meeting was to be held Anti Fascist Action issued a press
statement. Giving not only the location of the meeting but also those who
where to attend and speak. We would remind all groups that those who
oppose the forcible occupation of Ireland are at risk not only from the
forces of the state but also from those international and home grown right
wing groups who AFA were set up to combat. We have enough to do looking
after the security of our members without having to consider those who, on
the face of things are on the same side as us. 

There is no doubt in the minds of the IRSP GB who forced the abandonment
of the meeting and it was not AFA. However the meeting was abandoned asa
result of publicity, not of the RSMs making and an important chance for
the Irish community in Britain to express their thoughts on the PP was
lost. Not for long;. The membership of the IRSP GB has pledged that the
meeting will take place before the end of October with as many of the
original speakers there as possible. We believe that in its present state
the Pacification Process is dead in the water. If it was ever alive in the
first place. The Nationalist and Republican people of Ireland fought a war
of great ferocity and endured daily terror at the hands of Loyalist
gunmen, the sectarian thugs of the paramilitary RUC and RIR/UDR. How can
anyone now be so cruel as to hold out the prospect of a United Ireland
when it is so patently not on the cards. 

The meeting at the CIC was to give everyone there a chance to say his or
her say. That right was taken away from them. We in the IRSP pledge
ourselves to ensuring that that right will not be denied. 

Gone are the days when faceless men in smoke filled back rooms decide the
fate of the people of the Occupied Six Counties. Or, by those who tell the
people who fought and suffered the consequences of the war sit back we
have your best interests at heart. Get a grip a reality will ye. You can
not politicise a people only to then tell them "we will do it all for
you". The people know what they want and its not a revamped
Stormont. Beware the risen people. It is they and no one else who will
bring freedom. 

North American Coordinator
Irish Republican Socialist Committees
2057 15th Street, Suite B
San Francisco, CA 94114
irsp@netwiz.net
http://irsm.pair.com/irsm/irscna/

 
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