Is the dream of the
socialist republic dead? The largest republican organisation, Provisional
Sinn Fein have bought the peace package of compromise with British
Imperialism and accepted the economic realities of Capitalism. To say that
is not to write off the few radicals and revolutionaries still left in that
organisation.
The Republican
prisoners currently protesting against the forced integration policy of the
NIO should be supported by all shades of republicanism and thankfully there
are now signs that this is indeed happening. The ongoing protest will bring
back many memories for members of the Republican Socialist Movement for
members of the RSM were instrumental in the prison protests of the 1970s,
1980s and
1990s.
Over 20 Republican prisoners at
HMP Maghaberry are currently taking part in a no wash protest - the
prisoners are demanding segregation from loyalist inmates who vastly
outnumber them and are involved in a campaign of intimidation that has
resulted in several attacks and numerous death threats. What follows is the
jail journal of one protesting prisoner which was published in the
Andersonstown News (July 28, 2003):
In October 1988 the
British Government issued and implemented a broadcasting ban which at that
time was seen to be the sternest of approaches and most impacted on the
rights of freedom of speech and expression. Douglas Hurd delivered the North
of Ireland notice and this meant that in the North certain persons belonging
to a variety of 'outlawed' organisations could not appear on television or
radio as spokespersons of the groups they represented e.g. IRA, UDA. The
consequence was that the individual citizen's right to judge for one's self
was essentially taken away.
The
arrest of leading unionist and former senior electoral official
Alastair Patterson, in connection with serious offences within the
Six-County Electoral Office, will further undermine nationalist
confidence in unionism's commitment to democratic
politics.
