Irish Republican Socialist Arrests
Fri Feb 29, 2008
For those who haven't been keeping track, within the last half year the Dublin government of Ireland's 26-county statelet has arrested two republican socialists from Strabane, two from Cork, one from Limerick, two from Dundalk, and two from Waterford, for a total of nine. Ten years after the Good Friday Agreement, almost ten years after the INLA declared a unilateral cease-fire, the Dublin regime is rounding up republican socialists on a regular basis and charging them with INLA membership---a charge that should not even exist. Why?
That question, in some ways, is almost more important than the arrests themselves.
How is it that the Dublin government suddenly knows, seemingly, every move made by members of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement within the 26 counties? Have they taken to monitoring every border road and assigned Special Branch agents to tail every IRSP member within Free State territory? Not likely. So, do they have an information source and, if so, what is that source?
The reality is, concerned activists can only guess the answers to these questions, however, the recent history of the Provisionals has demonstrated that some individuals seeking to turn away from a heritage of militancy are not beyond uses the forces of state repression to neutralize leading revolutionaries from within their organisational ranks. Accordingly, there is every reason for the IRSM to exercise all possible caution to ensure that the possibility of this being the case is addressed and the comrades of the International Republican Socialist Network encourage them to do so with all possible haste.
From the OIRA shooting of Seamus Costello, to the assassinations of Miriam Daly, Ronnie Bunting, and Noel Little, on to the murder of Ta Power, the killing of Gino Gallagher, the disabling attack on Kevin McQuillen, and now the arrests of Neil Myles, Eddie McGarrigle, and others; those members of the IRSM most capable of providing revolutionary leadership to the Irish working class have, more often than not, been singled out for violence and repression.
The recently arrested IRSM comrades cannot be allowed to languish in gaol, especially now. The IRSM needs the leadership of these comrades and all those concerned with the struggle of Ireland's working class must demand their immediate release. More over, these ridiculous charges should be dropped and steps taken by the Dublin government to permanently remove 'membership in a proscribed organisation' from their legal code. When a crime has been committed, make arrests and file charges, but until such time as there is evidence of such, the Dublin government should stop incarcerating political activists on such a flimsy charge as 'membership'.
Peter Urban
Comrade, International Republican Socialist Network
For those who haven't been keeping track, within the last half year the Dublin government of Ireland's 26-county statelet has arrested two republican socialists from Strabane, two from Cork, one from Limerick, two from Dundalk, and two from Waterford, for a total of nine. Ten years after the Good Friday Agreement, almost ten years after the INLA declared a unilateral cease-fire, the Dublin regime is rounding up republican socialists on a regular basis and charging them with INLA membership---a charge that should not even exist. Why?
That question, in some ways, is almost more important than the arrests themselves.
How is it that the Dublin government suddenly knows, seemingly, every move made by members of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement within the 26 counties? Have they taken to monitoring every border road and assigned Special Branch agents to tail every IRSP member within Free State territory? Not likely. So, do they have an information source and, if so, what is that source?
The reality is, concerned activists can only guess the answers to these questions, however, the recent history of the Provisionals has demonstrated that some individuals seeking to turn away from a heritage of militancy are not beyond uses the forces of state repression to neutralize leading revolutionaries from within their organisational ranks. Accordingly, there is every reason for the IRSM to exercise all possible caution to ensure that the possibility of this being the case is addressed and the comrades of the International Republican Socialist Network encourage them to do so with all possible haste.
From the OIRA shooting of Seamus Costello, to the assassinations of Miriam Daly, Ronnie Bunting, and Noel Little, on to the murder of Ta Power, the killing of Gino Gallagher, the disabling attack on Kevin McQuillen, and now the arrests of Neil Myles, Eddie McGarrigle, and others; those members of the IRSM most capable of providing revolutionary leadership to the Irish working class have, more often than not, been singled out for violence and repression.
The recently arrested IRSM comrades cannot be allowed to languish in gaol, especially now. The IRSM needs the leadership of these comrades and all those concerned with the struggle of Ireland's working class must demand their immediate release. More over, these ridiculous charges should be dropped and steps taken by the Dublin government to permanently remove 'membership in a proscribed organisation' from their legal code. When a crime has been committed, make arrests and file charges, but until such time as there is evidence of such, the Dublin government should stop incarcerating political activists on such a flimsy charge as 'membership'.
Peter Urban
Comrade, International Republican Socialist Network