STATEMENT FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT
EASTER 2008
The Leadership the Republican Movement extends Easter greetings to our members, friends and supporters throughout the world on this the 92nd anniversary of the 1916 Rising. We send a special greeting to our incarcerated comrades in both Portlaoise and Maghaberry prisons. We also send a special greeting to the prisoners’ families, and recognise the difficult times that prisoners families endure during their loved ones period in prison.
Over the past twelve months there has been an increasing desire by many in the political, historical and media sections to put forward the view that there has been a resolution to the Irish Question, and some would go as far as to say that the Irish people of the 26 counties achieved their civil rights and freedom in 1922, whilst the Irish people of the Six Occupied counties achieved their civil rights and freedom in 1998. Nothing could be further from the truth. As long as there is as much as one British soldier or one British base in Ireland the struggle for Irish freedom will continue and this leadership will not flinch from that objective.
We have also seen over the past twelve months the continuing attempt to normalise British Rule and this normalisation policy has been driven by certain leaders within the Catholic hierarchy, the GAA, all of the Free State political parties and parties north of the Border, the state controlled media and many other lackeys of the British State. This leadership condemns any attempt by these elements to tell the Irish people that they should accept English rule in any part of our country, and we say shame on you all.
We are conscious and fully aware of the pending visit by Elizabeth Windsor, the crowned head of the English State which occupies part of our country, and we call on the Irish people to rise in protest at such a visit. We salute the protests organised by Republican Sinn Féin at such visits and the protests at the use of our National Stadium at Croke Park for an England team and for the playing of the English National Anthem. We applaud the opposition to the Lisbon Treaty referendum as part of the defence of neutrality and opposition to participation in Imperialist wars. We support the contesting of forthcoming local government elections on both sides of the border and we wish all of the Republican Sinn Féin candidates well.
True Republicans have continued to suffer harassment at the hands of the RUC/PSNI in the occupied area and also by the 26-County police. In addition to these we note an increase of intimidation by erstwhile friends while they attempt to carry out the role of policing in certain areas. We deplore this development. We also deplore the comments of Caoimhghín Ó Caoláín who stated that the Provo leadership was the bulwark against co-called dissident Republicans. We would remind such people that the only dissident Republicans are those who have strayed from the path of true Republicanism and are now administering English Rule in the Stormont Parliament.
The battle between rival political parties in the Six Occupied Counties with regards to the devolution of police and justice powers does not augur well when it comes to the treatment of true Republicans who are, and will continue to struggle for Irish Independence. History has painfully taught us that when such powers are in the hands of those who once were involved in Irish Republicanism they have used them not only to imprison true Republicans but also to have them executed and allowed to die on hunger strike. Will history once again repeat itself with regards to the present day Provos?
This Easter, the Leadership of the Republican Movement are confident that they are making huge progress in re-building the movement and in the words of the 1916 Proclamation “are patiently perfecting their discipline”. We recognise that the final act of betrayal by the Provisional leadership has taken place, and we once again call on all Republicans to assist us in the closing drive for Irish Freedom.
An Phoblacht Abú
