Ex-POWs
and Combatants Against RUC/PSNI & MI5 Easter
Message
We would like to welcome everyone here today on
the 91st anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916.
We are gathered here to pay tribute to those who
fought and died in the cause of Irish freedom,
the men and women who took up arms to reclaim
the democratic rights of their nation.
Ex-POWs and Combatants Against RUC/PSNI &
MI5 has found it necessary to come together to
ensure that the sacrifice of our patriot dead
will not have been in vain. It is the duty of
all Republicans to safeguard the graves and the
memory of their fallen comrades and to remind
every citizen of the Republic established in 1916
that six counties of that Republic remain under
British occupation.
In today's political climate that the British
call "normalisation", these words are
not popular. Nor were they popular in 1916 when
captured volunteers were spat upon by the ignorant.
Unfortunately, the signs of the times are that
Britain, with the aid of certain politically ambitious
elements, the career politicians that Sinn Fein
is overloaded with, has been able to foster that
ignorance again. Just last week, a young Republican
was arrested in the Bogside while collecting for
Republican prisoners' families. As the RUC handcuffed
him, two women selling Easter lilies for the Provisional
Movement laughed and jeered.
This type of shocking behaviour reflects the shabby
treatment of ex-POWs by the Provisional leadership
in their undignified rush to sell out Republicanism.
Ex-POWs have been trampled upon and left to rot,
many suffering from alcoholism and mental and
physical health problems, more often than not
as a result of imprisonment and the conflict in
general.
The current Provisional policy of collaborating
with the Crown forces stinks to high heaven and
many ex-POWs wonder about the influence and identity
of the other Scappaticcis and Donaldsons who have
yet to be unmasked.
Sinn Fein's call for our youth to join the Crown
forces will not and cannot be heeded. Nor will
we heed the Provisional leadership's call on community
members to become informers. There have already
been too many Gilmores and Kirkpatricks in our
community. True Republicans can never be touts
or in the control of MI5.
To those ex-POWs who continue to not challenge
what they know is wrong we say "open your
eyes!" our future and our children's futures
cannot be securely built on lies. How long, for
example, before Sinn Fein enter Westminster? How
long before it's Lord Adams of the Falls?
We call upon all ex-POWs and ex-combatants to
get in touch with our group. In the coming weeks
and months, we will be holding a series of meetings
to set up Ex-POW and Combatant groups across Ireland.
We again thank all of you who have attended the
commemoration today. We can leave here with our
heads held high in the knowledge and conviction
that we true republicans will always cherish and
uphold the ideals of our fallen martyrs.
Let us go from here and organise a movement befitting
of these brave men and women.
Go
raibh maith agaibh.
Noraid
Regarding
Noraid and their declared support for Sinn Fein's
betrayal of Republicanism, we say shame on you.
The Sinn Fein leadership have endorsed British
rule in Ireland. Noraid, have you lost your senses
or are there other Denis Donaldsons in your midst
to lead you into treachery?
It is all the more important that we, true Republicans,
hold in trust the ideals of our martyred dead.
We appeal to true Republican supporters for funding
to assist us to build a broad Republican Movement
encompassing all shades of Republicanism openly
and transparently and where proper democratic
debate can occur about our future strategy. In
this the USA has a great part to play.
