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The
leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann, at this critical
juncture in the history of Irish Republicanism take
this opportunity to extend fraternal greetings to
our comrades. Both in the field and those imprisoned,
because of their commitment to the struggle for national
liberation and their continued adherence to the authentic
and principled teachings of our heroic patriot dead,
exemplified by the sacrifice of Robert Emmet, whose
bi-centenary we commemorate this year, and epic deeds
of our illustrious martyrs of Easter Week 1916. We
also acknowledge the aid and support unselfishly provided
by our supporters and friends at home in Ireland and
overseas. Likewise, we emphasise our support and solidarity
with all those oppressed peoples throughout the world,
who struggle against the evil and tyranny of imperialist
military might and colonial exploitation. Your struggle
for liberty, truth and justice is our struggle.
At
this poignant point in time in the republican calendar
we remember with pride all those, from every generation,
who made the supreme sacrifice in the fight for Irish
freedom and the re-establishment of the Republic,
endorsed by the popular will of the Irish people in
1918. We are particular mindful though, given the
present day political developments, brought about
by a political process whose architects are counter-insurgency
experts in the British and Free-State establishments,
of sacrifices made by republican Volunteers in the
decades since 1969.
It
is not surprising, given the extent of suffering endured
by Republican communities throughout Ireland, set
against the spider’s web of treachery and deceit
which has emanated over the past decade from Downing
Street, Stormont, Hillsborough Castle, Leinster House,
Dublin Castle and Parnell Square, that many Republicans
should feel a deep sense of despondency and betrayal.
While it is true that former comrades have fallen
for the illusion of political power at Stormont and
been lured by its accompanying fool’s gold, true
Republicans refuse to dwell on the negative and remain
focused on the task at hand and are steadfast in their
commitment and loyalty to fundamental Republican principles.
The lessons of history spell out to us in stark reality
as to what the future holds for those who abandon
republicanism and opt for the road of political pragmatism
and constitutionalism.
We
urge all Republicans to take heart from those who
have remained faithful to their Republicans beliefs
and steadfast in their determination to carry out
any action which is required of them to enhance the
cause for which so much was sacrificed by so many.
We salute our Volunteers and commend our prisoners
whose courageous and principled stand in their refusal
to accept criminalisation is an inspiration to us
all. The volunteers appreciate the fact that the task
which lies ahead will be difficult in the extreme,
given the strength of the forces which are ranged
against us. The potency of the political and military
system which confront us was underlined by the scandalous
choice of location for the Bush/Blair War Summit in
relation to Iraq. Let there be no doubt about it that
venue was chosen as a deliberate, vindictive, symbolic
gesture to Irish Republicans to drive the message
home to us that Six-Counties, from a British perspective,
is an integral part of the United Kingdom. This deliberate
insult to the Irish people and its resultant diminution
of the Irish sovereignty and neutrality was exacerbate
by the participation of representatives of the Dublin
Governament, the S.D.L.P. and the Provisionals in
this scandalous charade. The damage inflicted on the
dignity and self respect of the Irish nation by this
shameful obeisance to the war lords of Washington
and London will serve to strengthen the determination
of the Volunteers of Oglaigh na hEireann to re-kindle
the revolutionary spirit of our Republican fore-fathers
and fallen comrades. We pledge ourselves here today
never to desist until the cause for which they sacrificed
their lives viz. The 32 County Democratic Socialist
Republic becomes a political reality.
Our
former comrades, by their support for and acceptance
of the 1998 Stormont Agreement have a copper-fastned
partition, recognized the legitimacy of British rule
in the Six-Counties, helped to administer British
rule in a British Legislative Assembly, destroyed
weapons, in response to British and Unionists demands
in an unprecedented action, weapons which were obtained
to assist us in the struggle for Irish freedom. They
are now about to embark upon a process which will
see them become members of and administrators of a
British colonial police force, the 21st century version
of the Broy Harriers. To them, at this late stage,
we recommend the words of Padraig Pearse:
I
make the contention that the national demand of
Ireland is fixed and determined; that, that demand
had been made by every generation; that we of this
generation receive it as a trust from our fathers;
that we are bound by it; that we have not the right
to alter it or to abate it by one jot and that any
undertaking made in the name of Ireland to accept
in full satisfaction of Ireland’s claim anything
less than generations of Ireland have stood for
is null and void.
We
for our part, remain faithful to Pearse’s assertion
and pledge our determination in the words of Theobald
Wolfe Tone, the father of Irish republicanism “to
break the connection with England the never failing
source of all our political evils to assert the independence
of our Country.”.
In
the final salutation, to all those from every generation
who made the supreme sacrifice, we reiterate that
we are in this struggle for the long haul until ultimate
victory is achieved. Let all be clear, we will settle
for nothing less.
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