“The
leadership of Óglaigh na hÉireann
wish to extend New Years Greetings to our Volunteers
both imprisoned and on active service in the field.
We acknowledge your continuing role and contribution
to the struggle and salute your determination, resolution
and commitment in the face of massive odds.
We
also extend greetings to our families, friends and
to supporters of the Army and recognise your contribution
to the Irish freedom struggle, for it is you that
gives us the will to fight on.
Again
the Republic is under attack as it has been in every
year since it was declared 86 years ago this month.
Óglaigh na hÉireann remain committed
to the defence of the Republic and will continue
to oppose its enemies both foreign and domestic.
We firmly reject the current normalisation process
and the attempts to stabilise British rule in the
six counties. These are nothing more than attempts
to modernise partition and to create an internal
solution to the conflict. Any such solution is unacceptable
to Republicans no matter how strong its ‘Irish
dimension’. The fact remains that an internal
solution is a usurpation of national sovereignty
and as such is an attack on the Republic. The current
political deal absolves both the British and the
Free State from responsibility in creating and prolonging
this conflict, and propagates the myth that the
conflict is one between two communities rather than
an issue of national sovereignty. We firmly reject
this notion. The root cause of the conflict in Ireland
is Britain's illegal sovereign claim over a part
of the Irish nation. The Free State and the constitutional
nationalist parties in the north are also a part
of the problem given their failure to address this
issue either in negotiations or at an international
level. Continued failure to address this issue will
condemn the Irish people to a cycle of oppression/domination/resistance/oppression.
It is now time to break that cycle.
Óglaigh
na hÉireann reiterate our demand that Britain
publicly declare its intent to withdraw its political
and military machine from Ireland. We believe that
this will remove the biggest obstacle to true democracy
and will restore the fundamental right of the Irish
people to national self-determination. Then and
only then will the people of Ireland, whatever persuasion,
be free to settle their internal political affairs
without the poison of external political interference.
We
remain firmly committed to the democratic ideals
of true republicanism and promise to continue the
struggle for a genuine and lasting democracy in
Ireland, one that truly does cherish "All of
the children of the nation equally". We recognise
that British imposed partition is the cause of inequality
whereby a national minority can stunt the political
growth and deny the political aspirations of the
majority. While such an intolerable state of affairs
continues we will refuse to accede to the demands
of hypocrites in the British, Dublin and Stormont
administrations to become involved in the 'democratic'
process. No republican can be involved in such a
twisted version of democracy. We promise to continue
to push for a real equality agenda; one that opposes
any attempt to update partition and thus perpetuate
inequality.
Óglaigh
na hÉireann call on all Irish Republicans
to unite to defend the republic and to remain true
to the core objectives of Republicanism.
The
leadership remain totally opposed to the RUC and
we warn the nationalist people to be wary of attempts
by the colonial police force to portray themselves
as impartial and acceptable. This force is not only
unacceptable by its actions, which in the last year
have included politically motivated frame ups, corruption
and the wide scale tampering of evidence, but also
because of its core reason for existence; the defence
and protection of an illegal statelet. We also ask
Republicans to continue to reject any and all agencies
that seek to legitimise the colonial police. We
will continue to oppose this colonialism by any
and all means at our disposal.
Finally
we call on Irish Republicans to be aware that the
Republic has never been under greater threat and
that because of this we all need to redouble our
efforts to oppose British interference.
We
call on Republicans to continue to provide us with
the support that we need to carry out our duties
and in return we promise you that we are here for
the long haul.
As
long as the Republic is under attack, the Republic
will be defended.”
