SEVEN YEARS into the Agreement, the walls of sectarianism
are not coming down, but are being built higher.
None of the main parties has a remedy for this.
Some of them don’t see any need for a remedy.
As if Catholics being divided from Protestants was
the most natural thing in the world. We say it’s
unnatural. Our remedy is to pay more attention to
the class we belong to than the community we come
from. This isn’t just the best way to deal
with the division. It’s also the best way for
the people being left behind in both communities
to rise up.
Parties which focus exclusively on representing
one community or the other end up representing only
the well-off within each community. Thus, all the
main parties in
Derry want to give millions to build a runway for
Ryanair. But not one of them is up for a fight on
water charges. They are happy to hand over Fort
George and Ebrington Barracks to big business for
“development”— while lamenting the
lack of facilities for young people on nearby estates.
They all say they are against poverty, then agree
to cut the already-low wages of council workers.
These politics don’t advance either community.
They advance a minority within each community.
Our strategy is for people to organise from below
— not to look to politicians or paramilitaries
to deliver. We’ll use a mandate as a platform
to build support for anyone abused by the State
or other agencies. We pledge full backing for all
whose jobs or dignity, homes or livelihoods are
threatened by unaccountable big business. We will
defend the public service against the privatisation
agenda accepted by the four main parties in the
Assembly.
We will support all families, irrespective of community,
who want the truth about how their loved ones died,
whether at the hands of the State or at the hands
of
paramilitaries — or by the two together in
collusion. We won’t be telling anyone to stay
quiet because demanding the truth might disrupt
the “peace process.”
We are a local expression of the world-wide anti-war
and anti-capitalist movements. We have been at the
heart of the campaign against the illegal war on
Iraq — which has cost tax-payers billions,
even as they tell us there’s no money for school
buses, speech therapists or third level tuition.
Water charges make the point. Only a mass campaign
of non-payment holds out hope of defeating privatisation
and saving the water service jobs. But such a campaign
would have to mobilise across the board. This would
directly challenge parties which are based on mobilising
one community in competition with the other. It’s
for this reason that they all say they are against
water charges — but are all against a non-payment
campaign, too.
There’s the difference in a nutshell.
Oisín Kehoe, Colm Bryce, Eamonn McCann, Davey
McAuley and Liam Friel
TURN THE TIDE
¦ MOVE ON WITH THE SEA
The Socialist Environmental Alliance has been the
most positive force for radical change in the Derry
area in recent years. On the airport, the rail link,
council pay, water charges, etc., the SEA has led
the way. All the other parties offer more of the
same — sellingoff public services, acceptance
of water charges, poor wages, property developers
destroying our environment, evictions at the dictat
of a billion-pound multinational.
¦ PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT
We challenge the agenda which puts profit before
all else. We stand for the common interests of working
people — the only sound basis for resolving
the endless stalemate of communal politics.
¦ A vote for any other party is a vote
for water charges
Alone among the parties, we stand for a mass campaign
of nonpayment of water charges. We will lead from
the front. Our councillors won't pay.
¦ Abolish ILEX – for democratic
decision-making
The “regeneration” outfit ILEX has wasted
£100,000 of our money on a year’s salary
for a chief executive who produced nothing. All
the other parties want a replacement on the same
sky-high salary. We say, No! Abolish ILEX! Make
decisions on how to develop our city publicly and
democratically. We stand for ethical investment.
Not arms factories, but public housing, recreation
areas, secure jobs.
¦ Money for education and health –
not for war
We will link the local to the global issues. The
British government has thrown billions into the
illegal war on Iraq. We reject the logic of the
New Labour scoundrels who now tell us there's no
money for education and health.
¦ No airport evictions – upgrade
the rail link
We stand with the Donnybrewer residents in resisting
eviction and demolition of their homes. Derry people
already subsidise the airport and Ryanair to the
tune of millions. Councillors fall over themselves
to feather-bed a ruthless, polluting, union-busting
airline, but hardly lifted a finger to fight for
a fast rail link — which would open job opportunities
in Belfast to local workers.
¦ Oppose racism, homophobia and domestic
violence
We will insist the council gives a lead in challenging
racist attitudes. We stand for full rights for migrant
workers. Employers shouldn't be allowed to divide
us by creating a two-tier workforce. Homophobic
attacks and domestic violence are a blight on our
city. The Council should be to the fore in combating
this often hidden violence.
¦ Stop criminalising young people
ASBOs, prison sentences and punishment attacks on
young people don’t solve social problems. They
treat a symptom, not the cause. It will take the
radical economic agenda we stand for to deal the
causes. We say, provide the resources and then work
with young people to create alternatives.
¦ Union rights, secure jobs and decent
wages for all
The current council advertises the Derry area as
a place where workers come cheap. They boast that
wages are lower than in Britain and the rest of
Europe. They have given an uncritical welcome to
antiunion companies like Seagate and Marks and Spencer.
We want to make Derry a union town again, where
workers are respected and paid well and have secure
jobs. The council should immediately raise the minimum
wage of council workers to the European decency
threshold. We will oppose the current cuts in pay
for council workers. We want full re-cycling, street-corner
facilities—otherwise we face million-pound
EU fines or an incinerator in years to come.
SEA candidates are:
WESTMINSTER ELECTION
Eamonn McCann Foyle 07977 924321
COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Eamonn McCann Waterside Rural 07977 924321
Colm Bryce Northland 07771 781958
Oisín Kehoe Northland 07745 068184
Liam Friel Cityside 07840 560397
David McAuley Waterside 07812 537786
You can contact the SEA at our election offices
at:
2 Shipquay Place, Guildhall Square Ph: 028 7127
9544
Email: seaderry@aol.com
Website: www.socialistenvironmentalalliance.org
