21.11.1996

Call for Irish conference

This is the statement delivered on behalf of the Ard Comhairle (executive committee) of the Irish Republican Socialist Party at the launch of a memorial fund in honour of the 1981 hunger strikers

I am particularly proud to be associated with the launching of a project to see the erection of a monument recognising the supreme sacrifice of three young Derry men erected in this city in their memory.

It is now 15 years since the death of 10 brave young Irishmen on hunger strike in the H blocks of Long Kesh. The city and county of Derry paid a heavy price, with three of the 10 - Irish National Liberation Army volunteers Patsy O’Hara, Michael Devine and Kevin Lynch coming from here.

March 1976 and the withdrawal of political status saw the beginning of a five-year struggle both inside and outside Armagh and Long Kesh prisons that culminated in the Hunger Strike. This was a concerted attempt to criminalise not only our POWs, but our struggle also.

Those on protest - enduring unimaginable deprivations - stood united. The unified struggle of the IRA and Inla POWs welded together the community and the POWs’ respective organisations on the outside. The reality of an anti-imperialist broad front had come into being.

From the ‘blanket’ through the no-wash protest to the traumatic days of the Hunger Strike, a united people not only stopped and then reversed the attempt to criminalise our political prisoners. It created - through informing world opinion and the widespread destabilisation of the Six County statelet - a situation where many activists believed that we were beginning to witness the end of British rule in Ireland.

Unfortunately that did not come to pass. However, the lessons learned from the H block/Armagh campaign were to stand some of us in good stead.

We learned of the treacherous nature of the British government, who entered into supposedly genuine talks only to renege on their promises.

The republican people have shouldered a struggle unparalleled in Irish history: over a quarter of a century of guerrilla warfare. For what? Inclusion in ‘some’-party talks? I don’t think so.

There needs to be the creation of a plan B. Republicans are accountable to the people. While there may be the need for delicate contacts to be discreetly maintained, there can be no clandestine deals struck with the British.

Accordingly, the IRSP call for the convening of a special conference, like that which founded the National H block/Armagh Committee, to debate the progress of the ‘peace process’ to date and what gains have been made by republicans. This conference will aim to truly reflect the republican and nationalist people and chose who claim to represent them.

We would like to see a broad anti-imperialist campaign emerging from the other side of such a conference. The IRSP are committed to attend such a conference and fully intend to argue our corner from the republican socialist position. The strategy of any campaign will be dictated by the democratic wishes of all those attending.

An honest review of republican involvement in the ‘peace process’ with the emergence of a unified broad front committed to pressing home republican demands are the least that those, such as the hunger strikers - who gave up their lives for Ireland - can expect from us. Let us make it a reality and - in the words of Patsy O’Hara - “Let the fight go on!”.