Crackdown on Left Wing Republicans
Irish Republican Socialist Arrests
For those who haven't been keeping track, within the last half year the Dublin
government of Ireland's 26-county statelet has arrested two republican
socialists from Strabane, two from Cork, one from Limerick, two from Dundalk,
and two from Waterford, for a total of nine. Ten years after the Good Friday
Agreement, almost ten years after the INLA declared a unilateral cease-fire,
the Dublin regime is rounding up republican socialists on a regular basis and
charging them with INLA membership---a charge that should not even exist. Why?
That question, in some ways, is almost more important than the arrests
themselves.
How is it that the Dublin government suddenly knows, seemingly, every move made
by members of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement within the 26 counties?
Have they taken to monitoring every border road and assigned Special Branch
agents to tail every IRSP member within Free State territory? Not likely. So,
do they have an information source and, if so, what is that source?
The reality is, concerned activists can only guess the answers to these
questions, however, the recent history of the Provisionals has demonstrated
that some individuals seeking to turn away from a heritage of militancy are not
beyond uses the forces of state repression to neutralize leading revolutionaries
from within their organisational ranks. Accordingly, there is every reason for
the IRSM to exercise all possible caution to ensure that the possibility of
this being the case is addressed and the comrades of the International
Republican Socialist Network encourage them to do so with all possible haste.
From the OIRA shooting of Seamus Costello, to the assassinations of Miriam Daly,
Ronnie Bunting, and Noel Little, on to the murder of Ta Power, the killing of
Gino Gallagher, the disabling attack on Kevin McQuillen, and now the arrests of
Neil Myles, Eddie McGarrigle, and others; those members of the IRSM most capable
of providing revolutionary leadership to the Irish working class have, more
often than not, been singled out for violence and repression.
The recently arrested IRSM comrades cannot be allowed to languish in gaol,
especially now. The IRSM needs the leadership of these comrades and all those
concerned with the struggle of Ireland's working class must demand their
immediate release. More over, these ridiculous charges should be dropped and
steps taken by the Dublin government to permanently remove 'membership in a
proscribed organisation' from their legal code. When a crime has been
committed, make arrests and file charges, but until such time as there is
evidence of such, the Dublin government should stop incarcerating political
activists on such a flimsy charge as 'membership'.
Peter Urban
Comrade, International Republican Socialist Network