Irish Republican Socialist Party Statements 1. 4 July 2000: British Unionism Responsible for Sectarian Attacks 2. 6 July 2000: Parades commission decision on Springfield Road, beggars belief 3. 6 July 2000: "Pay the 'Term Time' Workers" McGuiness told 4. 11 July 2000: RUC, Business Interests and Trade Unions Should Hang Their Heads in Shame at Over Drumcree Cave-in Violence 5. 11 July 2000: RUC Inaction is Encouraging Intimidation --------------------------------------------------------- British Unionism Responsible for Sectarian Attacks - IRSP 4 July 2000 The Irish Republican Socialist Party has condemned as sinister the appearance on the streets of Portadown and Belfast of heavily armed loyalists. IRSP Ard Comhairle representative following last nights violence Jimmy Bradley said: "The IRSP believe that last night's sinister development coupled with the recent attempted forced evictions in north Belfast show that Britain has no real intent at tackling sectarianism in the six-counties. "The IRSP believe that the ongoing scourge of sectarianism is being ignored under the guise of cultural diversity and hence many working class nationalist families living in interface areas are under the real threat of forced eviction by pro-British mobs." In conclusion the IRSP representative commented: "Each day the IRSP will be posting an information board outside our Belfast offices detailing the previous nights sectarian attacks, alongside a running total of these attacks which in many cases end up in forced evictions and homelessness for the victims. These sectarian victims are victims of British fascism, the perpetrators are British, this is a British problem that has been imported into Ireland and needs to be viewed as such, not some quaint but violent hiccup that we go through every year. The IRSP note that the new assembly breaks up this week, no doubt many of the MLAs will be taking up their places either side of the barricades or as is more likely will be flying off to sunnier and more peaceful climes." STATEMENT ENDS --- Parades commission decision on Springfield Road, beggars belief - IRSP 6 July 2000 The IRSP have said that the Parades Commissions decision to force a sectarian parade up the nationalist Springfield Road on the 12th of July as "utter madness". West Belfast IRSP spokesperson Fra Halligan challenged the parades commission to justify its decision: "Last month the residents of the Springfield Road had forced on them not only the triumphalism and sectarian coat trailing of the Orange Order but also a UFF paramilitary colour party. "This flaunted the decision of the parades commission in allowing the march to enter the nationalist Springfield area in the first place, which was further compounded when the Orange Order played sectarian music over a tannoy system. "Residents had hoped that this sectarian display would be the last time that the community had a loyalist march foisted on them. It is quite clear that the parades commission is prepared to ignore the wishes of local residents, as it should be noted that not one of the marchers or the parades commission live on the Springfield Road." In conclusion the IRSP representative said: "Sectarianism has to be confronted full on by the whole community, not just the residents who find themselves under martial law by the British government, this decision is disgraceful. People will point to the decision to reroute orange men away from the Lower Ormeau on the same day as some sort of quid pro quo. This is patently not true, it obviously suits big business in Belfast city centre that the Orange men are peddling their sectarianism within the confines of the Ormeau Park than it does having to close down the city centre for a whole day. "The IRSP are calling for the same respect to be shown to the working class residents of the Springfield as has been given to big business interests in the city centre. " STATEMENT ENDS --- "Pay the 'Term Time' Workers" McGuiness told - IRSP 6 July 2000 IRSP economy spokesperson Eddie McGarrigle has called on the Stormont education minister Martin McGuiness to play fair by 'term time' workers who find themselves with little or no income at this time of the year. Mr. McGarrigle said: "Mr. McGuiness and his executive are playing with the lives of workers and their families. The current dispute leaves workers, many of whom are women and part time workers, with neither wages nor benefits. The offer of one week's wages to cover the summer period is derisory and insulting. "Those Stormont ministers' role in administrating British economic policy in Ireland should come clean and admit that the influence they actually have in implementing in both political, economic and social change is severely restricted by British fiscal policy. "The IRSP, whilst we support the workers demand for a retainer fee, are calling on the Stormont executive to pay term time workers full pay during the summer months. These workers play a vital role in the education of our children -- could you imagine the outcry if teachers were told that they were not going to be paid for eight weeks? No doubt Mr. McGuiness and his cronies will not be going without full pay for their three month holiday which begins this Friday." In conclusion The IRSP representative said: "The education of our children is an all year round job, many of these workers give up their time during the summer to help and assist summer schools, etc and the a la carte approach shown by Mr. McGuiness and his department is an affront to not only these vital workers but the wider community. We suggest that the minister reflect on his decision during his long summer break in his second home in Donegal. Republicanism has always been about more than uniting Ireland." STATEMENT ENDS --- RUC, Business Interests and Trade Unions Should Hang Their Heads in Shame at Over Drumcree Cave-in Violence - IRSP 11 July 2000 IRSP Ard Comhairle representative Paul Little has slammed the response of the RUC, the business community and the trade union movement on the Drumcree violence and intimidation. Mr. Little said: "The situation in the six-counties is being allowed to deteriorate into a situation were the entire nationalist community and others are intimidated. Whilst the kid glove approach of the RUC is only to be expected, for all its fine words, the RUC remains a protestant police force for a protestant people, the business community and trade union movement should hang their heads in shame at their capitulation to sectarianism." Continuing the IRSP representative said: "Whilst concern for workers safety travelling is admirable, it must be said the closing down of places of work is adding fuel to the fire by allowing many of the work force who are participating in these illegal blockades, time off work to engage in intimidation and violence. The trade union movement should just pack up its bags and dissolve; their total lack of leadership has been exposed. The trade union movement is supposed to be the leadership of the workers, can anyone explain why the trade union movement has not mobilised its membership against sectarian intimidation? Tom Gillen's limp statement in support of the business community falls far short of the principled stand that is required." In conclusion Paul Little said: "The IRSP stand in full support of the residents of the Garvaghy Road who once again have been abandoned by the 'YES' Community, Where are the yes people? Have they lost their voices? The truth of the matter is that the business community is more worried about the lack of cash clinking through their tills than concern for their workers who have to put up with this intimidation." STATEMENT ENDS --- RUC Inaction is Encouraging Intimidation - IRSP 11 July 2000 IRSP North Belfast representative Paul Little has slammed the intimidation of the nationalist community in North Belfast. Mr. Little said: "Loyalist attacks including gun attacks on nationalist working class areas in the north of the city are disgraceful. The intimidation and vandalism at Carlisle Circus are a good illustration how small businesses, workers and residents are being threatened with violence on a nightly basis. Community workers and others are doubling up as a home guard to ensure that homes do not come under attack, many children have been evacuated to safer areas of the country, this is the reality for north Belfast nationalists." In conclusion the IRSP representative said; "The RUC have acted as expected and allowed Orange protests to take place when it is inevitable that the outcome is going to be sectarian intimidation. How long before the first innocent catholic is murdered? The IRSP believe that if the wholesale intimidation continues and murder of nationalists occurs, then we are all facing into a totally different set of circumstances in which Good Friday Agreement stands exposed as a document that does not even reach the standards of spin that it contains, let alone a blue print for government. The IRSP have pointed out right from the very beginning that it is not good enough that the nationalist working class have to endure this annual festival of hate and bigotry." STATEMENT ENDS --- Eric Hayes Patkowski [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://irsm.org/ (Pairt� Poblachtach S�isialach na h-�ireann) http://www14.pair.com/jcs/ (James Connolly Society) Collective Member, Working Stiff Journal
