From: jbm7-AT-tutor.open.ac.uk (Jim Monaghan) Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 13:10:20 -0000 Subject: M-I: Ireland I sometimes polemicise against the militarist supporters of the INLA on another discussion group. Their problem is that they learned the wrong lesson from the growth and current hegemony of Sinn Fein. Heartfield exaggerates the changes brought about by the British in the North, sure there have been changes. The RUC is less blatant a sectarian force. Some moves not just cosmetic have been made to combat discrimination.But the essence of Orangism is sectarian and discriminatory and even if there was no national struggle it would remain.While the struggle for unity and independence is still the main line of attack on Imperialism there are also parallels with the civil rights struggle in America. There as in the North it is OK to call the British to account on issues such as the parades. It is nonsense to say the parades commission has republican approval or even SDLP approval. Saying the residents campaign is sectarian because it does not directly attack the British is equivalent to saying the civil rights movement by opposing the KKK and not the federal government was racist. The Residents ass. did more to expose the nature of Orangism than 25 years of military activity. I am sure the British and the Irish Gov. would love to reform the orange state. But having ruled Ireland in a certain way it is not that easy to build a new edifice .There is a certain autonomy to the loyalist groups and the RUC etc. The RMG, the FI section, merged with PD and Farrell on the basis of Mass Action Versus Militarism when PD broke with the ultralefts of the Red Republican party. My own analysis is to a large degree based on that of Gerry Foley of Socialist Action formerly of the old SWP of the USA. The challenge for socialists is to build an opposition North and South to tje current Imperialist consensus.The problems of Ireland have not gone away. Hopefully Sinn Fein will not be sucked into the popular front trap making the task all the harder. The Continuity militarists offer nothing. If the Sands group avoid militarism there may be some possibilities with them . Myown opinion living in Dublin is that that nationalism and consequently sympathy for tyhe northern minority has strenghtened. The small but significant gains by Sinn Fein was not due solely to anti drugs campaigning Jim Monaghan --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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