Legitimising the Occupation

national | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis Friday March 11, 2011 15:27 by Liam Mac Sheamais

Sinn Féin and the defeat of Irish Republicanism

With the vitsit of the British Monarch to Dublin due to take place in May 2011, many Irisih Republican's consider this to be the last part of a process which has been aimed at solidifying the partition of Ireland and legitimising the continuing British occupation of six northen counties. A process that began with the establishment of a 'friendly' (in British terms) leadership of the Irish Republican Movement in 1986, continuing through ceasefires, decommissioning, treaties and open support for the British colonial police, referred to as the PSNI. The visit by the British Monarch to Dublin is seen by many as the concluding part in this drawn out process.

Sinn Fein have issued a statement regarding the English queen visiting Dublin this year but the statement says nothing beyond the fact that they think the visit is "premature". Are they Republican? Will they oppose it? Is this their final statement on the issue?

How sad to see a political party that holds onto such an historical and proud name distance itself so decisively from Republicanism. Their abandonment of Republicanism is the price of power. To get into power and appease the British and the West Brit establishment, they had to dismantle the IRA, reestablish and participate in the Stormont assembly, support British policing and be cheerleaders for the continued occupation of part of our country.

This whole process has been aimed at defeating the Republican people of Ireland. Many see this visit by Elizabeth Windsor in May as the final stamp of approval on what has been a huge victory by Britain.

To quote a few lines from a poem by Pádraig Pearse, which for me sums up the Sinn Fein position today "....they have bartered strength for weakness...courage for cowardice, hailed as heroes no longer" (On the Fall of the Gael). The conflict between Ireland and Britain remains unresolved. Simply because people who call themselves "Republican" are administering British rule does not mean British Rule is acceptable.

Pearse’s words at the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa still hold true, "they think they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half .... but the fools, the fools, the fools they have left us our Fenian dead and while Ireland holds these graves Ireland unfree shall never be at peace".

Re-negotiation of the various treaties, to re-establish an independent 32 County Republic must take place to bring about a lasting peace in our country and therefore resolve the conflict between Ireland and Britain.

Until the British administration in Ireland is no longer then and only then will there be peace. A section of the Irish people may have been bought over by power and money but there will always be a section in Ireland who will oppose British rule in any part of this country.