Aidan Ferguson, Seán MacDiarmada Ard Eoin 1916 Societies PRO with a call for an all-Ireland referendum as distinct from the partitionist one Sinn Fein is demanding.
On behalf of the 1916 Societies I request your support for our campaign to hold an All Ireland Referendum on Irish Unity.
The 1916 Societies are an independent Irish Separatist Movement that looks upon the ideals and principles set out in the 1916 Proclamation as our significant point of reference.
The proposed Six County border poll under Britain’s Northern Ireland Act 1998 permits the Secretary of State (an English politician devoid of a single vote in Ireland) to determine:
• when and if a poll may be called,
• the wording of the poll and,
• who qualifies to vote.
Even if passed the British parliament retains the final say on whether or not the result will be endorsed by the UK government.
We believe the core concept of Irish republicanism is that Irish constitutional authority derives from the Irish people and does not defer to laws or decrees emanating from London.
As we approach the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising it is clear that Britain continues to refuse to recognise Ireland as one democratic unit and presumes that Westminster will define the parameters of Irish democracy.
Republicanism is a unifying concept based on interdependence as opposed to tribal commonality. The exceptional Republican leadership of 1916 knew that interdependence could only be nurtured within a national context and not a partitionist one. They were very specific about that in the Proclamation calling for a ‘National Government representative of the whole people of Ireland’ and declaring that the Republic must be, ‘…oblivious of the differences carefully fostered by an alien Government, which have divided a minority from the majority in the past.’
A Six County poll legitimises the very mechanisms invented by Britain to harness these differences to British interests by endorsing the Unionist veto and accepting the artificial statelet that incubates and nurtures the sectarian dynamic in Irish politics.
The 1916 Proclamation for too long has been relegated to the status of a notional aspiration. The 1916 Societies wish to be part of a broad movement which reinstates the Proclamation of the Republic to its rightful place and its original intent as a template for action. In that spirit we respectfully request your endorsement of an All Ireland Referendum on Irish Unity.
One Ireland – One Vote.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Aidan.
ReplyDeleteThe 1916 is the backbone of republicanism, it must be adhered to at all times. In my honest opinion, there are two options.
1 go for the referendum.
2 attempt serious dialogue with our foes.
the reason I say that is, if the referendum were to succeed , our foes would be armed to the teeth by the british to go on indiscriminate murdering in catholic areas , just as in the past. I would not expect any help from the Dail, they would back Britain and reject the referendum, and SF would be with them all they way because they got what they intended to get, High profile Political status. To me they are just puppets of the British , working for the British to maintain a 6 county British Statelet.
If we cant unite our people, then either way, Civil war is bound to break out. We must be prepared for that situation to defend citizens from catastrophic slaughter.
Republicanism is a unifying concept based on interdependence as opposed to tribal commonality. The exceptional Republican leadership of 1916 knew that interdependence could only be nurtured within a national context and not a partitionist one.
ReplyDeleteI think before we can even contemplate organising for either a Border OR a One Ireland ONE Vote Poll, the unifying concept you mentioned needs to be explained to the plethora of Republican groups proclaiming allegiance to the Irish proclamation..
The immediate problem is NOT @ the door of Whitehall but within the Republican collective..we need to look no further than the division and half hearted support for Marian Price that emanated from some quarters during her internment.
a Sad day for Irish Republicanism and the hopes of Irish Unity when the loudest voice calling for an end to her INTERNMENT came from Pat Ramsey!!
Small steps, big gains..maybe an understanding of the basic concepts of what Freedom means would be a good starting place....
Germany calls the shots, get used to it. A state that exports 40,000 people per annum has little to offer the people, north ,south etc.
ReplyDeleteAidan,
ReplyDeleteSomething I have muted for several years now. A single referendum would resolve many, many issues. The only problem today of calling for one is that we are entrapped by the British to play their game and by their rules…….we must step outside the ring.