Despite the massive coverage the press in this country has given to the peace women, that particular statement went unrecorded. Largely unrecorded as well was another meeting held on 22 August al Camlough, Armagh, which attracted 2,000 people demanding peace with justice. Of course, that meeting was in protest at the killing of a 12-year-old girl shot by British troops and it was organised by Condemn A third item of news from the peace movement which somehow didn't find its way into the bourgeois press was a statement the leading peace woman, Betty Williams, on the shooting by the taxi-driver. She said: "We are satisfied that the only shot fired came from the Army. This was an act of violence which we condemn'.
True, the main emphasis of the statements Betty directed at the Provisionals, and although the enemies of the Provisionals distort and exaggerate the peace movment, it does have a presence among Catholic working class women. nothing very remarkable that after eight long years of war, people in Belfast yearn for peace when the tactics of the Provisionals do not appear to have won very much.
may even protest Co.
anti-Provisional hysteria, of a Falls Road Action.
British imperialism.
Williams makesis It is - especially auxiliaries of that movement.
Led? stress. then? No doubt some of them will protest with statements that will go unrecorded in the British press, they that they are no longer courted by the British Army. Because by then they won't be, having served their purpose of whipping up For rather giving the appearance of such hysteria.
If such a crackdown takes place, maybe the Morning Star will compl ain as well— as they did not complain over the shooting of the Falls Road taxi-driver or over the death of the three Maguire children, except to use it as the Army used it, for pro-British promoted as the panacea, a promotion which ignores that, while Britain and its troops stay in ireland, there will be no 'better life', only death and destruThe responsibility for the violence lies where it has always lain - with But for every young Republican lifted, beaten up or shot by the British Army in the next lew weeks, mere will be omers wad will bear responsibility. Notably the Observer and the Morning Star, who in helping to distort and lie about the true nature of the violence in Ireland, and the peace movement in particular, have given the British Army the green light to do as they wish in posing as
President
O'Bradaigh stated that the Provisionals were not fighting for a united Ireland. Has the policy of the Republican Movement changa saying was that our idea of a Free No. What Ruairi was actually Ireland, the 'New Ireland' as he termed it, was not in any sense to be taken as Free State. I think that was his main idea in stressing the fact of a New Ireland.
The Ireland that Republican Movement wants is a Socialist Ireland with four provincial parliaments and the federal idea concept of theRepublican Movement is to ensure the decentralisation of power. I believe that is what Ruairi was attempting to The Republican Movement never changed its allegiance to a 32county Socialist Republic. ne att tude of the Republican Movement is that national liberation must come first. There is a lot of discussion as to future forms of government in Ireland Interview with Prionsais Macaist, a leading member of the Sinn Are the British adopting Ruairi tougher policy to the Republican Movement generally exclusion O'Bradaigh Counties, the savagery of the British response to the political status proTESTS. the arrest of all point that way. unexpected.
There is more coercion, Dression. ment and the people of the nationalist ghettoes are prepared to stand up as they did in the past. Britain cannot hope to succeed in people of the occupied Six Counties by more repression. These are things we've come to expect from Britain.
How does the Movement see has developing in the next period?
Well, Sinn Britain will eventually withdraw from this country. Now the point is, in whose hands will she leave the power? Protests against the lack of political status for Republican prisoners overflow into the building of barricades on the Springfield Road.
Sinn Fein and all Republicans have an open mind on this point. But we ment will never desist in its efforts until we have established a 32-County Socialist Republic. I think that irrespective of what action Government takes, whose hands she leaves the power in the struggle will continue until we are satisfied that we have got the victory we set out to attain seven years ago.
What attitude does publican movement the so-called which has emerged in recent days?
We have seen 'peace movements • here before. It is quite obvious of that the British Government is behind it. It is backed up by parts of the Establishment, political parties such as the Alliance and the reformist organisations like theRepublican Clubs. peace movements. people will see them for what they are They are a mixture of pro-British elements, some people who are confused, some who peace. But I think their spokesperson put the matter very clearly wen she spoke of their demand any price'. I know that after the sacrifices of last people of the Six accept 'peace at any price Is it a now?
of Ruairi Six Maire Drumm But this is not more restatus. . But the Republican Move for political status.
subduing Republican struggle Andersonstown.
Fein believes that Belfast. The Republican MoveWing them?
British
irrespective of and figures i the Retake to believe in movement' tactics DOOK SDLP, and happening We have no fear of Eventually, genuinely want as peace at seven years Counties will not 'Slam the Provos' campaign?
have had massive coverage I think that is fairly obvious. They of every word uttered, every action, every meeting. The numbers at their meetings have been exaggerated We understand the reason for that. But over 10,000 people took part in a protest rally on the issue of political The press hardly mentioned this rally. It wants to deny the support One of the peace organisers said or TV that there are 24,000 mothers in Andersonstown. She was speaking of Andersonstown alone, not West Bel fast. Well, even the media claimed only 10,000 for that peace rally They also said that support came from as tar away as Dublin as well as from North and East I think these figures speak for There have been movements before in Ireland. We don't fear peace movements.
A delegation from the British • labour movement is visiting Belfast in September. What will the Republican Movement be tell• Well, first and foremost the thin we want them to be aware of i the truth of what is happening here in Ireland. We'll be producing the facts We want our fellow socialists to know the response of the british ruing class to democracy and freedom people who We can forewarn of dangers they may face in the years to come. The British Government is now using the advocated by Kitson in his Low Intensity Operations book which can be likened to Hitler's Mein Kampf. I would say that British socialists must take note of what is There, for it will surely happen in Britain tomorrow. There is nothing democratic about British policy and actions in Ireland.
We would like to ensure that the delegates go away from here with a clear conception of what is happening in Ireland, of what the struggle is about. If we can succeed in enlightening our comrades from Britain as to that, then it will have been time well spent. Armed with this we would hope that they would go back and redouble their efforts to get the British Army
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propaganda. No doubt the "Better Life For All campaign will once more be
Provisional Movement in Belfast. In recent interview, 9 Fein