One year since the cease-fire: no peace in Ireland

By Sean Magill
Sinn Fein activist Jim Neeson is touring Australia as the guest of Australian Aid for Ireland. His first stop was Western Australia, where he spoke to leading trade unionists, Aboriginal activist Yaluritja (Clarrie Isaacs), and ALP and Greens (WA) politicians. He also addressed two public meetings one of which was hosted by the socialist youth organisation, Resistance. At the meetings, Jim stressed the importance of moving the peace process forward. He said, "At first the British had insisted on a 'permanent cease-fire' before they would speak to Sinn Fein. They have dropped that demand now in favour of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) decommissioning their weapons. The British keep moving the goalposts."
Republicans wanted all the guns taken out of Irish politics. Jim explained, "There are 100,000 allegedly legally held weapons in Northern Ireland, and that is a lot of guns in a population of 1.5 million. Most of these guns are held by ex-members of the sectarian police reserve or ex-members of the discredited Ulster Defence Regiment. Only a few are held by nationalists and none at all by republicans.
These guns and the weaponry of the police "are the guns that need to be decommissioned. If that happened, I would personally challenge the IRA to decommission, and the loyalist paramilitaries as well. However, until that time the IRA will not give up one bullet. The nationalist community will not go back to the situation in 1969 — families burnt out, people beaten up, people murdered, where we were defenceless."
Jim spoke at length about the case of the Casement Accused. Two British soldiers were killed by the IRA after they had attacked a republican funeral. Jim was arrested along with 200 others. Forty-two were charged with crimes including murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and causing grievous bodily harm. In the end 19 were jailed, including five men who were sentenced to life imprisonment. It was never suggested by the crown that any of the accused were responsible for shooting the soldiers, but that they were guilty of "common purpose".
He said that there was no parity of treatment for republicans. He cited the case of British soldier Lee Clegg, found guilty of shooting dead a joy rider. His comrades had made up a story that the joy-riders' car had hit Clegg and that he had fired in self-defence. His mates had kicked Clegg in the legs to make it appear that he had been hit by the car. In court this alibi was exploded by independent witnesses, but none of Clegg's fellow soldiers were found guilty of anything.
Immediately Clegg was found guilty, he was taken to a prison close to his family in England. The British prison rules recommend that prisoners should be placed in a prison near their families. Some Irish republican prisoners, arrested in England, have spent more than 20 years in English jails.
After just 18 months in jail, not only was Clegg freed but he was promoted and allowed to rejoin his old regiment as a trainer.
Jim was asked what role the government in the south of Ireland had played. "This is like asking Clarrie [Isaacs] to comment on the government of Australia", he said. "The Dublin government has no meaning for me. I am a republican. The Republic of Ireland consists of 32 counties as far as I am concerned. The Dublin government have released some Republicans from prison, but they should never have jailed them in the first place."
Jim commented on the possibility of a loyalist reaction to a British pullout. "There will be a reaction from the paramilitaries. However, the protestant businessman, like all capitalists, is only really interested in the dollar. Thatcher allowed 10 men to die on hunger strike, and more were prepared to volunteer. That will not happen from the loyalists, because their cause is not worth dying for. I believe the common sense and good will of my fellow Irish on both sides of the community will prevail."
At the Resistance meeting, he spoke of the importance of knowing why you should resist. "In 1968 I resisted. I marched with the so-called loony lefts. I was about 26 at the time. I was a great admirer of Martin Luther King, but I felt embarrassed singing 'We Shall Overcome'. Suddenly we were thrust into a war. You have to know why you are fighting and believe in what you are fighting for."
Jim concluded, "Ireland's problems cannot be solved by Australians or Americans or the International fund for Ireland. They have to be solved by the Irish. Britain needs to get out. We need the support from people around the world who resist.

"The British army is still there controlling part of our country. The guns should be taken out of Irish politics. Republicans agree with that. We need the international community to push for peace. Resist what the Brits are doing in Ireland, so all the people of Ireland can join together in peace.
"Please join the September 1 picket [for peace in Ireland — see page 31 for details]."