As we look forward to coming out of the current and ongoing covid-19 pandemic, political re-evaluation is paramount.
Ireland has been changed forever because of it, as people’s lives were put on hold, the economy damaged, and family’s ravaged by death.
Now, as the Dublin government begin this week to signal the coming of vicious austerity and the need to pay for the crisis – politics is more important than ever.
The IRSP in the border regions are committed to studying the current political, social and economic dynamics in our communities – and stand ready to defend our communities in the fight for proper public services, as well as fair and sustainable economic development.
One thing that has stayed the same is the British occupation of the north of Ireland. As we know, throughout Irish history, Republicanism has always gone through cycles of resistance to the British presence in Ireland. In recent years we have noticed that interest in Republican ideas around the British imposed border has risen drastically, and especially so in the border counties themselves.
Young people, farmers, workers, and families living in the border counties continue living with the reality of the border and the fact that the Good Friday agreement has not delivered its promised era of peace and prosperity.
Recognizing that the absence of war is not exactly the same thing as peace, a whole new generation of people are living on and either side of the geographical scarring-mark of British Imperialism, and the devastation of a severed nation that the border symbolically represents.
Education and organisation will be key to the success of removing the border, and all the injustices that surround it – ranging from hampered and restrained economic development, unemployment and issues facing market towns and farming communities.
In the post Covid-19 period we will be right there beside the people of the border counties as they face the hardships coming down the track.
Young people are beginning to think for themselves, speaking out against the British occupation and presenting progressive ideas on a new Ireland and ways in which the border can be removed.
Meanwhile, people are wondering why there has been no big milestone moves towards a United Ireland by those who claim to represent the Irish peoples’ interests.
The Republican Socialist Movement, through initiatives such as the Yes For Unity campaign are committed to working with others in the wider republican family, as well as the people themselves to mobilize the Irish people to demand unity.
We envisage Irish Unity in the context of not just the traditionalist republican demand for British withdrawal followed by Irish Unity, but furthermore we envisage a demand for a new, better, fairer and more equal Ireland – a socialist Ireland, the Socialist Republic that will bring about social equality, economic fairness and environmental sustainability.
