‘YES For Unity’, the Republican Socialist all Ireland referendum campaign, will host a public talk and debate in Strabane Library, this Thursday 15th of November 7pm.
The debate is themed “The Road to Referendum” and will occur with the stated aim of seeing Republicans and Socialists demonstrate the capacity to unite and discuss a single issue, ending partition. The debate will also be a forerunner to the planned Simulated Border Poll / Unity Referendum due to occur in Strabane – Lifford in the coming weeks.
The ‘Road to Referendum’ talk and debate will host speakers from; the IRSP, Sinn Féin, the 1916 Societies and the Peadar O’Donnell Socialist Republican Forum, all of whom will outline their analysis and hopes as to how we can collectively move towards ending partition in Ireland.
Following the Strabane talk/debate, and beginning on Saturday 17th November, Republicans and Socialists from various political organisations will come together to simulate a Unity referendum experience. Seasoned activists and first timers alike can comfortably participate in the canvass by using the ‘YES For Unity’ questionnaire to gain both experience, confidence and vital data from the door steps.
Through this process, we hope to eventually build a well drilled army of activists, drawn from across the republican and socialist political spectrum, workers, fighters and campaigners fit to convince the Irish working class of the need to act in their own interests by campaigning to end partition.
Data gathered during the “Simulated Border Poll” will, in time, form the basis of a campaign strategy that can address further concerns of the Irish working class, given that real fears and confusion exists on how a 32 County Framework will directly affect people’s lives.
So far, the debate around an island wide Border Poll / Unity Referendum has been monopolised by mainstream politician’s keen to cater for corporate business interests. ‘Yes for Unity’ stands apart from (and to the left of) those seeking to create a united Ireland that works only for those currently at the top of society. ‘Yes for Unity’ state openly its intention to confront those who would give our economic sovereignty to the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the European Union.
YES For Unity’s position is that working class people’s interests must be held above all else. We must strive to build a new Republic for the many, not the few. The struggle ahead to win a referendum on Irish unity may well be fought and won on an economic battlefield, where working class people’s fears of the future and of change must be addressed. The time for sloganeering has passed.
