Anti-Imperialist Forum Held

international | summit mobilisations | news report Thursday June 27, 2013 20:55 by Republican Sinn Féin - RSF

Republican Sinn Féin

Republican Sinn Fein would like to thank the Conway Mill, Belfast for the use of its facilities; the Orient Pub on the Springfield Road for hosting a very successful function on the Friday night and David Rovics for supplying great music and song. To those who helped in making the Forum possible; to those who took part in the sessions and to those who travelled from various parts of Ireland and a special thanks to those who travelled from abroad. We would also like to say particular thanks to Roy Garland who offered a Unionist perspective to the Forum. We are grateful to him for such insightful contributions over the two days.

A booklet will be printed within a short time with the submissions made to the Forum which will make for fascinating reading. It will be available from the Head Office at 223, Parnell Street, Dublin 1. ///

Anti-Imperialist Forum held in Belfast June 14/15 //

The Anti-Imperialist Forum organised by Republican Sinn Féin was held in the Conway Mill, Belfast from June 13-15.

International delegates, academics and people from various walks of life joined members of Republican Sinn Féin in debate and discussion.

The Forum opened on Thursday night for the launch of the Seven Signatories Manifesto, chaired by Cáit Trainor, Vice-President of Republican Sinn Féin (Armagh). Contributions were from Republican Sinn Féin members Damien White, Armagh; Seán Ó Dúbhlain, Iar Mhí and Fergal Moore, Monaghan who drafted the Manifesto. In the run-up to the Centenary of the 1916 Rising, six more pamphlets will be launched, each based on the Signatories of the Proclamation and outlining the policies of Republican Sinn Féin.

On Friday morning, June 14 delegates visited the Eileen Hickey Museum in the Conway Mill followed by a white-line picket on the Falls Road in support of the Republican POWs in Maghaberry jail which was very well attended. After lunch the session on ÉIRE NUA/SAOL NUA in the 21st Century was chaired by Pádraig Garvey (Kerry). A lively discussion followed the excellent contributions from Roy Garland, Commentator and Journalist, Belfast; Des Dalton, President of Republican Sinn Féin; Kaan Orhon, Republican Sinn Féin International, Germany/Turkey; Damien White and Seán Ó Dúbhlain.

Experiences from the worldwide Anti-Imperialist Struggle followed, chaired by Dieter Blumenfeld, head of Republican Sinn Féin International. Taking part in that session were Manik Mukherjee, International Anti-Imperialist Coordination Committee and Socialist Unity Centre of India; Boyen Baleva, National Democratic Front of the Philippines and Rafael Joseph Maramag, International League of Peoples’ Struggle, Philippines/England. Badrul Alam, President and Abu Naser, Vice-President of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation were refused visas to travel to Ireland as was Leonid Savin, a political activist from Russia. Sukriye Akar, representing the Turkish political organisation Halk Cephesi, was stopped by MI5 at Belfast International Airport, arrested and held and questioned for several hours. Her laptop and phone were taken from her and only returned after she had gone through Customs on her way home three days later. She did however address the Forum at a later session and she was warmly received.

International Solidarity with the Irish Freedom Struggle was a continuation of the International theme and Barry Kearney, James Connolly Association Melbourne Branch, Australia; George Faisan, Liberation Irlande, France; Pádraig MacLiam, Cumann na Saoirse Naísiúnta, USA and Dieter Blumenfeld, Republican Sinn Féin International made up the panel. Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais, National Treasurer, Republican Sinn Féin, chaired. Both sessions provided the meeting with information on their various struggles against State repression, and how they related to the Irish struggle for independence.

A very successful function was held in the Orient Bar on Friday at which US singer/songwriter David Rovics performed his unique brand of protest music. A wonderful night.

Saturday, June 15, began with Republican History: The challenge of finding the truth at which Kevin Bean, University of Liverpool; Seán Ó Coinn, Local Historian, Belfast; Marisa McGlinchey, University of Coventry and Anthony McIntyre, Journalist and Writer and former Republican POW, gave their perspective on a complex issue. Josephine Hayden, Republican Sinn Féin General Secretary, chaired the session.

Fergal Moore chaired The Flag Protest: Republicanism & Unionism which heard Roy Garland, Commentator & Journalist; Des Dalton, President of Republican Sinn Féin, Kildare and Paul Carson from the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) speak about the different perceptions that are ‘out there’ in relation to the treatment of Unionists and Republicans.

Many members attended the Anti-G8 Rally in Belfast City Centre at lunchtime which was organised by the Trade Union Movement.

The Anti-imperialist struggle & grass-roots initiatives in Ireland heard from Roger Cole, Chair of Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA); Maura Harrington, Shell to Sea; Bernie Hughes, Finglas Branch of Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT) and Martin Duffy, Republican Sinn Féin (Lurgan) representing the Release Martin Corey Campaign, on how their Organisations/campaigns came into being and the impact of their initiatives to date and their plans for the future. The session was chaired by Seán Ó Dúbhlain.

The final session of the Forum was Irish Republicanism in the 21st century, and was chaired by Cáit Trainor. Republican Sinn Féin President Des Dalton, Oliver White, Republican Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle member from Newry/South Armagh; Pádraig Garvey, Republican Sinn Féin, Kerry, Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais, Dublin and Fergal Moore Monaghan outlined their vision for the way forward for Irish Republicanism.

The Q&A after each session showed how interested people were in what the contributors had to say. So many questions and answers with varying viewpoints ensured lively debate which inevitably led to over-run on time at all sessions!

Republican Sinn Fein would like to thank the Conway Mill, Belfast for the use of its facilities; the Orient Pub on the Springfield Road for hosting a very successful function on the Friday night and David Rovics for supplying great music and song. To those who helped in making the Forum possible; to those who took part in the sessions and to those who travelled from various parts of Ireland and a special thanks to those who travelled from abroad. We would also like to say particular thanks to Roy Garland who offered a Unionist perspective to the Forum. We are grateful to him for such insightful contributions over the two days.

A booklet will be printed within a short time with the submissions made to the Forum which will make for fascinating reading. It will be available from the Head Office at 223, Parnell Street, Dublin 1.

Republican Sinn Féin hold successful protest on Falls Road

On Friday, June 14, Republican Sinn Féin held a very successful white-line picket in support of political hostage Martin Corey on the Falls Road in Belfast. The picket started at 12noon when activists lined up on the Falls Road in West-Belfast near Dunville Park.

Despite rainy weather conditions and the change of the assemble time for the picket due to a last-minute change of the venue for the Irish Anti-imperialist Forum 2013, dozens of activists demanded the release of political hostage Martin Corey and showed their support for the Republican Prisoners in Maghaberry jail. Among those taking part in the picket were activists of the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective, Republican Sinn Féin President Des Dalton and former Republican POW and RSF General Secretary Josephine Hayden.The picket lasted until 1pm. In these 60 minutes hundreds of leaflets informing about the case of Martin Corey were distributed to passers-by.

The online magazine TheDetail.tv quoted a RUC/PSNI report saying “the largest protest that day was organised by Republican Sinn Fein, with 30 people taking part in a picket on the Falls Road”. The RUC/PSNI posting stated that the protest included “10/15 foreign nationals as well as local figures”.

While the number of 30 taking part in the picket is definitely underestimated, the attendance can be described as more than 50 protesters, the number of “10/15 foreign nationals” means that the RUC/PSNI is describing those Republican activists travelling from the 26 Counties as “foreign nationals”. Indeed, there were no more than five international delegates to the IAF2013 presented at the white-line picket on Friday, June 14.The white-line picket on the Falls Road was the start of a successful IAF2013. Members and activists of Republican Sinn Féin took part in a number of protests against the G8 over the weekend. A group of Republican Sinn Féin activists attended the Trade Union march in Belfast City Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Republican Sinn Féin International PRO Dieter Blumenfeld addressed the Dublin Alternative G8 on Monday and on Tuesday,
The Dublin Alternative G8 was held at the Teachers Club on Monday, June 17. The event was addressed by a speaker of Republican Sinn Féin and attended by a number of members and supporters of Republican Sinn Féin.

The day started at 11:30. Kaan Orhon of the Republican Sinn Féin International Relations Bureau read a statement of solidarity from the National Executive of Cumann na Saoirse Naísiúnta (US) to the Irish Anti-Imperialist Forum in Belfast and the Dublin Alternative G8. The chairperson then introduced the three speakers of the first session ‘Peace for whom?’: Diarmuit Breatnach of the Dublin Basque Irish Solidarity Committee, a speaker from Colombia and Dieter Blumenfeld, International PRO Republican Sinn Féin. Blumenfeld outlined the reasons why Republican Sinn Féin don’t support the 1998-Belfast Agreement, the reason why RSF sees the so-called Peace Process as a failure and outlined the essential political achievements of RSF in the past period.

In the afternoon Republican Sinn Féin’s Dieter Blumenfeld chaired the session on political prisoners. He gave a brief introduction on the case of Martin Corey and urged everyone in the audience to support the Dublin Release Martin Corey Campaign before introducing the speakers in this session. These were Geri Timmons for Ireland for Leonard Peltier, Diarmuit Breatnach of the Dublin Basque Irish Solidarity Committee, Bill O’Brien, National Treasurer of the Ireland-Cuba Support Group, who spoke about the case of the Cuban 5, and José Gutiérrez of the Latin American Solidarity Centre who outlined the plight of the political prisoners in Colombia.

The day came to a conclusion with a concert by various political songwriters and musicians such as Tommy Sands, David Rovics and Bernard Fitzpatrick.

On the following day members and activists of Republican Sinn Féin took part in a protest march from the Wolfe Tone Monument to the American Chamber of Commerce..

International delegate held at Belfast Airport

IN A statement on June 15 Republican Sinn Féin condemned the actions of MI5 against one of the international delegates to the Irish Anti-Imperialist Forum 2013 in Belfast on her way to the Forum.

Sukriye Akar, was stopped at 1:40pm on Friday, June 14 at Belfast International Airport. Following passport control she was approached by two men who identified themselves as police officers and took her with them. No reason was given. She was questioned for up to four hours about her intended trip to Belfast, her stay and the reasons for attending the IAF2013.

Her laptop, USB-sticks and mobile phone were taken from her. She also had some copies of the movie “F-Type prisons” (high security prisons based on strict isolation conditions) with her. Republican Sinn Féin had intended screening the film on political prisoners in Turkey as part of the programme of the IAF2013 on Saturday evening. These DVDs were taken as well. Before leaving the room one of the men said to her: “Let’s hope you get your laptop back and we let you out of the country.”

Sukriye Akar, a German and Turkish citizen, travelled to Belfast to attend the Irish Anti-imperialist Forum 2013 as a representative of the Turkish political organisation Halk Cephesi. Republican Sinn Féin immediately established contact to a solicitor. While comrade Akar was allowed to collect her belongings on her way back, Republican Sinn Féin condemns these attempted intimidation of a political activist on her way to a political conference. The stopping and questioning of Sukriye Akar at the Airport was just the latest attempt by the English and Irish government to disrupt the preparations of the Irish Anti-imperialist Forum. The Forum was intended as a platform of various Irish and international speakers to discuss political alternatives to corrupt imperialist system of the G8 and its puppets in Stormont and Leinster House.

Some delegates, who had planned to address the Irish Anti-imperialist Forum and the annual Bodenstown commemoration in Sallins, Co. Kildare, on June 16 were barred from entering Ireland. Among these were Badrul Alam and Abdul Naser of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation and Leonid Savin, a political activist from Russia. No visas to Ireland were granted for these three political activists.

Furthermore, while activists gathered on the Falls Road to hold a white-line picket for Republican prisoners, four RUC/PSNI men entered the Conway Mill through a back door and searched the premises where the IAF2013 was held.

Republican Sinn Féin condemns the harassment and intimidation against Republicans and Anti-G8-protesters during so-called Operation Sponsor by the British RUC/PSNI, Gardaí, MI5 and other sections of the English and Free State intelligence service. All these actions could not stop Republicans and protesters from holding a successful IAF2013 in Belfast and indeed successful protests all over Belfast and the Occupied Six Counties and Dublin.

http://www.irish-solidarity.net/db3/