IRSCNA: Costello Commemoration Statement

national | miscellaneous | press release Sunday October 09, 2011 07:43 by IRSCNA irscna at irsm dot org

Statement for the annual Seamus Costello Commemoration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9 October 2011
Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America

Costello Commemoration Statement

The Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America send
revolutionary greetings to our comrades in Ireland on the occasion
of the annual commemoration of the life of Seamus Costello.

As the founder of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and the Irish
National Liberation Army in 1974, Costello was a determined and
forward thinking revolutionary. His goal was a 32 County Socialist
Republic, a Republic of and for the working class, a class undivided
by religion, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

Costello stood in the same tradition as James Connolly, the leader of
the Irish Citizen Army during the Easter Rising of 1916. Like
Connolly, he didn't live to see his vision achieved, but also like
Connolly, he continues to inspire those who carry on the fight to
achieve that vision.

While many things have changed since his death, just as many things
have remained the same. The exploitation and oppression he tried to
overthrow is as pronounced as ever. Capitalism continues to provide
grinding exploitation and misery as its contradictions produce
turmoil for working class people.

The form of British rule in Ireland has changed, but not the content.
The Northern Six Counties remain under British control, but now that
control is administered by local unionist and neo-unionist "nationalist"
politicians. Both the British controlled Northern statelet and the
Southern neo-colonial statelet serve their capitalist and imperialist
masters by suppressing the working class. Scarcity is artificially
maintained for profits, and for dividing people along sectarian
and ethnic lines.

The movement that Costello founded as a vehicle for revolutionary
change is his legacy. We are proud to lend our continued support
as the North American section of the Irish Republican Socialist
Movement. Let us carry forward his struggle until we have achieved
his dream of a 32 County Socialist Republic on the island of Ireland.

###

Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
PO Box 5174
Champaign IL 61825
USA
irscna@irsm.org
http://www.irscna.org/
http://www.irsp.ie/irscna.html