IAWM Easter Statement
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
press release 
Tuesday April 11, 2006 15:27
by Daniel - Irish Anti War Movement
1916: We serve neither King nor Kaiser
2006: We serve neither Bush nor Blair
US Military out of Shannon
On Easter 1916 those who took part in the 1916 rising unfurled a banner
saying, “We serve neither King nor Kaiser”. This was a statement that their
revolt was part of the resistance to the 1st World War, a war between the
imperial powers of the day, as well as a blow for Ireland’s independence and
for an end of the oppression and occupation of Ireland by the British
Empire.
The 1916 rising was the first in a series of revolts that swept across
Europe against war and the empires. Kings were deposed and the carnage of
the war was brought to an end by mutinies in the armies and rebellions
against governments.
Today we have another empire oppressing the world – the US Empire. The death
and destruction they have unleashed in Iraq in the last three years means
Iraqis are now worse off than under Saddam. US foreign policy has backed
murderous regimes and tyrants in the interest of US power and business. We
need look no further than Saudi Arabia, Iraq’s neighbour, for proof of this.
It is sickening to see the Irish government claim they honour the goals of
those who resisted oppression and imperialism in 1916 while backing the
current global empire, and its occupation of Iraq, through the use of
Shannon airport by the US Military. In truth the people resisting the
occupation and oppression of a foreign power in Iraq have more in common
with the participants in the 1916 rising than our government.
The Irish government also want to use the celebration of the 1916 rising to
further soften people up for militarism. The form of the celebration – a
military parade on Easter Sunday, is part of an agenda to recast the Irish
Army as part of the EU military machine. Willy O’Dea recently announced
Irish involvement in EU Battle Groups. These battle groups can be deployed
as part of an EU army to grab the resources of countries like Iraq just as
the US military is currently doing.
This militarism will involve increased military spending to bring our
military into line with NATO standards. This is happening at a time when we
face the greatest hospital waiting list crisis in the history of the state.
The Irish Anti War Movement says welfare should replace warfare as the
priority for government. On the anniversary of the rising we ask is this the
Ireland that the Easter rising was fighting for?
At 2pm on Easter Saturday 15th April the Irish Anti War Movement will be
honouring the anti-imperialist tradition of the rising by unfurling a banner
at the GPO saying:
1916: We serve neither King nor Kaiser, 2006: We serve neither Bush nor
Blair. US Military out of Shannon
We invite everyone interested in peace and who want to see and end to
empires to join us.
Comments (15 of 15)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15And in the true spirit of 1916,there is an anti-war,anti-imperialist action at Baldonnel
on Sunday at 3pm.
We urge all interested to attend,all groups and individuals.
Details here-
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75211
All in!
The baldonnel action is not included in the IAWM statement on their site or in their email newsletter - adding it in as a comment here (where it's already well known about) looks a teensie wee bit like a pretence at not being sectarian.
"If we don't control it, it ain't happening"
to say the least. Why have the IAWM (officially) decided to ignore the Baldonnell action?
No need to be sectarian back though. The Saturday IAWM event should be supported. Its a truly Anti Imperialist slogan to link the 1916 Rising with Iraq. Brits out of Iraq and Brits out of Ireland!
Hey badman,
One step at a time sweet....better than not mentioning Baldonnel at all. What did you think of the statement itself?
Good luck in Baldonnel btw...may you have a good march and lots of publicity.
See you on the 22nd when we attempt to gather and co-ordinate our forces.
I have to admit I'm surprised that a statement on the 1916 Rising and the "blow for Ireland’s independence and for an end of the oppression and occupation of Ireland by the British Empire" would fail to mention the British/US use of airports in the occupied six counties for rendition flights.
See the below link for a BBC story on this...
.better than not mentioning Baldonnel at all.
The point is Mick, that it doesn't mention it at all. A comment mentions it. The statement circulated by the IAWM doesn't mention it. The reason being that the SWP/IAWM are so sectarian that they can't even bring themselves to mention events that they don't control.
Your 'everybody else is sectarian' except the SWP one man act is getting a bit tiring.
What did you think of the statement itself?
Pretty standard SWP rhetoric. The only thing worth remarking upon is the following:
1916: We serve neither King nor Kaiser, 2006: We serve neither Bush nor Blair.
The point being that this juxtaposition is ridiculous. Bush and Blair are on the same side. If they wanted to use the socialist slogan from WW1 the reprise should have been "we serve neither bush nor allah / Bin Laden / somebody on the other side". As it is, they are simply debasing the principled stand of socialists of times past by taking the side of one reactionary ideology against another in this war.
At 2pm on Easter Saturday 15th April the Irish Anti War Movement will be
honouring the anti-imperialist tradition of the rising by unfurling a banner
at the GPO saying:
1916: We serve neither King nor Kaiser, 2006: We serve neither Bush nor
Blair. US Military out of Shannon
The idea is a good one but the timing is odd.
The official state parade past the GPO starts at 11.45 , unfurling the banner at some time when this is still on (before 13.00), would make sense
as it will embarrass Berties and may get on the TV.
Unfurling it at 14.00 is odd as this only clashes with the Baldonnel event ( http://www.indymedia.ie/article/75211 ). Any chance of moving the banner unfurling back a couple of hours so we don't have to choose which of the two anti-war events to go to but can do both? And the banner could go to both.
It says Saturday April the 16th. : /
typical rubbish from the swp, the cause of the iraq war is not leadership, as they would love to have us believe. the cause is social, an economic system that must constantly expand in order to survive. the problem is capitalism, not george bush.
Paddy Harte is going into the schools to get at the kids ,wants them to help listing all the WW1 dead,to show all the "courrage,suffering and sacrifice" that went on. All this is dangerous and must be stoped, also why is Sinn Fein runing with all this,two of their councillors Padaig MacLochlainn and Tony Mc Daid went the Somme ,came back and wants to make a poppy embedded with a shammrock,to become the " common symbol of all the traditions on the island of Irelnad" . Not me, I come form the "NEITHER KING NOR KAISETR" tradition,so no poppy for me.
"Why have an event in the city centre at the SAME TIME as a major anti-war event at the airport? "
An event on Saturday is supposed to spoil an event on Sunday. Wake up!!!! They are separated by 24 hours
BALDONNEL ACTION IS THE 16th - which is EASTER SUNDAY!!
how about a white peace poppy? it is the symbol of the (anti-imperialist) international peace pledge union. doesnt mean you have to give up the lily, you could wear a white poppy as well and you wouldnt be commemorating british imperialism. two of my great uncles were killed in WWI in france while serving in the british army. i remember them and all who died by wearing the peace poppy.
White poppys are o.k.,they are out since the 1920ts,there not about the glory of war,we can tell the kids that,but what about Paddy Heart and what he is up too,then there the Sinners,their Belfast Councillor TOM Hartley, is doing a lot of crying about his grandfather who was in the BA,a well, we all have our hang-ups,but the young Sinners, we must save them from the likes of him,what do you think.
I thought that Baldonnel was Saturday. Sunday no good - family time! Oh well.
Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.