'British Army still in 6 Counties'
DES Dalton, the recently-elected president of Republican Sinn Féin, told the Observer newspaper on February 7 that the last piece of the devolution process “had only rearranged the furniture, but the house remains in Britain”.
“There is very little difference between this and the bureaucracy at Dublin Castle pre-1921 that administered British rule.
“I have said before that we uphold the right of the Irish people to resist British rule in any way they can, including armed resistance.
“The British army is still in the Six Counties; in fact they were actively recruiting outside Queen’s University Belfast last week. The unionist veto still exists, and the recent Tory talks with unionists show they will use their power in Westminster to continue to keep this part of Ireland under British rule. So the conditions still exist for those to resist that rule, nothing has changed that.”
Des Dalton said that comments by Provo leaders and British supremo in the Six Counties Shaun Woodward that armed Republican “dissidents” were apolitical or simply criminals was counter-productive.
“Remember the 1970s and ’80s, when Republicans were portrayed as criminals or thugs or godfathers. These were men and women who went to jail for the struggle and in the hunger strike died for their beliefs. Paining genuine Republicans today who resist British rule as criminals or thugs is making the same mistake the British made back then. Ordinary criminals don’t fire on heavily fortified and armed British army police bases.
“The Royal Irish Constabulary became the Royal Ulster Constabulary and they ultimately became the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI. But while the cap badge might change, the essential point of these forces remain the same. They are there to uphold British rule, they are integral part of the British state forces.
“It is worth remembering all the recent reports of nationalist PSNI officers being unable to live in the communities they came from. Our message to young nationalists is that your place is not there in the PSNI. The logic of the situation remains the same – if you join a force that upholds British rule then you are putting yourself in the line of fire.”
The RSF president said its activists would assist nationalist residents who wanted to stop Orange or loyalist marches to pass through their areas as a concession to the DUP.
“Republican Sinn Féin will not abandon these communities to any squalid deal reached at Stormont or Hillsborough Castle.”
“There is very little difference between this and the bureaucracy at Dublin Castle pre-1921 that administered British rule.
“I have said before that we uphold the right of the Irish people to resist British rule in any way they can, including armed resistance.
“The British army is still in the Six Counties; in fact they were actively recruiting outside Queen’s University Belfast last week. The unionist veto still exists, and the recent Tory talks with unionists show they will use their power in Westminster to continue to keep this part of Ireland under British rule. So the conditions still exist for those to resist that rule, nothing has changed that.”
Des Dalton said that comments by Provo leaders and British supremo in the Six Counties Shaun Woodward that armed Republican “dissidents” were apolitical or simply criminals was counter-productive.
“Remember the 1970s and ’80s, when Republicans were portrayed as criminals or thugs or godfathers. These were men and women who went to jail for the struggle and in the hunger strike died for their beliefs. Paining genuine Republicans today who resist British rule as criminals or thugs is making the same mistake the British made back then. Ordinary criminals don’t fire on heavily fortified and armed British army police bases.
“The Royal Irish Constabulary became the Royal Ulster Constabulary and they ultimately became the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the PSNI. But while the cap badge might change, the essential point of these forces remain the same. They are there to uphold British rule, they are integral part of the British state forces.
“It is worth remembering all the recent reports of nationalist PSNI officers being unable to live in the communities they came from. Our message to young nationalists is that your place is not there in the PSNI. The logic of the situation remains the same – if you join a force that upholds British rule then you are putting yourself in the line of fire.”
The RSF president said its activists would assist nationalist residents who wanted to stop Orange or loyalist marches to pass through their areas as a concession to the DUP.
“Republican Sinn Féin will not abandon these communities to any squalid deal reached at Stormont or Hillsborough Castle.”
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