During the recent Conflict, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) under this and a variety of other titles conducted an armed campaign to keep the Six Counties part of Britain. That resulted in the killing of approximately five hundred Irish citizens throughout the Country. Including many Ardoyne residents. The organisation was also regularly involved in direct collusion for decades with the British Crown Forces.
Even though, I strongly disagree with and have deep suspicious concerning the UVF and its colleagues in the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). They consist of fellow Irish citizens and are entitled to articulate their political opinions. Their views need to be also heard by Irish Republicans. Which is why this evening, I include the following article that was recently published on the 'Long Kesh Inside-Out' website, http://www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk. An online forum for former Red Hand Commando (RHC) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) prisoners.
It was written by PUP Activist, William Ennis from East Belfast. Who admits that Republicans may find some of his questions cheap and predictable. The Author has kindly given Ardoyne Republican his permission for it to be published here.....
Even though, I strongly disagree with and have deep suspicious concerning the UVF and its colleagues in the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). They consist of fellow Irish citizens and are entitled to articulate their political opinions. Their views need to be also heard by Irish Republicans. Which is why this evening, I include the following article that was recently published on the 'Long Kesh Inside-Out' website, http://www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk. An online forum for former Red Hand Commando (RHC) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) prisoners.
It was written by PUP Activist, William Ennis from East Belfast. Who admits that Republicans may find some of his questions cheap and predictable. The Author has kindly given Ardoyne Republican his permission for it to be published here.....
Fifty Questions for Irish Republicans
- Do you disagree with the media practice of referring to Republicans who oppose the peace process as dissidents, a reference which cleanly divorces them from pro-peace Republicans, given that this courtesy is not extended to pro-peace Loyalists?
- Is Sinn Fein’s desire to
slash corporationtax , arguably to thecost of public services, a betrayal of James Connolly? - With the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) acknowledging the British identity of those within our communities who cherish it is Brits out still an appropriate slogan?
- Many Irish Republicans supported the Scottish Yes campaign. Is this an acknowledgement that two states can be a peaceful solution upon One Island?
- Can you think of a campaign you’d like Loyalists and Republicans to undertake together?
- Do the differing attitudes toward Loyalist culture in the Republic of Ireland (where opposition to orange parades is almost unheard of) and Northern Ireland (were many Loyalists understand it to be cultural within Republicanism) deepen partition?
- Is ringing the bell to start trading at the New York
Stock Exchange consistent with a Socialist Republic? - To what degree do the reasons cited by dissident Republicans for splitting from main stream Republicanism differ from the reasons cited by the Provisional IRA (PIRA) for doing so in the 1970’s?
- Re-read question 5… Can you name another?
- Should trustees of a building/organisation to which rent is being paid from the public purse be aware of such transactions?
- If Irish Republicans oppose hierarchy of victimhood why don’t they campaign on behalf of PIRA victims too?
- Why did the PIRA not accept power-sharing in the 1970’s given that its format was very similar to our power-sharing arrangement today?
- How much consideration was given within the Catholic/Nationalist/Republican community to the effect the Belfast City Hall flag removal would have upon w/c Protestant areas before that action was undertaken?
- Does the Republican understanding of a shared future refer to a future shared between Catholics, Protestants and other faiths, or between Nationalist, Unionist and other ideologies?
- Any theories as to why so few Ulster Protestants have been recruited to the Irish Republican cause in Northern Ireland?
- During the conflict as Irish Republicanism battled what it considered British oppression of the Irish people, what steps did it take to combat the now clear oppression which was perpetrated upon the Irish people by the Church (via laundry prisons for young women and
clerical child abuse)? - With almost unanimous agreement that the Irish language should not be politicised, does it belong in the manifesto of any political party?
- Does Irish Republicanism advocate separation of church and state? If so, given the special position De Valera gave to one religious faith above all others, when did that policy change?
- What things would you, as a Republican, like to see happen in Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist areas which aren’t happening at the moment?
- Why have SF agreed to implement the austerity plan of the Conservative party?
- Do you believe Loyalism has a right to exist?
- Do you believe Loyalism has a right to practice its parading tradition?
- Do you believe Loyalism has a right to practice its parading tradition in areas which are not Protestant?
- Do you support segregated living as two separate communities?
- Why are some Republicans still engaged in armed struggle?
- To what extent do currently violent Republicans (known in the media as dissidents) influence the policies of Sinn Fein?
- With Scotland coming within six per-cent of leaving the UK without a bullet fired, a bomb planted or a prisoner self-starved, has any reconsideration been cast upon Irish Republicanism’s past tactics?
- Why is partition a blight of Ireland but a goal in Spain?
- Are the Irish people who fought in the two world wars less Irish than those who didn’t?
- Was De Valera correct to refuse Churchill’s offer of Irish re-unification in exchange for Ireland’s official recruitment against Nazism?
- Is it credible for a party to be anti-austerity in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) whilst implementing austerity in Northern Ireland?
- Did the Enniskillen bomb benefit Ireland? If so, how?
- Any theories as to why the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) focused their enquiries overwhelmingly on ex-Loyalist paramilitaries and anti-SF Republicans but very rarely on PIRA paramilitaries?
- With the EU bringing together states through trade and dialogue doesn’t this render the 32 county statearguments obsolete?
- Would a SF government in the ROI withdraw Ireland from the EU, or set in motion the referendum to do so?
- Was the conflict here a legitimate war, or a terrorist campaign? If the former, why complain when your enemy fired back? If the latter, why support terrorism?
- Why didn’t the PIRA apologise to all innocent victims at the calling of its ceasefire, as Loyalists did?
- Loyalist protesters were recently fired upon by police using rubber bullets. Is it fair to say that Republican protest at their use is not as vociferous as was the case in past generations when the same tactics were deployed against protesting members of the Catholic/Nationalist/Republican section of the community?
- If South Africa and India (to name two) can rejoin the commonwealth why not Ireland? Would it not be the ultimate olive branch to the British section of the community in Ulster?
- If you could change one thing (just the one mind) about Loyalism, what would it be?
- Would the Parades Commission be legal in the Republic of Ireland? (see article 40.6.1.ii of the Irish constitution)
- If you could change anything about Irish Republicanism, what would it be?
- Is mocking the pronunciation of certain words by another working class section of the community consistent with the Socialist Republic?
- Is it wrong to say that Sinn Fein’s opposition to super-grass trials is much weaker today that the targets of the tactic are usually Loyalists, than it was in the 1980’s, when the targets were often Republicans?
- If Northern Ireland is an occupation then presumably as a Unionist I must be a collaborator of some sort. In the event of the Republican Ideal of a thirty-two county sovereign Island state, how would my charge sheet read?
- Considering the petition of concern facility at Stormont, what are the chances of legislating for a united Ireland referendum?
- Is the creation of companies for the purpose of acquiring invoices to draw expense claims from the public purse in keeping with a Socialist Republic?
- Will the re-emerging tactics of bombing banks, shooting policemen etc benefit Ireland? If so, how?
- Why did Sinn Fein capitulate to the DUP on the recent budget?
- I don’t mean to embarrass the guy, but on the several occasions I have met and conversed with Connor Maskey I found him to be genuinely engaging and progressive. Have you ever engaged with a Loyalist were the exchange became hopeful rather than adversarial?