End Imperialism! End the Occupation!

We demand an end to Imperialism in Ireland.

We believe that imperialism in Ireland is an impediment to the creation of a 32 County Democratic Workers Republic, where all of the nations’ resources are applied for the betterment of all its people. That economic and fiscal imperialism must cease as part of the creation of a new Republic. That the right of the Irish people to defend itself from economic or geographic exploitation is a fundamental right.

– Lasair Dhearg Manifesto, Imperialism.

End Imperialism! End the Occupation!

Ireland’s history is largely one of struggle. For hundreds of years, every generation of Irish people has sought to remove the presence of a foreign power, often by force of arms.

Britain’s role in Ireland, driven by the exploitation of our land, our people and our resources, has been one of misery and subjugation. Their presence has given rise to demands to be free from external exploitation and interference; to decide our own affairs within the framework of national and economic sovereignty.

Lasair Dhearg’s primary concern is the liberation of Ireland’s six north eastern-most counties from British domination, the eradication of both failed states, and the creation of a 32 County Socialist Republic.

This can be achieved through the development of a grass roots anti-imperialist movement, whose central demand would be nothing short of a total British military, political and economic withdrawal from Ireland.

Imperialism

Imperialism is not a new phenomenon. It is often defined as the highest stage of capitalism; of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means; or indeed, through the extraction of capital or resources from one nation or territory to another.

The extraction of those resources and capital has a massive cost in terms of lives lost through famine, war, disease, civil strife and consequent campaigns for liberation. This is the driving force behind Lasair Dhearg’s desire to see the end of imperialism as a global tool of domination.

Nowadays, the process of imperialism is hidden behind well managed and effective PR campaigns by those state’s who enforce their domination over others. Often, the threat of economic sanctions or the withdrawal of aid or support is enough to force other nations to enact policy changes in favour of the dominating states economic system. For those that don’t fall in line, forced change in government through sabotage, coercion, subterfuge, assassination or indeed a military occupation is an often enacted outcome.

Significant sums of money are spent within a global military-industrial complex supporting this global hegemony; within which both failed state’s in Ireland play significant roles through sales, manufacture and production.

For all these reasons and more, Lasair Dhearg stands firmly against imperialism, and it is on that basis that we are also internationalists; we stand in solidarity with those other nations who, like Ireland, are fighting against the onslaught of global capitalism. International solidarity with the working people’s of this world will provide the basis upon which imperialism can be defeated.

Think globally, act locally.

In the fight against imperialism, Ireland has a significant part to play:

ending the occupation of Ireland’s Six Counties
ceasing the manufacture, production and sales of materials and weapons of war
preventing any part of Ireland’s territory from being used as a base of operations for imperialist states. This includes Dublin’s Shannon airport and other facilities.
ensuring that Ireland plays no part in the EU’s ‘Common Security and Defence Policy’ (CSDP), or any continuing role or formation, of any subsequent military body.

Britain’s ‘normalisation’ strategy

It is public knowledge that Britain, and its local administration in Ireland, supported by the Twenty Six county state, seeks to ‘normalise’ certain Six County state institutions as part of a broader strategy to normalise Britain’s occupation and partition of Ireland.

At the core of this is Britain’s ‘Police Service of Northern Ireland’; the heavily armed force is the front line in Britain’s occupation. Strategic focus is given to the PSNI, in terms of giving it the appearance of a ‘normal’ policing service, when it is anything but that.

Additionally, the British Army retains a ‘permanent garrison’ of thousands of combat troops and support staff in the occupied Six Counties. These troops, who are based in multiple permanent British Army bases, are primarily tasked with maintaining ‘internal security’. This means that they can, and will, be rapidly mobilised onto Irish streets and into Irish fields should the need arise. In the meantime, they will be busy training and preparing for tours of duty across the globe to further the interests of the British state.

Political control of these soldiers will, as ever, rest firmly in Number 10 Downing Street.