The GFA a real alternative.... (32)

Since the signing of the GFA some parties on both sides of the island of Ireland and beyond have claimed that there is only one show in town or words to that affect. The only reason why they why they made claims like that is becasue no one was consulted or asked what they wanted. And anyone who objected then or today are called dissidents. The GFA is not only flawed in many respects but also sectarian in its make up. It has done nothing but to entrench hatred and suspisions on both sides. On face value there are more peacelines today than during the conflict known as the troubles. The people who where meant to benefit from it (ordinary working class people) haven't benefitted from it. Scratch the surface and you'll quickly see that since 1998 the only people who are 'quids in' are politicians...

Recently RNU have released a document that will offer a viable alternative...

STANDING OUTSIDE THE PEACE PROCESS

Introduction

The Ard Comhairle of Republican Network for Unity wishes to thank you for taking the time to read this, our position paper on what is commonly referred to as the ‘Irish Peace Process’.

This piece is intended as a precursor to a much more substantial and substantive set of policy documents that will be collectively entitled ‘Revolutionary Republicanism’, due to be released in early 2013.

Standing outside the peace process is a basic outline of where we believe Republicanism stands within today’s Irish political system, how we think it arrived at this position and why as Irish Republican Socialists, we do not conform to the modern political set up In Ireland.

The main aim of this position paper is to lay the groundwork for the release of ‘Revolutionary Republicanism’ as well as to provoke and encourage debate and critical engagement on a wide range of issues which that work intends to address.

Issues addressed within ‘Revolutionary Republicanism’ will range from our position on Armed Struggle to suggestions for possible socialist economic frameworks for a New Ireland.

RNU would urge all republicans and socialists to engage with our future policy documents as well as to bring their own visions of the revolutionary alternative, which Irish society requires now more than ever.

Read more here.....

My new years resolution is to join the hated political debate threads on the North.

I shall reply in 2013.

Until then hope you had a good xmas Belfast boy

Witty it wasn't bad...probably better than most (I got to do exactly what I wanted for change)...

I would like your input more than most. You grew up during the troubles and it's aftermath. And no matter how hard you tried (and try) to ignore it, the conflict did (and still does) play a part in your life.

Excellent document. Lacking in real, practical alternatives, but as a critique of the flaws inherent within the GFA from a socialist republican perspective, it is spot on. The problem of course is the GFA was never supposed to provide a path to a socialist republic. It was a way of copperfastening the end of armed struggle by the 'mainstream' groups, (something I wholeheartedly welcome) so that green capitalists and orange capitalists could implement capitalism within the six county state. The orange capitalists could wear their sashes and the green capitalists could finally wear their lillies in public, the latter operating under the illusion that they had won and the former, safe in the knowledge that they had won. How can the DUP suddenly share power with SF so easily? Simples, because it was always about getting power, that's all it ever was.

Indeed Belfast boy, but sure we both know, we know more about it than the armchair politicians who live a safe distance away from the the reality. Unlike the British army on Bloody Sunday I have shown great restraint on here on occasions (couldn't resist)

Scrib, the document is in it's infancy. And unlike the GFA, it is open to debate and input.

The GFA was about more than ending the 'armed struggle' but copper fastening partition. The last sentence you hit the nail on the head...

How can the DUP suddenly share power with SF so easily? Simples, because it was always about getting power, that's all it ever was

Yes but what I meant is that they had to bring about a formula to end armed struggle in order to achieve this.

Unfortunately, you have to be very slow saying these things in public or the assumption is that you want to bring people back to the 'bad old days'. In my case at least nothing could be further from the truth. Personally I gave up on any real political change being achieved on this island a long time ago, I'm all about the day to day bread and butter issues now.