IRSM release statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11 October 2009
Irish Republican Socialist Party

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN
SOCIALIST MOVEMENT

The Irish National Liberation Army and Irish Republican Socialist
Party were formed in 1974 in order to create a 32 County Socialist
Republic. In those 35 years, military volunteers and political
activists have fought with courage and honour and have struck at the
heart of the British military and political machine in Ireland and in
Britain. The INLA is a key constituency within the Republican
Socialist Movement. The INLA recognised that its struggle was based
upon two distinct phases:

1. Armed Resistance
2. Political Organisation

In 1994, the INLA put in place a no first strike policy and in 1998
called a complete ceasefire. Both of these decisions were based on
its political analysis and monitoring of the changing military and
political environment. The recent progress on loyalist
decommissioning can be traced back to the INLA's no first strike
policy of 1994 and the INLA acknowledges this progressive step by
loyalism.

The RSM has been informed by the INLA that following a process of
serious debate, consultation and analysis, it has concluded that the
armed struggle is over and the objective of a 32 County Socialist
Republic will be best achieved through exclusively peaceful political
struggle.

The RSM agree with this analysis and are fully supportive of the move
to build a left wing party that has a clear objective of a 32 County
Socialist Republic based on the principles of equality, justice,
inclusion, human rights and dignity.

It is within the above objective that the RSM opposed the Good Friday
Agreement and continues to do so. We as a movement believe that the
Six County State is not a viable political entity, which cannot be
reformed and fitted into a flawed two state solution.

The RSM has always aspired to the principle of the primacy of
politics as espoused by Ta Power.

The future struggles are political. We urge all comrades, members,
volunteers and supporters to join the political struggle ahead with
the same vigour, commitment and courage that was evident in our armed
struggle against the British State.

To paraphrase James Connolly, "let us arise," build a left political
alternative in Ireland and support the struggle against global
capitalism.

Ultimately our allegiance is to the working class. Onwards to victory.

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Irish Republican Socialist Party
Costello House
392B Falls Road
Belfast BT12 6DH
Ireland
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