H-BLOCK ‘armagh Campaign Winds up
Socialist Republic1982Prisoners and the hunger strikesRepublicanism and the IRAPartition and the national questionPrisoners and the hunger strikesRepublicanism and the IRAPartition and the national question
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The last Conference of the H Block/ Armagh campaign was held in Dublin on October 3rd. Not having been widely advertised, the meeting was attended by only 50 people, most of them from Dublin. Representatives of Sinn Fein, IRSP, PD and independent activists were present.
The underlying reality that faced these delegates was the collapse of the H Block/ Armagh campaign throughout the 32 counties. This was recognised by the motion from the National Committee which called for the campaign to be wound up. This ment from the prisoners which in the campaign in the past.
which called for support for the ‘Smash Stormont Campaign’.
After the hunger strike no real attempt was made to maintain the movement. The disunity and fragmentation that followed this marked a setback - time lost to the reality was also recognised in a statethanked all those who had participated An amendment by P.D. was accepted united activity of the anti-imperialist anti-imperialist movement and time gained for British imperialism. Such a setback was unnecessary. If there had been areal commitment from the anti-imperialist parties -Sinn Fein and the IRSP - to unity then the task of rebuilding a mass movement to counter Prior would not have been on the agenda. The downturn in activity could have been a period of preparation and debate instead of demoralisation and fragmentation.
This mistake should not be repeated in the ‘Smash Stormont’ campaign. Britain and her allies have gained too much time already!
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Partition, mass unemployment, low living standards, the worst housing