Mass

BUILD > the first civil neld from Coalnon. The 3,000 [Le “Lh. ilIle Dart were prevsering Dungannon “nerd minority could march only where the Unionists consented.

On August 27th many of those who walked the four miles ten years ago were joined by thousands more as I5,000 peuple turned out in support of tre demands : Political Status! Close the Torture Centres ! and British Withdrawal! This time however, the marchers reached the town square and held their meeting. The demonstration was a marvellous success. Once again a large section of the anti-unionist minority demcnstrated with their feet tnat they wanted the political prisoners out of jail and the British Army out of Ireland:

Maura McCrory speaking for the Belfast RAC was absolutely right when she predicted that ne march would surely embarrass Roy Mason and the British Govt. The thousands on the streets that day revealed the British lies in a way that nothing else ean. They demonstrated the nonsense of Mason's claims that the minority accept direct rule by Britain and that the resistance is dead. Mason could not dismiss the 15;000 marchers as " 1 " " godfathers "or " gangsters °.

The Dungannon march showed that the minorftty is getting bagk on the streets with renewed . confidence in the fight against repression. It showed the real possibiliv-y shat exists to build a mass movement that can win pack political status for ali anti-imperialist prisoners. And, yaile the organisation of the march had serious weaknesses, at the same time it yet again confirmed the single lesson that Unity is Strength!

The task after Dungannon is to build on its success while eorrecting the mistakes that were made. In the last issue of ' Socialist Republic ' we critieised the organisers for excluding certain speakers from the 1963 Derry march would = an opportunity to buita unity in action whicn oc; a ving all those who support <n: demands of the march would 2re.r2 that Derry would see an ever larger turnout.

Unfortunately, the organisers of the October 8th march have decided that this is nct to be. In our view, Sinn Fein's insistence on keeping control of the maren ror themselves does no service to the prisoners, because it stands in the way of building the broadest anc strongest movement. in their defence. At the time of writing it is not yer clear Wrether Sinn Fein will relent on this sectarian apnroscn to the Gefence of thea prisoners. But whatever they decide, it remeins the key tesk for ell militants to co wet ; for a campaign which by organising democratically sad cy openin ‘tts ranks to all those prey S to unite in section to derend of political status = real possibility. @

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UNITED COALISLAND MARCH SHOWS THE WAY _