Rebuild

the merits of abroad based cam— paign. The National H-Block/ Armagh campaign mobilised the most massive demonstrations since Bloody Sunday. The campaign hasbeen built in every county of Ireland, has won sym-— pathy from the majority of Irish people and mobilised support in areasnot directly involved in the anti-imperialist struggle previously -tradeunions, the students, youth, women!s movements, inside cultural and spor— ting groups. The campaign also won a high level of international support.

Not only has the campaign been united around the prisoners! demands but al so more and more in the method of massaction. It has become evident to many act— ivists thatnomilit:.ry solution to the question of political status exists. Military actionsundertaken have not developed the campaign andin some instances actually hindered the building of the movement.

The recent actionsin Trinity College, although widely condemnedby all involvedin the campaign, point out the dangers of such elitist actions which arenot linked to the masscampaign. The DunLaoghaire incident opens up the debate around !stuntstand ultra-leftist activities, The proposers of such actions argue that what isneededis publicity andany publicity at that, aslong as the H-Block/Armagh campaignreceivesattention. Such actions ina period of mass mobil— isations and mass support should be taken on their merits but we chouldrelect the mistaken be= lief that any publicity is good or out all structures of the campaign. that such activities can rouse Those who fetishise action _ the Irish people into action.

groups as theonly structural These! getrich quick! schemes form ignore the reality that areno substitute for the hard where groups and individuals work around propaganda, builwho are not in action groups for ding action groups and mass act— what ever reasons,may wish to ion, Our starting point should support the campaign. We 2 alwaysbe what activities willin should argue for their repres— involve the largest number of entationin the campaign. This people and howcan we bring new means arguing for Trade Coun— layers into the struggle.

cils, Trade Union branches to But ininvolvingnew layers and send delegates, for workplace forces into the campaign, the delegates, for representation question of democracy andrepfrom cultural and sporting or— resentation must be of central ganisations, for representatives importance, Not only because from political organisationson we need co-ordinated activities, all bodiesin the campaign. butunless groups and individ— uals are seen to havea sayin All political groups who support such activities then they will be the prisoners asa matter of demohesitant to become involved. cracy should have represent-— For example, youth and students ation. The simple factis that should not be seen as cannon parties providenot just individfodder for the campaign but ual activists but give over organshould be represented through- isational resources and argue debate can take place. Thehis- . tory for the political status strugs gle has shown that without the active support of the prisoners! organisations andparticularly Sinn Fein there wouldbeno mass campaign. A further point is that one of the weaknesses of the campaign has been the fail— ureof SinnFein, IRSP to offer astrategy. Any !non-political! approach disguises this fact and : makes unity more difficult to achieve.

We must develop organisational structures which allow for maximum participation andrepres— entation at all levelsin the campaign. Executive committees and working committees can over— come the problems of large and ca q seemingly cumbersome meet— ings. Sucha structure also allows us to engage individual nationalist boureois politicians who support the prisonersin joint political and agreed actjon, Local councils can send representatives, SDLP, IIP, Fianna Fail andLabour Party Cumanns can sendrepresentatives who support the campaign. All that we demand is that they support the prisoners! demands andactively support the campaign.

No one individual or organisat— jon has amonopoly of ideas and in order for unity in action to take place we must have organi sational structures which allow maximum participation, democratic discussion and decision-making. Sucha structure will be in stark contrast to the undemocratic or— gans of Britain's puppet system in Ireland - the cause of H-Block and Armagh.

SEANMARMION

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC PAGE 4

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en J UNCON @UERED ‘BACKS THE PRISONERS