Cartoon by Martyn Turner Irish Times
"first they came for the communists
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a communist
then they came for the jews
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a jew
then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a trade unionist
next they came for the catholics
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a catholic
then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me."
Pastor NiemÖeller, victim of the German Nazis
You have read the sections on The Workers’ Party of Ireland - its history and its goals. We have had our successes and failures. We still represent, in the face of vicious sectarian nationalism and gross individualism, the only way forward for the Irish working class.
In our opinion the situation in Ireland is worse now than at any time in the past thirty to forty years.
CIA LINKS WITH SINN FEIN
The people of Northern Ireland are divided more deeply than ever before by rampant sectarian nationalism and loyalism which clearly borders on the fascist. At the same time both the Republic and Northern Ireland are increasingly dominated by imperialist America’s political, economic and cultural agenda. In short their aim is to reduce Ireland to an American satellite state.
As a key part of that programme various American administrations have overtly and covertly supported the ultranationalist party Sinn Fein. Literally millions of dollars have poured from the USA (largely from Irish - Americans)
into the Sinn Fein coffers. This will come as no surprise to democrats, social democrats and socialists world wide who have seen similar CIA led American "initiatives" from Chile to Kosovo, promoting, funding and arming fundamentalist nationalist and religious counter revolutionary organisations.
Ireland has been somewhat different, given the very large Irish-American population behind which the CIA and the NSC have been able to hide. But there is hard evidence, as far back as 1975, of CIA involvement in Sinn Fein fund raising in the USA.
That involvement continues. Sinn Fein in America is known by the FBI to have had extensive links with organised crime in New York, California and Florida for a number of years, yet it continues uninterrupted to raise large sums of money. The major part of this flows openly into Ireland and is used to maintain their extensive criminal network in drugs, stolen and smuggled cigarettes, alcohol and petrol, as well as funding their party and armed gangs.
Over $2 million was retained in the USA in 1998 to purchase arms from the criminal anti-Castro Mafia in Florida.
THE WASHINGTON AGENDA
At this point in time, tragically, it would seem that the American strategy in Ireland has been largely successful. In Northern Ireland "nationalism" and "loyalism" virtually occupy the entire political space; in the Republic the larger political parties (Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour) have bought into all the implications of the USA, as the world’s only super power.
It is only The Workers’ Party of Ireland that offers a political alternative based on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and the development of a comprehensive democratic, secular, socialist ideology.
HELP US FIGHT BACK
As part of our fight back we want to rebuild our International Workers’ Party Support Groups in Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. (Naturally we will welcome individuals and groups from any part of the world who support our democratic, secular, socialist struggle).
Initially we would ask individuals/groups to contact us directly at our Party Headquarters:
International Section,
The Workers’ Party of Ireland,
23 Hill Street, Dublin 1. Ireland.
E-mail : wpi@indigo.ie
BOOKS and PAMPHLETS
Currently available are a number of publications that will be assistance to anyone wanting to build or join a Support Group. (Other titles are available on request).
Meet the Workers’ Party – an introduction to WP politics Free
Internationalism in the 21st Century Free
A Lesson to be Learned – a lecture delivered in 1972 which forecast the bloody sectarian terrorist years to come and the outcome STG £2.50
The Concept of Republicanism – a comprehensive critique of fundamentalist nationalism and sectarian terrorism STG £2.50
The Working Class and the Struggle for the Republic – a primary issue facing socialist republicans today STG £2.00
Cathal Goulding (1923-1998) Thinker-Socialist-Republican-Revolutionary - the memorial service to the prime architect of The Workers’ Party of Ireland STG £1.50
Patterns of Betrayal – the flight from socialism – the detailed account of the social democratic attempt to destroy The Workers’ Party of Ireland STG £2.50
Please make all cheques, money orders etc. payable to The Workers Party and allow a suitable amount to cover packing and posting.