The leadership of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement sends fraternal and comradely greetings to all our members, comrades, friends and supporters as we enter 2010.
Particularly we want to pay tribute to all republican political prisoners, particularly those prisoners aligned to the Republican Socialist Movement. They have borne the brunt of state repression over the past number of years and we salute their integrity and their courage. We take this opportunity to pay tribute to them and to their families during their imprisonment in what is a very difficult period for them. We send them our sincerest solidarity.
We wish also to send revolutionary greetings to our socialist brothers and sisters around the world who continue to fight for socialism, freedom and justice in their own countries. 2009 saw a massive onslaught by Israel against the Palestinians and it also saw the continued occupation by the US and Britain of Afghanistan and Iraq. In many other countries unjust and illegal occupations continue. Workers continue to be exploited by corrupt regimes and multinational corporations under the capitalist system. The very same system that was solely responsible for the collapse of the world economy in 2009. We send messages of solidarity to the oppressed peoples throughout the world who continue to suffer occupation, exploitation and injustice but we also salute all victories for the working class, no matter how small because their victory is our victory just as their fight is our fight.
We are extremely encouraged by the response from our members and supporters to the announcement on 11th October 2009 that the INLA intend to pursue changed tactics in the struggle for national liberation and socialism. As revolutionaries it is not only right but it is our duty to analyse and to adapt to changed circumstances. As Mao Zedong once pointed out, “politics is war without bloodshed,” and it is within this context that the Republican Socialist Movement carries forward the struggle. The setting aside the tactic of armed struggle based on a sound analysis of current conditions in no way means that the war for national and class liberation is over. It merely will take a different form, with the IRSP intending to carry the struggle forward through organising, agitating, and educating the working class in every arena available to us but also encouraging the volunteer soldiers of the Irish National Liberation Army to do likewise.
With this new direction we urge all of our membership to involve themselves in every aspect of working class struggle and to immerse themselves in that day to day fight. During 2009 IRSP activists have taken part in many campaigns across Ireland and in many of these the IRSP has been to the forefront. We have been consistent in opposing the joint crimes of the occupation and partition of Ireland and that will continue because we see these issues as fundamental denials of Irish working class self determination. We also intend to step up our opposition to capitalism and the problems that it brings to the working class in terms of exploitation and economic hardships.
For 2010 the Irish Republican Socialist Movement intends to build on the gains of the previous twelve months and to convince more and more working class people of the benefits revolutionary socialism can bring to their lives and to society as a whole. We intend to carry on forging links and alliances between all those who share our revolutionary outlook and who want to build a new socialist Ireland. The IRSP will continue to build links within and between working class communities. Only a united and vibrant working class can achieve our shared goals and we will continue to argue for the republic and against partition and in this we will continue to be guided by the teachings of great Irish socialist leaders such as James Connolly and Seamus Costello whilst remaining mindful that their principles must be adapted to the present and to suit the prevailing conditions of the day.
2010 will also present our movement with many more opportunities and challenges and we intend to meet these opportunities and challenges head on and with the very same vigour and determination that our brave comrades in the INLA fought against British imperialism. Our primary focus will be in reinvigorating the Irish Republican Socialist Party.
The IRSP are a party of the working class for the working class. No war but the class war, onwards to a new era for Republican Socialism in Ireland, onwards to victory for the Irish Working class.
Irish Republican Socialist Party
Costello House – 392 Falls Road – Belfast
