ISSN 0951-8657. Published by Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. © 1996. All rights reserved. Printed by Newsfax International London EIS. FOLLOWING the end of the ceasefire we carry the following statement from John McAnulty of the Irish Committee for a Marxist Programme, the Irish section of the Fourth International THE ENDING of the IRA cease fire and the bombing of Canary Wharf in London underlines the illusion and unreality of the Irish peace process.
The British government were given 17 months of peace and the clear willingness of the republican leadership to compromise and settle for a great deal less than the just and simple demands for an end to the British occupation and Irish re-unification.
The republican leadership was tied within the constraints of a "nationalist family" with Irish capitalism and had retreated on a whole series of issues.
•Even the most incompetent imperialist government could have imposed a settlement. The fact that the British government has not means that there is no stable and peaceful solution in IreAs the peace process wore on the fluffy clouds of aspiration around the Downing Street declaration and the framework document began to drift away. Emerging from the mist came the strategy that Britain had pursued since the fall of the old Stormont regimethe return of a local assembly under Unionist control with only the most minimal of concessions to the Catholic middle classes.
Britain's ally in Dublin, Jonn Bruton, had called the demand for elections to a new Stormont "a mistake" and the continuance of this demand fire "pouring petrol on the flames".
This would have only been true if there had ever been a genuine peace What we have had is an imperialist offensive-one that will now intensify.
We identify the British occupation as the cause of the violence and support the right of the Irish people to use violence in response.
We oppose a bombing campaign in England. Stripped of any possibility of mass or class action it becomes pure militarist adventure that can only damage the cause of Irish democracy. republicanism much weaker. Twenty five years of a failed militarist strategy have been followed by illusions in Irish capitalism and British imperialism that have proved totally false.
Now we have a movement confused and divided following both strategies at once!
The crocodile tears of Major, Blair and company will be followed by a renewed offensive. It is the duty of socialist to oppose it, and explain the basis ot a real peace can only comc when Britain pulls out of Ireland.
Belfast, February I1, 1996.