Be an Activist; Rita O’Hare and Áras Uí Chonghaile: Internment and mass incarceration

 

Terry O'Sullivan, Paul Maskey and Jeremy Corbyn

BeAn Activist

I had theprivilege of attending many of the debates and discussions which are a uniqueand vital part of Féile an Phobail. Well done to all the participants and inparticular to the organisers and the stewards who ensured that everythingworked smoothly. Thanks also to the venues which welcomed us all.

I want totouch briefly on the remarks made by Terry O'Sullivan and Jeremy Corbyn atseparate events, particularly on the importance of organising civic society.Jeremy, a former leader of the British Labour Party and Terry the GeneralSecretary Emeritus of The Laborers' International Union of North America arewonderful advocates for the imperative of organising social and politicalmovements to bring about deep rooted and positive change. 

For all ofthe differences in their two countries the need to organise people is a commonthread in their work. That and a fierce commitment to equality and socialjustice. And a love for Ireland. We are lucky to have them as allies andfriends.

Thiscolumnist is a long time believer in the power of people, properly organised,strategic and strong in their beliefs and values.  There are lots ofcurrent and historic examples of the changes brought about by such movements inIreland and other parts of the world. Political change will be more meaningful,deep rooted and advanced  if it is led by informed and committed citizens.Shaping a fair society is too important to be left solely to politicians. Ofcourse public representatives  have an important role including the delivery of  legislative and underpinned guarantees of peoplesrights  once those rights have been won. But they are unlikely to be wonwithout popular struggle. Progress is dependent on that. Activism is central tothis. And activism works.

Jeremyquoted James Connolly to make this point. In an article “The Economic Basis ofPolitics”Connolly  argued ‘an effective political force’ had to have itsorigins ‘deep down in the daily life of the people, not in the brains of somehalf dozen gentlemen in parliament.’

For hispart Terry O Sullivan told us that the ‘labour movement is once again on therise throughout North America ….a new generation of workers is beginning tounderstand the power of  activism’ 

He outlinedhow LiUNA organised labourers, mostly emigrants with little rights orprotections. He like Jeremy spoke of the importance of solidarity.  ‘Aninjustice to one is an injustice to all’. He said: ‘The  trade unionmovement is the single most effective anti-poverty programme ever devised’.

Féile AnPhobail is a great example of activism and community empowerment. It  isinclusive grassroots  democracy in action. On all fronts. Cultural,educational and artistic. The   creative arts for the many. And itsenjoyable. Full of hope and colour and  vitality. 

So activismworks. Creating a new Ireland means ending the union with England. There is nowa way to do this. Activism is crucial to secure that goal.

JamesConnolly believed in the reconquest of Ireland by the Irish people. I believein that too. So did Bobby Sands. Bobby wrote ‘The day will dawn when all thepeople  Ireland will  have the desire for Freedom to show. It is then we will see the rising of the moon.’

So there isspace for all progressives in the work to shape an empowered movement for a newshared Ireland. As Jeremy Corbyn said: ‘The planning, the preparation, and theconsultation needs to take place beforehand so that people know what the choiceis. What exactly is the proposition they are voting for. This requires seriousand novel engagement. Every available resource and expertise should be pooled.Citizens Assemblies, local forums and civic consultation should be utilised.That work will be done here in Ireland obviously.’

He went onto explain the role for people in Britain. Terry did the same in relation toNorth America. That is important.  But few of us will have a contributionto make there. Our work is where we live. 

And it is clear what we have to do here. Change is underway. Lets be activein shaping and deepening that change. Its time to get involved.  Its timeto move beyond  talking about it. Or leaving it to others. There is a rolefor everyone.  Its time to be an active citizen.  Its time forcampaigning, organising, for democratic empowerment. Lets do it. Be  anactivist. 

 

RitaO’Hare and Áras Uí Chonghaile

Áras UíChonghaile on the Falls Road was formally opened by Uachtarán na hÉireannMichael D Higgins in April 2019. Through its historic artefacts, art work,innovative technology and story-telling it teaches us of the life and times ofJames Connolly – 1916 executed leader. 

LastThursday a large number of family, friends and comrades of Rita O’Hare cametogether to unveil a plaque in Áras Uí Chonghaile in her memory. Without herunique contribution this important project might never have succeeded.

WhenBelfast activists first discussed the possibility of opening a centre namedafter James Connolly they faced many difficulties. Finding the necessaryfunding was a particular challenge.

It was intothis critical gap that Rita O’Hare stepped. As Sinn Féin’s North Americarepresentative she was uniquely placed to help. Rita was quickly won over tothe merits of the project and with her contacts in the USA and especiallywithin the trade union movement she successfully reached out to nearly 20different unions seeking their solidarity and their funding. LiUNA inparticular, led by Terry O’Sullivan and the Transport Workers Union led by JohnSamuelson have been especially supportive.

As agrateful acknowledgement of Rita’s singular contribution and on the day Ilaunched a Léargas book celebrating Rita’s activism, Terry O’Sullivan formerLiUNA President and I unveiled the plaque to Rita. Well done Rita.

Also onsame day I launched a Léargas – An Bhean Dhearg: A Tribute to Rita O’Hare. Itis available from www.sinnfeinbookshop.com and An Fhuiseog 55 Falls Roadwww.thelarkstore.ie

 

Internmentand mass incarceration

Wednesday 9August was the anniversary of one of the most disastrous decisions in recentIrish history. On the 9 August 1971 the Unionist Regime and British governmentintroduced internment without trial. It was a watershed moment in the historyof the northern state as hundreds were dragged from their homes, thousands offamilies were forced to flee to refugee camps, and many of those lifted in theearly morning raids were beaten. 

Internmentwas an act of mass political violence and intimidation. It had been usedsuccessfully in every previous decade since partition by the Unionist Regime.On this occasion it failed.

The use ofinternment and detention centres also followed a pattern employed by Britishgovernments going back at least to the middle of the 19th century.

Followingthe failed insurrection in India in 1857 over 20,000 people were incarceratedin what were called ‘mass encampments.’ The conditions were appalling. Forcedlabour and starvation were deliberately used to coerce those detained. Suchcamps were not just used for political prisoners. Later in the 1870s and 1890swhen plague and famine struck in India new camps were established to separatethe hungry and sick. Forced labour of the weak and sick was used again.

During theBoer War the British government ordered the construction of around 100concentration camps into which more than 100,000 mainly women and children wereherded. They died in their thousands through malnutrition, starvation anddisease. In addition 30,000 prisoners of war were transported to remote partsof the British Empire. 

After theEaster Rising 1500 men were interned without trial. Most were held in theFrongoch internment camp in Wales. In the 1950s and 60s such camps were againput to use in Malaya and Kenya and other parts of the British Empire as nativepeoples fought for independence. In her remarkable Pulitzer Prize winning book‘Imperial Reckoning,’ published in 2005 Caroline Elkins documented thesystematic torture and brutality that took place in Britain’s detention campsin Kenya. She revealed a British strategy of detention, beatings, starvation,torture, forced hard labour, rape, and castration, designed to break theresistance of the Kikuyu people. More than a million men, women, and childrenwere forced into barbed-wire village compounds and concentration camps. 

Four yearslater in 2009 five survivors of the Kenya detention system successfully suedthe British government. The British have now changed the law here to preventhundreds who were illegally interned in the 1970s from suing them.