Thousands remember Hunger Strike
Thousands, young and old, marched, walked, danced, played and talked
as they descended on Dunville Park in West Belfast to commemorate the
18th anniversary of the deaths of the Republican hunger strikers in
1981 and celebrate their spirit and legacy.
Between bands and dancers, Gerry Kelly, Sinn Féin's North Belfast
Assembly member, delivered the keynote speech.
He remembered the many republicans who have died for Ireland, all
those who ``gave their lives to protect our birthright and to push the
struggle forward to the ultimate goal of a 32-county Ireland, united
and free''.
Kelly also asked those assembled to remember that they were all
``also, active soldiers in the Irish Republican Army''. He said: ``They,
along with other political activists have not only reclaimed Irish
history back from the revisionists, they have worked actively for the
objective of a united Ireland which can deliver national democracy
and the equality which should be every man and woman's birthright.''
Turning to the current unionist-inspired political impasse, Kelly
reminded people that ``the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) is not a
republican document.
``It is a compromise contract signed between opposing political
parties. Unionism has attempted to introduce a precondition. This is
not part of the GFA. Unionism is reneging on the agreement. We could
play the unionist game - as Republicans, we could demand the
precondition of RUC disbandment before we sit down with unionists or
loyalists, or demand the revoking of the Emergency Power Acts or the
closure of British military barracks or interrogation centres or the
establishment of true equality in employment or human rights or a
complete British military withdrawal before we sit down with
unionism.
``But we don't, because we will not impose such preconditions to
moving towards a political settlement.'' Kelly also highlighted how
the political vacuum created by unionism is being filled by loyalist
sectarian violence.
He concluded by saying: ``Those who died over the years did so looking
to the future.
In a statement read out at the commemoration, republican prisoners in
Long Kesh reiterated the solidarity that binds republicans and the
``loss'' and ``great pride'' that the ``courageous stand'' of the hunger
strikers took to defeat the British governments attempt to
criminalise the struggle.
The statement added: ``We are now again witnessing demands from the
rejectionist unionist camp to halt prisoner releases. Those who
promote this demand can be assured that any attempt to halt releases
will be met with the same determination as shown by those who
defeated criminalisation in 1981.''
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