Republican News · Thursday 5 December 2002

Ógra International Solidarity Day

Ógra Sinn Féin organised an extremely successful event in Dublin last Saturday where nearly a hundred people came into workshops to discuss the development of the Cuban revolution, current power complexes behind the Palestine situation, and the role of the media and its effects upon revolutionary struggles.

The workshops were led and facilitated by the Cuban and Palestinian Ambassadors and by Jim McVeigh, who was the last OC in the H-Blocks.

After intense workshop discussions, there was typical Palestinian and Cuban food, followed by a general meeting where Ali Halimeh talked of the immediate and terrible threat, under cover of the impending invasion of Iraq, of the further invasion of Palestine. Teresita Trujillo talked of the persistent threats to undermine the Cuban state, most recently through the case of the so-called Miami 5. Jim McVeigh talked of the continuing importance of solidarity with foreign liberation struggles, which has always been the hallmark of republicans.

The international solidarity seminar was a new and important initiative, smoothly organised by a number of activists who drew together a large group of young people, all interested and concerned to listen, discuss and learn. And it was tribute indeed to the three facilitators that they would discuss so openly and frankly with young people in Ireland the liberation struggles they represent.