The Five Demands

“Éirígí è stato un partito politico aperto, indipendente, democratico che non è allineato a, o di sostegno, ad alcuna organizzazione armata. Noi di Éirígí non crediamo che le condizioni attuali possano consentire il successo della lotta armata contro l’occupazione britannica”.
Questo è un estratto della dichiarazione di Brian Leeson, di Éirígí, a commento delle notizie pubblicate dai media negli ultimi giorni. Ha affermato di come le fonti di informazioni stiano manipolando le informazioni facendo propendere i sospetti proprio su Éirígí.
“Nel corso degli ultimi giorni abbiamo assistito a ciò che può solo essere descritto come una frenesia dei media per quanto riguarda gli arresti effettuati dalla polizia britannica nel Sei Contee. Gran parte di queste relazioni sono state basate su informazioni errate”.
“E ‘chiaro che alcune sezioni dei mediavengano manipolate da polizia e  intelligence sia nelle Sei che nelle Ventisei Contee nel maligno tentativo di demonizzare i repubblicani”.
“Infatti, è del tutto evidente che per molte persone  il PSNI, l’MI5,  il Garda e altre agenzie statali, stanno cercando di sovvertire e di minare i principi di giustizia accettati a livello internazionale, rifiutando di riconoscere che le persone hanno il diritto alla presunzione di innocenza”.
“Nessun membro di Éirígí sono stati arrestati negli ultimi giorni – un dato di fatto che avrebbero potuto essere facilmente stabilito contattando Éirígí”.
Brian Leeson ha poi concluso la sua dichiarazione, sostenendo che i nemici vivono nella convinzione che per i Repubblicani ci siano solo 2 scelte, l’accettazione del governo di Stormont o la lotta armata, mentre é invece volontà di  Éirígí, offrire un’altra opzione per coloro che vogliono porre fine al dominio britannico “.

Éirígí Condemns Trial by Media
Responding to recent inaccurate and dangerous media reports éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said the following today (Monday):
“Over the course of the last number of days we have witnessed what can only be described as a media frenzy with regard to the arrests carried out by British police in the Six Counties. Much of this reporting has been based on erroneous information.
“A number of media outlets have already effectively tried and convicted those who have been arrested. We in Ireland have long experience of where such trials by media can lead. One needs look no further than the cases of the Birmingham Six and the Guilford Four for examples of miscarriages of justice that began with similar trials by media.
“It is clear that some sections of the media are being manipulated by shadowy figures from within police and intelligence agencies in both the Six Counties and Twenty-Six Counties in a malicious attempt to secure the widespread demonisation of Republicans.
“These same shadowy elements orchestrated, first the character, and then the actual, assassination of republicans and nationalists in the 1970’s, 1980s and 1990s. Today, as was the case in those years, through misinformation and black propaganda they are fomenting a climate of suspicion which is designed to demonise and vilify broad sections of the Republican community and individuals within that community.
“Indeed, it is quite evident to many people that the PSNI, MI5, the Gardaí and other state agencies are attempting to subvert and undermine internationally accepted principles of justice by refusing to acknowledge that individuals have a right to the presumption of innocence. This internationally accepted bedrock of justice has long been turned on its head when it comes to Irish republicans.
“All of this is only made possible by the active support of a political establishment which has subverted the rights of the people instead of protecting them. It is also noticeable that the usual suspects from within that establishment have recently been joined by those who once spoke of maximum revolution but are now sated by minimal reform.
“In addition to the despicable trial by media a farcical attempt has been made by some journalists to link éirígí to the recent armed attacks upon British military and paramilitary personnel. They have wrongly reported that one, or more, members of éirígí have been arrested over the course of the last seventy-two hours.
“In reality no members of éirígí have been arrested in recent days – a fact that could have been easily established by contacting éirígí.
“In another false claim a well known so-called ‘security correspondent’ has stated that pickets were held in recent days outside of the homes of éirígí supporters in West Belfast. I challenge this individual to print where and when these alleged pickets took place. The reality is that he cannot because no such pickets ever happened.
“I want to once again state that éirígí is an open, independent, democratic political party which is not aligned to, or supportive of, any armed organisation. We in éirígí do not believe that the conditions exist at this time for a successful armed struggle against the British occupation.
“When éirígí was founded three years ago we asserted that our objective of a Democratic Socialist Republic can only be established through a new progressive social movement incorporating local communities, organised labour, cultural organisations, campaigns groups and political parties.
“We still hold that the creation of such a popular movement represents the best potential to create the conditions which will make British rule and capitalist exploitation in Ireland untenable.
“As much as our enemies may wish that republicans have only two options to choose from – that of accepting Stormont or that of a renewed armed campaign – we in éirígí are determined to offer another option for those who wish to see an end to British rule.”