Category: Uncategorized (Page 1 of 2)

Fifty years after the coup and the war – Five points on Cyprus

July 28, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

By Andros Payiatsos

July 14, 2024

Speech delivered at the public meeting organised by New Internationalist Left (NEDA-Cyprus section of ISp), Bagimsizlik Yolu from north Cyprus and DIEM25 in Meltemi, Nicosia, July 9th, 2024 under the title “Voices of Resistance against fascism and partition: How did we get here? What are the conclusions for today?

Good evening comrades, particularly Turkish Cypriot comrades from the North. I want to thank NEDA and Diem25 for their invitation stress that I am particularly glad to be here.

The title of the meeting raises some questions, particularly “How did we get here?”. How did we get to the military coup, the Turkish invasion and the partition of the island in 1974? Could it be avoided? What are the lessons for today?

These are necessary questions that we need to try to answer. If we don’t, we won’t be able to map a way forward, with the aim of establishing lasting peace on the island and harmonious relations between the two main (but also the other) communities – Greek Cypriots (G/C) and Turkish Cypriots (T/C). We won’t be able to contribute to a solution of the permanently explosive situation in the relations between the “motherlands”, Greece and Turkey, which every few years face new crises in their relations, new military tensions and the threat of war.

Ιρλανδία: Ήττα για την κυβέρνηση στο δημοψήφισμα για τη φροντίδα και την οικογένεια

April 4, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

Irish Referendum, Greek language version: from Ξεκίνημα

Στις 8/3 η ιρλανδική κυβέρνηση προχώρησε σε δημοψήφισμα για την αναθεώρηση δύο άρθρων του Συντάγματος. Το ένα άρθρο σχετίζεται με την Οικογένεια και το δεύτερο με τη Φροντίδα των παιδιών, των ηλικιωμένων, των ατόμων με αναπηρία, κλπ. Σε φραστικό επίπεδο, οι αλλαγές που πρότεινε η κυβέρνηση έδειχναν να έχουν προοδευτικό χαρακτήρα, καθώς αναιρούνταν απαρχαιωμένες διατυπώσεις σχετικά με τον ρόλο της γυναίκας στην οικογένεια, αναγνωρίζονταν ως οικογένειες σχέσεις που δεν βασίζονταν στον γάμο, κλπ. Την ίδια ώρα όμως, οι διατυπώσεις που πρότεινε η κυβέρνηση επιχειρούσαν να μετατρέψουν τη φροντίδα σε υπόθεση των μελών της οικογένειας, αφαιρώντας ουσιαστικά τις σχετικές υποχρεώσεις του κράτους από το Σύνταγμα.

Τα παραπάνω, σε συνδυασμό με τη συνολική αντικυβερνητική διάθεση σε σημαντικά στρώματα της κοινωνίας, αλλά και με τη συνειδητή προσπάθεια της ακροδεξιάς και της εκκλησίας να επενδύσουν στα αντανακλαστικά των πιο συντηρητικών στρωμάτων, οδήγησαν το κυβερνητικό σχέδιο σε παταγώδη αποτυχία. Διαβάστε παρακάτω διασκευή του σχετικού άρθρου του Κίραν Μαλχόλαντ.

Irish Establishment Defeated in Referendum: Voters overwhelmingly reject changes to Constitution

April 3, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

On Friday 8th of March, voters delivered the largest defeat in history for a referendum put forward by the Irish government. They voted to reject proposed changes to the “Family” clause in the Constitution by 68% to 32% and the “Care” clause by a record 74% to 26%. Turnout was 44%, a sharp drop from the last referendum in 2018 of 64%.

The scale of the defeat was a humiliation for the government parties-Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, and the Green Party-but also the opposition parties and so-called “civil society” advocacy groups who had united to support a “Yes-Yes” vote.

Right and far right individuals and groups, and conservative Catholics, have sought to claim credit for the outcome. The result has been contrasted to the 2015 same-sex marriage referendum and the 2018 abortion rights referendum which resulted in progressive change and seemed to mark Ireland’s arrival as a modern secular, liberal state. Some on the right are claiming that the referendum marks an end to the onward march of the “woke” agenda with former Fianna Fáil Minister, Willie O’Dea proclaiming it’s time “to stop playing to the woke gallery”,

But the truth is much more complex, as Hugh Linehan, Deputy Editor of the Irish Times (March 16^th) argues: “….the result remains hard to read. The amendments were ultimately defeated by a patchwork coalition of wildly disparate parts that are unlikely ever to come together again. Gender-critical feminists stood alongside anti-abortion activists. Rural social conservatives voted the same way as urban Trotskyists”.

From the Archives: Sick of Sectarian Politics (2003)

March 24, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

First published in Socialist Voice, paper of the Socialist Party, June 2003

A RECENT opinion poll demonstrates that a significant minority of voters in Northern Ireland are sick of the sectarian parties and are looking for an alternative. Up to seventeen per cent declared their intention to vote for smaller parties outside the sectarian circus.

Many trade union and community activists have been stunned by the anti-working-class policies of the Assembly and the Executive. Many young people reject sectarianism, and because of their experiences of opposing the war in Iraq and globalisation are beginning to question the entire system.

A View from the North, March 23rd, 2024: Marxism and Individual Terrorism

March 23, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

This week, we republish a review of the book The Provisional IRA: from Guns to Government, which was written by ex-IRA prisoner and hunger striker. McKearney is a left critic of Sinn Fein today but continues to hold that the IRA campaign was the only way forward in the early 1970s.

Police raid on Sinn Fein office at Stormont in search for evidence of intelligence gathering in October 2002 caused a collapse of the Executive which lasted for five years.

From the Archives: What Lies Behind the Assembly’s Collapse? (October 2002)

March 16, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

First published by Socialist Party 11th October, 2002

AS WE go to press, it seems almost certain that Northern Ireland’s Executive and Assembly will collapse this week. New Labour’s Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid will probably suspend the institutions in the hope that they can one day be resuscitated

A View from the North March 9th, 2024: The General Election and the Need for an Alternative

March 11, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

A general election must be held before January 2025. Most commentators expect this to take place in October or November 2024. There is a widespread acceptance that Keir Starmer, and the Labour Party will form the next government.

As before all elections serious socialists in Northern Ireland are examining the possibility of standing to provide an alternative for working class people. With only months to go, decisions will need to be taken soon as contesting general elections is a major undertaking for small groupings. First past the post elections are not at first sight, viable territory for new parties or movements, but we should not lose sight of the fact that 1/3 of workers and young people do not vote. We also know that many of those who cast a vote for parties outside the mainstream are still in search of a viable cross-community, anti-sectarian, left alternative.

A View from the North March 2nd, 2024: The North and the Miner’s Strike

March 2, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

Downshire Hospital COHSE (Confederation of Health Service Employees) Branch Secretary Raymond Blaney handing over funds collected for Scottish striking miners, October 1984

March 6^th, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the great miners’ strike. The strike lasted almost one year. It ended with the miners marching back to work behind their bands and their banners on March 3^rd, 1985.

This heroic struggle will never be forgotten by every socialist activist who lived through it. There were no mines or miners in Northern Ireland, but the effects of the strike were profound.

It has been said that workers in Northern Ireland raised more money per head of the population than any other area and England, Scotland and Wales, outside the mining areas.

Trade unions and trade unionists were involved in fundraising efforts, and collected food and basic essentials to send to the pit communities. The workers movement in Northern Ireland were asked to contribute directly to the Scottish NUM and miners’ representatives from Scotland visited Northern Ireland in the first few weeks in the strike. Eventually, Barri McClatchy a Scottish miner, stayed for the duration of the strike and indeed remained in the North when it was over.

Today we published an article on the 40th anniversary of the strike. The miners’ strike was a high point for the British workers movement and its defeat has left his mark to this day. Nevertheless, we remember their struggle with pride, and we are determined to learn from their courage and determination.

Hundreds of fire officers follow the funeral of 23 year old Brian Douglas who was shot dead by the UDA/UFF whilst attending a blaze near the junction of Sandy Row and Lisburn Road in South Belfast. The killing was one of four during a one day Loyalist work stoppage on 7th February 1973. Copyright Victor Patterson

When Workers Stood United: Striking against Sectarianism

February 24, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

The history of Northern Ireland is portrayed as a history of two sectarian blocs in endless conflict. There is another side to this history, however, one which is often hidden and denied. The workers’ movement has a rich and proud record of opposition to sectarianism, taking united action on many occasions in order to prevent sectarian violence from spiralling out of control.

Review: Good Vibrations Punk and Politics in Northern Ireland

February 24, 2024 / Ciaran Mulholland

First published in Socialist Voice May 16, 2013

Good Vibrations (directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa & Glenn Leyburn)
tells the story of Terri Hooley, the record shop and label he founded in Belfast at the height of the Troubles, and the Northern Ireland punk scene. The film starkly portrays the bleakness of life in Belfast in the 1970’s.