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The IRSP in Derry, following the furore over the Republican Socialist monument in the city cemetery, will this week be making efforts to meet with representatives of the protestant community in a bid to allay their fears.
We also hope to set up a meeting with the mayor, Pat Ramsey. At these meetings we will present them with a copy of the IRSP's Charter for Non Aggression. This is an initiative aimed at protecting the working class communities from all sides from indiscriminate sectarian violence. This, we hope, will go some way to alleviating their fears and show them that the Republican Socialist Movement are not seeking confrontation. When this monument was designed at no time was there any talk of getting one over on protestants or any thing else of this nature. This monument was designed as a tribute to INLA and IRA hungerstrikers and INLA volunteers from Derry and Tyrone. It is a statue of itís time. It was copied from a photograph of the funeral of Patsy O'Hara and was deemed appropriate for the graves that it is on. At these meetings we will express our point that nationalist people, and Republicans in particular have an equal place in this community the same as anyone else. We should not be marginalized nor excluded. We have a right to commemorate our dead in a way that is both dignified and appropriate. Those wishing to send messages supporting the Derry Monument's right to remain in Derry City Cemetary, address them to:
Pat Ramsey, Mayor or Gregory Campbell (DUP councillor)
Tel: International code/country code(UK) 01504 365151 |