Thankfully the murder last week of John Short in Belfast did not lead to the Official/Provisional feud many had feared. But the Incident did raise a number of important questions about the politics ol both the Official and Provisional Republican movements.
THE POLITICS af the Official Republican Moverben: - which has now renanied self Sing Fein The Workers Pany counter-revolutionary and proimperialise. As such those politics must oe rougar as autopians imperialist struggle forward.
Rut there is one racise which will Teaded angrils not defeat the Officials politics, shoming last week by the Provis somals of John Short must sand condemned not just as a politically wrong tactic, but an act wisen car mies of the trisa poopic — the British occapyingforces.
But 1s importam lo put the murder of Jobe Short in a proper hack. collext the immedle ground to the death is the clashes and Provisional memhers at Easter weekend.
BOMB which killed a seven-year-old bay.
HIDUCE CALL VEROE BRICINIS were preparing to start their Easter emphatically denied respotsibly admitted to the murder of Joha Short, there seems no reason to doubr thisdisclaimer.
accordines, the most back people to have planted this bomb were either Localist paramilitarie or the British Army. The inrention was clear LO SudEDIE booting Toud between Officials and Provisionals, The Oticials were the first to Belfast Enster commemorations, following scuffles between mem.
Officials fired into a crowd of Provisional supporters. The ballers in the guns were blanks, but as these were the tirst shoes of any descrip- by and socialists in Ireland who have tion that the Officials have fired in teocal months, it is umderstandable that members of the Provisionals The murder of John Short was the Provisionals originally denied the murder i sons lekely that it was not carried out on instructions trom the Prosional wadership. hut by individual membors of the Provisionals intent on getting back PROBLEM Provisional ispar of the problem. HISSUES HONOR TREE JULIET bly resides in the Army Council righis by the Second Dail Topilimises al perions of the Provision ais. Anarticle in the latest Republi- FRAUD policical discussion of the ideas of the mimals, reeks of this sec For the paper had pick up the Sticks. chew chom gutter where they belong.. the Sticks cand nay a treacher role in a widespread conflict stuston. Their form would no only be to sprend confusion. Even worse they could eun down Youn leers engaged in deiending our areas against Bris backed Loyalist aReression':
The reason for thes outburst in Hepublican News was the latest policy starement the Officials had newspaper Councies: Sinn Fein The Workers Party is committed to accepting Rights! programme is introdused".
Governmem ruled kindly, the Officials would accept the division of Ireland. Worse followed when the article calked of the possibilicy of a coalition between the Republican Clubs (Officials) and the majorits rule Unionists'. The only way such -emily would be posible would be accepting Die Northern State, the caot people. tic Bailb Goremmer world while hoping that legislate away all the grievances of the Carhalin Northern minori.
One form of such unity which the Official have already accepted is that of the now locally discredit ed Peace Pesale For at the annual conference, held in Jan wary. the Oncials were wheguo cal in their support for the Peace People Justilsine this stand. the Officials President Tonsas MasCiola made the absurd assertion that The British Coverment does nor want the peace movenents to sascend. This is presi nably why the Government lifter the ban on Trafalgar Square for the Peace People'.
These are the type of politics that stand readily exposed for the Traud they are. Polities which continue to offer remisants of socialist rhetoric, but urge Britain to rule the North by legislating a Bil of Rights, the: support the ivision of Ireland, that suppor te "Peace' darlings of the Britis caling class press.
The only way representatives of these poutics can gain any sympa thy from militants in the North of them the cloak of martyrdom motencat did to them last Monday when they murdered John
ham to mobilise:
MARCH AGAINST THE FASCISTS 12.00pm Saturday 23 April, Salt Street Bradford *AIl IMG branches north of (but excluding) Birming### MARCH AGAINST THE NATIONAL FRONT 1pm, Saturday 23 April Ducketts Common [Tumpike Lane Tube] Homsey, North London * All IMG branches south of Coventry to mobilise WEEKLY