International solidarity a key theme

Ronnie and Eleanor Kasrills present Gerry Adams with a framed and signed letter of support from South African President Thabo Mbeki

BY EOIN Ó BROIN

Solidarity was the key theme in this year’s EU & International Affairs section. Motions extending solidarity to the peoples of Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Kurdistan, the Basque Country, Cuba and South America were prominent, as was support for the release of Leonard Peltier and for the struggles of Native American peoples.
Six cumainn from across the country proposed motions calling for respect for the “sovereignty of Cuba” and urging all Sinn Féin elected representatives to lobby and advocate on behalf of these rights.
Nine cumainn expressed solidarity greetings to the wave of left-wing governments taking power across the Americas. Speaking in favour of Motion 22, Ulster Cúige Chair Declan Kearney said that in the post-Cold War era, human society is now in the throes of a great struggle between equality and “neo-gombeenism”.
Calling for an end to the use of Shannon Airport by the US military, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said: “There are at least 34,452 reasons to withdraw the use of Shannon Airport. That is the number of civilians killed in Iraq during 2006, according to UN figures.”
The South Dublin TD also urged delegates to support Motion 19 on the fundamental human rights of the Kurds. Ó Snodaigh said: “Developments are at a critical stage there, and it is crucial that EU member states maximise their influence on Turkey to ensure that the rights of Kurds are protected and promoted.”
Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún, speaking to Motion 16 on the Basque Country, congratulated the leadership of Batasuna for their continued efforts to build a peace process despite intransigence from the Spanish Government. She also welcomed the decision by Basque prisoner Iñaki de Juana to end his hunger strike, but expressed concern about the circumstances that led to the strike in the first place.
The Six County MEP also spoke in support of Motion 15 which defended the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

International Guests

The Ard Fheis also heard contributions from three international guests.
Batasuna leader Arnaldo Otegi addressed delegates on Friday night and reaffirmed his party’s commitment to a process of conflict resolution based on “dialogue and self-determination”. He told the Ard Fheis that the Basque people shared the “hopes, risks and decisions” of Irish republicans and that they would stand with us in “these historic times”.
Cuban Ambassador to Ireland, Noel Carrillo, once again thanked Sinn Féin and the Irish people for their continued opposition to the US blockade of his country. He demanded that Cuba’s right to determine its own future, free from US political and economic harassment, must be respected.
On Saturday afternoon, delegates gave two standing ovations to former MK leader and now South Africa’s Minister for Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils. The anti-apartheid veteran described the historical parallels between South Africa’s struggle against British imperialism and Afrikaner discrimination and Ireland’s struggle for independence and equality. He congratulated the courageous leadership of Sinn Féin on their willingness to make hard decisions, such as the recent extraordinary Ard Fheis decision on policing, while remaining true to the party’s historic mission of independence.
The ANC leader presented Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams with a framed and signed letter of support from President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.