28 October 2004 Edition
Ógra Shinn Féin organise for freedom
Ógra members take the demilitarisation demand to the British Army Barracks in Omagh
Ógra Shinn Féin held its National Demilitarisation Conference on 22-24 October in Omagh. Young Republicans from all over Ireland were in attendance, with Counties such as Leitrim, Meath, Louth, Galway, Monaghan, Dublin, Waterford, Donegal, Derry and Antrim represented. There were also a large number of Ógra's international comrades in attendance, namely the Galician and Catalonian youth movements, along with comrades from the USA and England.
The conference kicked off on Friday night in Molly Sweeney's, with talks on the prison struggle given by Tyrone republican ex-POWs Frankie Quinn and Seán Coleman. The two men talked at length on how the prison regime set out to criminalise and defeat republican prisoners and how that policy inevitably failed. Seán talked of his first hand experience of the burning of the Cages in the 1974 and the 1980/'81 Hunger Strikes. Frankie spoke of more recent times up until the release of the POWs as a part of the Good Friday Agreement.
The talks were followed by a video showing made by the collusion justice group An Fhírinne, which was followed by music in Molly Sweeney's bar by rebel band Celtic Folk.
An early start on Saturday morning saw Barry McElduff MLA give the introduction to the weekend. He spoke of the strength of the republican history of struggle in Tyrone, with Sinn Féin now holding the majority in all district councils in the county.
Barry's talk was followed by demilitarisation workshops, which had the aim of developing a National Demilitarisation Strategy for Ógra. The delegates were split into various groups and asked to forward their ideas on demilitarisation and how young republicans should be best highlighting and tackling the extent of the British war machine in Ireland.
In the afternoon, the first of a number of talks by guest speakers kicked off with Theresa Ruane of the 'Bring Them Home' campaign. She spoke of how The Colombia Three, although being found innocent by the Colombian authorities, are still forced to stay in Colombia pending an appeal against the verdict. She also urged the delegates to help in the men's fight for justice by ringing and writing to members of the Dublin Government to push them to help ensure the men are brought home immediately.
A leadership address by former Hunger Striker and Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney followed. Raymond spoke about the current situation in the Peace Process, demilitarisation, the role of young people in the struggle and he also spoke on the history of the conflict and the long way republicans have come during the last 35 years.
Brian Arthurs then gave a talk entitled 'The struggle in Tyrone'. Brian, from East Tyrone and whose brother Declan was killed by the SAS in the Loughgall massacre of 1987, talked to delegates of Tyrone's contribution in the fight for Irish freedom during the last 35 years. Brian commented that the republican struggle is safe when he looked at the number of Ógra Shinn Féin activists sitting in front of him.
Delegates then returned to the hostel to dawn their glad rags for a night's craic with the Irish Brigade.
On Sunday morning, the weekend continued with a demilitarisation protest at the British Army Barracks in Omagh. As the large number of young republicans marched towards Omagh British Army Barracks, PSNI/RUC personnel in riot gear were already in place blocking the main entrance to the base. The protestors say their "every move was monitored by two members of the PSNI/RUC who operated hand held video cameras". After the protest, Six-County Organiser of Ógra, Barry McColgan, commended the well disciplined crowd on the peaceful protest but hit out at the high number of fully armed RUC/PSNI clad in riot gear present. He questioned "where the contents of the video cameras, being operated by members of the PSNI/RUC would be going, given the history of state murder and collusion in the North of Ireland".
McColgan says the weekend was a huge success. "Young republicans from all over Ireland and comrades from abroad came to Omagh to launch the National Demilitarisation Campaign. They have seen at first hand the extent of British occupation in the North, they have been educated on the republican struggle and are leaving this conference with a clear message to the British Government — demilitarise now."