Democracy Denied!

10/06/08

Yesterday (Monday June 9) the Belfast public debated the potential ramifications of the Lisbon treaty, on which they will not be consulted, for the Six Counties.

In the first and only public event held in the Six Counties to discuss the issue of the Lisbon Treaty and its effects in occupied Ireland a panel of four speakers outlined their views on the treaty and the circumstances of occupation, which deny the 1.8 million Irish citizens living in the northeast an opportunity to choose.

The meeting was organised by the Campaign Against the European Union Constitution.

Although the circumstances are unique in Ireland, Vis-à-Vis foreign occupation, the reality across Europe is very similar as the overwhelming majority of European residents will not be able to vote either.

The only ‘member state’ holding a referendum will be the Twenty-Six counties on Thursday, June 12.

The panel, comprised of éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac an Mhaistír, Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún, SDLP MLA Alban Magenniss, DUP representative Christopher Stalford and chaired by Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA), outlined their parties positions on the Lisbon Treaty and took questions from the 70 strong crowd, at the Conway Mill, who availed of the opportunity to debate the issue.

Daithí Mac an Mhaistír of éirígí, speaking after the event, gave a stark and chilling account of what the reality of the implementation of Lisbon would mean and of the general direction in which the Eurocrats who penned it are travelling.

“The fact of the Lisbon treaty and of the current ethos within the power structures of the EU is the antithesis of the idea which brought many to join the EU to begin with.

“Some speakers tonight have said that the EU was formed to counter wars and invasion across Europe, yet the same force which precipitated all of those wars – imperialism – has become the driver of the current European Union, and most definitely defines and characterises the Lisbon Treaty.

“We in éirígí aspire to Connolly’s maxim of a free federation of the free peoples of Europe and it is clear by the very fact that we hold this meeting today under the banner of ‘democracy denied’, that those in the Six Counties, as well as another half billion people will be denied their freedoms in the attempted encroachment of this treaty. Why?

“If the Lisbon Treaty was a good thing for Europe and its residents then why are the very people who it will impact upon being denied the chance to voice their opinion on it?

“The answer is simple and well articulated by the architects of the treaty. If people were allowed to read, understand and vote on this treaty across Europe it would be ripped up by the majority of us, as it was in 2005 by the French and Dutch electorates.

“Yet in a crude re-run of the infamous Nice 1+2 debacle in the Twenty Six counties, we, the Irish, are being asked to swallow and rubber stamp a treaty on behalf of all Europeans, that was and remains unacceptable to every electorate every asked to vote upon it.

“What gall these people have, to believe us to be thick paddies who will ratify a treaty which robs us of everything. It is criminal enough that the treaty has even been proposed to us but what adds insult to injury is that only two thirds of our citizens will be allowed to vote on an issue that could have the most profound effects on the present and future state of all of our lives?

“People in Ireland need to meditate on the fact that the British Government will impose this treaty upon our people without consultation. We need to mediate on the reality of the occupation but also on the reality of a new and potentially more potent form of imperialism encompassed, as it is, within the halls of Brussels, within the Neo Liberal agenda and clinically outlined within this Lisbon Treaty.

Following Daithí’s contribution other speakers outlined their opinions and positions on the treaty and a robust debate ensued.

Bairbre de Brún of Sinn Féin outlined her party’s opposition to the treaty and alignment with the CAEUC, whilst also confirming that democracy in Ireland was a farce on two fronts where two parliaments in Dublin and London denied Irish citizens full participation in the ownership and direction of the nation.

Christopher Stalford of the DUP, defining his political ideology as ‘right of centre’, and at polar opposites of the vast majority of the crowd, outlined his party’s position of opposition to Lisbon, and his personal disdain for British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown as a man of ‘no honour’.

Alban Magenniss of the SDLP, representing the only party on the panel in favour of the Treaty lauded the examples of success of the EU thus far, whilst conceding that democracy had in fact been denied to Irish citizens and the vast majority of Europeans. He outlined his perception that all wars throughout European history were by-products of the ‘Nation State, flags and nationalism’ to which Roger Cole, chairperson, quickly retorted ‘I must have been mistaken as I believed they were all by-products of imperialism and invasion.’

The evening was summed up by each speaker clearly outlining their position and leaving the Belfast audience infuriated by the lack of input they and almost two million other Irish people have had and will have into future EU policy.

Daithí Mac An Mhaistír was encouraged by the turnout and praised the organisers:

“Tonight has been very, very useful. We have illustrated here in Belfast, on very short notice, that there exists a real and biting appetite to discuss and impact upon European Policy.

“I sensed a real sense of outrage among the audience who understood their situation under British rule as Irish people. All of this should put a more pressing focus on the rest of us in Ireland, who have the opportunity to vote, to vote No.

“Republicans in the crowd tonight could not but have spotted the obviousness of the elephant in the room – British occupation, and whilst Lisbon will impact on every one of us negatively, it will merely replace in Belfast and the Six Counties, what has been reality since partition – misrule, denial of rights, degradation of citizens and ultimately the denial of national democracy.”