Is it feasible that a person could proclaim that the fight (primarily physical force) for national self determination will 'go on until the end', that is, until the goal of Irish national freedom is achieved, and then within a matter of years do a complete turn and enthusiastically play one's part in preventing the freedom of our country by becoming a minister in an anti-democratic system, an assembly established as the bulwark against the realisation of a successful 'end'?
Perhaps my question should be re-directed at Martin McGuinness. Or could it be the case that our so called 2nd minister is dumber than many believe? Does he really believe that what emanated from the Belfast Agreement is the wooden horse of republicanism set to destroy the northern state from within, a belief held unfortunately by many of the Provo membership and their supporters? Well, I have some solace from this apparent reality arising from the fact that mankind once believed that the sun travelled around the planet earth.
Of course to destroy it from within would require, according to supporters of this strategy, a massive con-job on the Irish unionist population. But to borrow from a statement of a Catholic Church leader, is it possible to con a million unionists or thereabouts into a united Ireland?
Again, as we see, this belief is a deviation from authentic republican principle according to some for the cause of our problems is first and foremost the British administrative and military presence. To over-look this fact is to play into the hands of the British propagandists who imply that the trouble in the north of our island is purely that of religious sectarianism.
But to return to the essence of this article: is it the case of a darker reality, that is, the Provo about-turn? For I am aware that from about 1980 elements of the Adams leadership within the Provisional Sinn Fein were laying the basis for the political changes that we are witnessing at present in the north. Also, recent revealations from various sources confirm the fact that the Provo leaders met with British military intelligence at the beginning of the 1980s in a house on the verge of Derry City. And this at a time when Provisional IRA volunteers were risking their lives for what they believed was national freedom.
And may I add to those revealations that John Hume in my own home informed me that Gerry Adams via Catholic clergy in Belfast had made approaches to (Hume) at that period with ideas which would lead to the biggest act of betrayal in republican history. Perhaps then John was testing my opinion prior to the evolution of the Belfast Agreement.
But to return to the central question, does the betrayal of elements within the Provo leadership reflect a war weary leadership, a power seeking political leadership or something more sinister, as others ask?
Thus, is it possible that the anti-insurgency ideas of the British military strategist, namely Kitson, were successfully realised via the Provos, especially that of nurturing a number of volunteers with the potential to become leaders, in other words infiltrating paid informers into leadership roles of a revolutionary movement for the intention of steering that movement into an entirely different direction or defeat?
It is possible, for it has happened elsewhere; but I'll leave it to the historians of the future to unravel the truth of recent republican history which has shook the goal of national self-determination to it very roots.
But I have no doubt that there are many so called 'dissidents' who believe that our day will come inspite of perhaps the betrayal of elements within the Provo leadership and the dirty manipulation of their handlers from within the occupation forces.
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