(written before the announcement of the Provisionals' cease-fire—see introduction to interview).
The suspension of Stormont and the imposition of Direct Rule over Northern Ireland in March of this year came about because the struggle of the minority could not be kept down. The Stormont government had tried all the repressive measures it could take; internment had failed; even 13 killed by the British Army in Derry did not stop the movement in its tracks. On the contrary, these events themselves led to more militant ac action on the part of the minority and an even greater determination to throw the British Army out of the North. Direct Rule and William Whitelaw's move to Stormont was not a solution to these problems for the British ruling class; rather this desperate measure which was taken shows the very real and profound crisis British imperialism finds itself in, in the North today.
Since Direct Rule there has been much confusion as to what is happening. The Protestants are building "no-go" areas, internees are being released, leading Provisionals are being arrested by the Lynch regime in the South, the Officials have called a "cease-fire" and various "peace movements" have been formed.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOMEN TOGETHER AND THE PRESENT PEACE MOVEMENT
The latest "peace group" which has recently come into existence is very different from that of the Women Together movement which received "fame" when Maire Drumm and other supporters of the IRA managed to shout down and break up the Andersonstown "Women Together" Group. The essential difference between this new movement and the Women Together group is that the former supports the IRA. Of the five main leaders of this latest group one, Eileen Semple, is secretary of one of the Social Democratic and Labour Party groups (SDLP) in the area, one Margaret Doherty, had a brother shot dead by the British Army on Bloody Sunday, and one Kathleen Doherty, lost a son aged 16 who accidently shot himself while training with the Official IRA earlier this year.
THE DEMANDS OF THE PEACE MOVEMENT
The demands of the Derry women are fundamentally different from the Andersonstown Women Together Group. They are not for "peace at any price"; peace to these women means the following:
—an amnesty for all political prisoners and those on the run
—an end to internment.
—no-go areas to remain
—the IRA must still remain behind the barricades.
In other words these women recognise that the role of the British troops is not that of peace-keeping and while they remain on Irish soil the minority in the North must have the protection of the IRA.
PEACE AT ANY PRICE?
The situation, as stated earlier, is extremely confusing. Events are changing so rapidly. And it is not only us in Britain who are confused by what is going on, the minority in the North itself is not at all clear what is happening. What is clear is that everyone in Derry wants peace. What is not so clear is what is meant by "peace". Probably a small minority wants "peace at any price" the majority almost certainly are in favour of an armistice.
There has been much reporting in the press about the many thousands of people who signed the "peace petition". What has not been reported is that these same people who signed that petition still leave their doors open at night for any IRA member in need of a place to hide, still leave out food for these same people whom they are supposed to oppose.
THE FAILURES OF THE REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT
What can also be said is that this confusion arises from the failure, certainly in practice if not in theory, to give a political explanation to the people of Derry and Belfast, particularly the women, about what is happening. The women's social life tends to centre around the church, the men's around pubs. And it is in the pubs that the informal discussions take place, the explanations as to what is happening, the latest news, informations about meetings etc etc.
In the present situation this lesson must be learnt by the IRA. It is extremely important with regard to what is happening in the North at present that the women must be integrated much more into the struggle. Because we should be in no doubt that for all the "good intentions" of these women and the fact that they have stated quite clearly that they support and still need the IRA, this movement does act as a serious lever of pressure against the Republican movement.
THE DANGER AHEAD UNLESS ...
In the meantime, unless this lesson is learnt quickly by the IRA the "peace" movement in all its confused forms will probably continue to grow. Certainly there was no place for the "Women Together" movement, but the response—albeit vague and ambiguous—to this latest movement in Derry and Belfast must be clearly understood. The people of Derry, sick and tired as they may be of the fighting, know they need and depend on the IRA; but unless the IRA itself realises that it cannot rely on the continued support of these people, particularly the women, if they do not give a clear explanation of what is happening in Ireland, then the peace movement could take on its own dynamic, and who knows in what direction it may go.
In the words of a leading activist, this movement represents "the fear of the people, not the will of the people."
Tessa van Gelderen