Is Éireannach mé

Is Éireannach mé

It’s a regular Tuesday evening, thousands of peoples’ identity stripped away by a British Tribunal and what could they do about it?

The case of Emma DeSouza is unique as it brings forward the question of identity. This is essential to discuss as identity is important to many people in the north of Ireland. Since the Good Friday Agreement people in the north have been able to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish, British or both. However, an immigration tribunal has ruled that Good Friday Agreement does not supersede the 1981 British Nationality Act, which states that a person born in the north of Ireland to at least one British parent is considered British.

This ruling by the Tribunal is a complete contradiction of the Good Friday Agreement and is a blow to the peace process. Thousands of people on the island of Ireland feel strongly about their nationality, including myself and I’m sure those in the Unionist community would also feel attacked should their own identity be stripped away from them. The past couple of weeks have shown us that the Good Friday Agreement, along with other previous agreements, is under attack. Not only has this recent ruling by the Tribunal undermined the Good Friday Agreement, but so has Brexit.

With a Brexit deal unlikely to be reached as the DUP, again, have voted against any possible deal the British Government has put forward. They risk checkpoints being set up once more, setting us back over twenty years. The arrogance of the DUP has spiraled the entire political circumstances into chaos, denying basic rights to the people of the north and showing they do not care about the peace process. Their circus show in Stormont in order to block women’s rights and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community is a clear indication of their lack of respect towards people on this island.

As an Irish person living in the north of Ireland how is it you can feel safe when the British government along with the DUP are threatening the stability of your nation? How is it you can feel safe when paramilitary organisations threaten violence should a border be put up in the Irish sea or on the island itself, we are in a lose-lose situation here and the constitutional question needs to be front and centre to put an end to this Brexit fiasco. It is important for all political parties, along with the British and Irish government to come together and discuss what Irish unity looks like. The case of Emma DeSouza, while important has a much bigger message behind it. It doesn’t just cast aside the Irish people in the north and make them British, it is much more than that, it shows the lack of consideration the British have for us, it shows us that our interests will not be met at Westminster and it shows us that we are continuing to be denied our basic rights.

This case marks another action in a long list by the British Government violating the Good Friday Agreement. Joining such other callous events such as; forming a supply and demand arrangement with the DUP, thereby negating their duty to remain neutral. Tory ministers confirming that in the event of a unity referendum they would campaign for the union, negating again their duty to remain neutral and the GFA stance that the United Kingdom has “no selfish interest” in maintaining partition. They have neglected to specify conditions for calling a unity referendum. They failed to actually ensure loyalist paramilitaries had disarmed. All the more worrying in light of the South African weapons which came in, large amounts of which are unaccounted for. Their failure to implement the GFA’s provision for a Bill of Rights. Failure to implement the Irish Language Act. Failure to implement provisions on justice for the families of victims. The list goes on.

We reaffirm our support and commitment to a border poll being called immediately. We as Republicans are entitled to the same rights as every other person on this Island. We will no longer be pawns to a British Government that has no right to rule in our affairs, who lies, cheats and steals, and who has no regard for any peoples on the international stage or their agreements.

“The developing countries have every right to claim nation-hood, because they have not exploited anyone. The nationalism of which they speak is simply their rightful claim to autonomy, self-determination and a liberated base from which to fight the international bourgeoisie - Huey P. Newton“

by Callum Duffy