Your article in the summer 2011 edition of ‘Emma’ entitled ‘A Black Spring’ expresses concern about the possibility of a Muslim Brotherhood dominated government in Egypt in the future after the transition period. You conclude that the easiest aspect of the fight is with the violent jihadists; and whilst Bin laden is dead, the doctrine of jihad lives on. In another article*   you say: “...the gradualist approach is far more likely to win the prize of state power. All that Khomeini did before he came to power in Iran was to preach the merits of a society based on Islamic law. He did not engage in terrorism. Yet he and his followers took over Iran – a feat far greater than bin Laden ever achieved. In Iran the violence came later.” 

In reality, however, ‘doctrine’ alone was not the reason behind the brutal Islamic movement’s rise to political power. In Iran, for example, the rise of Islamism was aided by the US-led foreign policy of creating a green or Islamic belt around the then Soviet Union during the Cold War. At a conference in Guadeloupe, Western powers decided to back Islamism at the expense of a left-leaning revolution that was crushed in order for the Islamic Republic of Iran to establish itself. In fact, to secure power, the regime slaughtered an entire generation. As a result, we have witnessed the rise of the political Islamic movement for several decades.

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A fuller report from today’s Irish Independent on the Labour capitulation on Low Pay is carried below.

Not alone has the Labour Party agreed to the scrapping of the Sunday premium for low paid workers, it has also agreed to allow employers to claim inability to pay and ,if successful, to pay a lesser rate for normal working days. In circumstances in which demand is being continuously removed from the economy by government, this can only lead to continuous reduction in the direction of the minimum wage and the effective collapse of the system. Compliant employers will be progressively undermined by those paying a lower rate.

The scrapping of the Sunday premium will simply add to the profits of highly successful multi-national retail chains at the expense of their employees.

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This morning, Wednesday 27th July, at 7am, campaigners placed an enormous cement filled barrel or 'lock-on' in the middle of the road between Shell's Ballinaboy refinery and tunnelling compound at Aughoose. Two people are locked on to the barrel and it is expected that it will take the best part of a day before it can be moved. It is now stopping all truck deliveries between the two sites, seriously delaying Shell's work for the third day this week.

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RNU activists in Ireland, Scotland and America, have over the last few days been very proud to participate in the campaign and 4 day fast to call for the immediate release of Brendan Lillis.

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On 88th anniversary of Lausanne Treaty which divided Kurdistan into four parts, Kurds in Ireland launched a 3-days hunger strike today outside European Union House. ... read full story / add a comment

Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan has received an application from the Irish Coursing Club for this year's hare netting license. This will enable coursing clubs nationwide to capture hares for cruelty sessions. ... read full story / add a comment

Speaking in relation to the incursion into and the laying siege of the Greater Ardoyne area by the RUC/PSNI, and to the community’s response to both of the unwanted and unnecessary sectarian parades forced through the same area on July 12. ... read full story / add a comment

"The Republican POWs in Maghaberry jail have once again been forced into a situation of confrontation with the British prison regime. From the top down, the administrations involved in the running of Maghaberry jail have again failed the POWs," said Josephine Hayden. POW Department, Republican Sinn Féin. ... read full story / add a comment

In spite of an appeal from the Greater Ardoyne Residents Collective (GARC) to Stormont Politicans, Alban McGuinness, Gerry Kelly and DFM. Martin McGuiness to demand Owen Patterson ban Tuesday's unwelcome secterian parade. ... read full story / add a comment

Kukutza Gaztetxea III, is at imminent risk of eviction and demolition. "International Demonstration" for the next 16th of july that will depart from the city of Bilbao at 18:00. We need your help in order to spread the word. ... read full story / add a comment

REPUBLICAN NETWORK FOR UNITY (RNU) CATHAOIRLEACH/ CHAIRPERSON, CARL REILLY slams the Parades Commission for their inaction and recent decisions on contentious Orange Order parades. ... read full story / add a comment

Carlow Republican Sinn Féin held a very successful picket at the Liberty Tree 1798 monument in Carlow Town today (Saturday July 9) from 1.00pm to 2.30pm. The picket was held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh in which Bobby Sands and nine other Republican prisoners died. The picket was also to highlight the present campaign of the Republican prisoners in Maghaberry prison for the right to political status. ... read full story / add a comment

DES Dalton, President of Republican Sinn Féin was arrested outside Lurgan, Co Armagh on tonight, Wednesday, July 6 at around 8pm. He was on his way to speak at a protest march in support of the Maghaberry POWs in the Drumbeg Estate in Lurgan. ... read full story / add a comment

INNOCENT ON ALL CHARGES BUT DENIED THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE THE WRONGDOERS BEFORE A JUDGE AND jURY

press release ... read full story / add a comment

SIPTU is calling on the public to come out in support of the week long festivities for Belfast Pride from 23rd – 30th July. The full calendar of events can be found online at; www.belfastpride.com/.

The 21st Pride festival which the organisers hail as ‘a celebration of diversity’ will culminate with Ireland’s largest LGBT parade, making its way through Belfast city centre on Saturday 30th July.
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Speaking at a commemoration marking the 90th anniversary of the murder by British forces of John and Thomas O’Reilly, Peter McGennity and Patrick Quinn in Killeen, Co Armagh the President of Republican Sinn Féin Des Dalton said: ... read full story / add a comment

Last week Shell put a notice in the paper that they will be starting the next stage of construction on the pipeline soon. The national campaign and the local community are preparing for this. As part of the ongoing opposition there will be a day of mass action on the Friday following when work begins again. We are calling for as many people to make it down to the site at Aughoos and take part in stopping Shell. The call out will go out via indymedia, this website and our mail update list. ... read full story / add a comment

We the Cogus POWs' in Maghaberry Prison have given the hard fought for 12th August 2010 agreement every opportunity to develop and play out!

We watched from almost the following day of the agreement the slow erosion and poa interpretation of the agreement being implemented. ... read full story / add a comment

Several boats that are part of Freedom Flotilla Two - Stay Human have been detained and prohibited to sail by the Greek Coast Guard, including the U.S., Canadian and Spanish Boats to Gaza, and the Greek government has prohibited any boats from sailing to Gaza from Greek ports. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine calls upon the Greek government to immediately end this active complicity with the Israeli siege on Gaza and release the boats to join the Flotilla to Gaza, and calls on all popular forces and movements in Greece and internationally to demand that the Greek government end its participation in the illegal Israeli blockade and allow the Freedom Flotilla to sail!

The Greek people have demonstrated, time and again, their firm solidarity with the Palestinian people, taking to the streets en masse to stand with the people of Palestine against Israeli massacres, invasions and wars. The people of Greece have also taken to their streets in the millions in the past months, and Greek workers risen in escalating general strikes over the past weeks, to stand against an EU/IMF economic austerity plan for their country which will mean misery, subservience, and suffering for Greece's people. ... read full story / add a comment

Call for poetry, short-stories, photography and art work ... read full story / add a comment