In late February, the International PRO of Republican Sinn Féin attended a meeting of international revolutionary organisation in the Lebanese capital Beirut. Among the delegates represented at the meeting were revolutionary activists from organisations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. The International PRO of Republican Sinn Féin addressed the audience on Friday morning, outlining the current situation of British occupation in Ireland and the struggle of the Irish POW’s.

The 12th International Symposium against Isolation and Torture was held in the UNESCO Palace in Beirut, Lebanon. The conference was co-organised by the Khiam Rehabilitation Centre and the People’s Front. Since 2006, representatives of Republican Sinn Féin have attended all of these conferences. This year’s conference was highly influenced by current developments in the Middle East. Consequently, a wide range of revolutionary organisations from this area addressed the conference.

Among the speakers from Lebanon were representatives of the Communist Party of Lebanon and the Islamic Resistance Movement Hezbollah; from Syria delegates attended from the People’s Front and the Syrian National Youth Party; from Palestine delegates attended from the PFLP, the DFLP, the PLO, Hamas, and the PPP. Among the delegates from Europe was a delegate from Ukraine, the Communist Party of Bulgaria, political activists from Greece, as well as members of the Italian Ska-Band Banda Bassotti who spoke about their campaign in support of the Eastern Ukraine rebels. The conference was also addressed by the Ambassadors of Cuba and Palestine in Lebanon.

The International PRO of Republican Sinn Féin spoke on Friday morning, sharing the panel with political activists from Syria, Palestine, Sudan, Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. In his speech he outlined the current political developments in Ireland, social cuttings in the South and British occupation in the North, as well as the situation of the Irish POW’s. In particular, he stressed the situation of the Craigavon 2 and urged all represented organisations to support the campaign for justice of the Craigavon 2 and to highlight their case in their own countries.

His speech was followed by a lively Q&A-session. The audience was particularly interested in the stage of the revolutionary resistance to British occupation in Ireland. Palestinian activists wanted to have information on the betrayal of the Adams-faction in the 1980s and 1990s as well as the splits in the Republican Movement since then. The speech was very well-received by the audience and was followed by long applause. The International PRO of Republican Sinn Féin was later interviewed by various international media outlets from France, Turkey, Germany, and the Middle East.

Following the international meeting with representatives from Kurdistan and the Philippines in the Netherlands in mid-February, the revolutionary assemble in Lebanon was another important event for Republican Sinn Féin. The meeting in Beirut served the cause of strengthening the links of the Irish Republican Movement with international revolutionary organisations; also it was a vital opportunity to share the experience in the revolutionary struggle with international delegates.

Críoch/Ends.

For confirmation: International PRO Republican Sinn Féin, Anti Makapaltis/Fritz Langsdorf Cumann, international@rsf.ie

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