IRA New Year statement 2005

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The Provisional IRA issued its annual New Year statement today
to An Phoblacht. The following is the full text of the
statement.
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The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann sends New Year greetings
to our Volunteers and to our friends and supporters at home and
abroad.

We extend solidarity to our imprisoned comrades and their
families.

Time and again over the past ten years the IRA has demonstrated
its commitment to the Peace Process. On occasion, our
initiatives have stretched the discipline and patience of our
Volunteers and the wider republican base. To their credit, they
have remained steadfast.

We set out the contribution we are prepared to make to a
comprehensive agreement to resolve all outstanding issues. This
included moving into a new mode which reflects our determination
to see the transition to a totally peaceful society and also
concluding the process to completely and verifiably put all our
arms beyond use.

All of this is being prevented by an unachievable demand for
humiliation.

The rejection of our substantial contributions has created a
deep anger within the republican and nationalist communities and
indeed, it has generated significant frustration.

We want to see peace on the island of Ireland and among all the
Irish people. But a just and lasting peace is only possible on
the basis of equality. The days of inequality and of
discrimination are over. There must be an end to bigotry,
sectarianism and racism.

Pandering by the two governments, once again, to a rejectionist
approach by a unionist leader, will not work. The IRA will not
accept it.

We reject recent attempts to criminalise our Volunteers. Through
two decades, central to Britain's policy in Ireland was the
strategy of demonising and criminalising republicans. In prisons
and on the streets, similar attempts and tactics were smashed,
most notably by our comrades on hunger strike in 1981. Current
attempts by those hostile to republicanism will also fail.

We commend our Volunteers and our support base. Their patience
and discipline have been among our greatest strengths. We share
a vision for the future.

This vision includes the unity and independence of Ireland.

While a Peace Process can produce an accommodation, and the IRA
is prepared to assist this process, Irish unity and independence
provides the best context for the people of this island to live
together in harmony and prosperity.

We remain committed to our republican objectives.

P O'Neill,
Irish Republican Publicity Bureau,
Dublin.