Eamonn McCann for the Assembly
These are exciting times. We have just seen a popular revolution in Egypt, where people power through mass protest and strikes brought down a dictator who had been in power for 30 years. This shows what people are capable of when they come together. It is, and should continue to be an inspiration for those around the world who are fighting against injustices, be it political repression, poverty, workers rights or fighting against the cuts. It should be an inspiration for us here fighting our own battles to defend jobs and resist the most savage cuts in the history of this country. Surely now, the old slogan should ring true. Think globally! Act locally!
We have just had 5 members of the United Left Alliance elected to Dail Eireann, two of them are People Before Profit candidates. Joan Collins and Richard Boyd Barrett will use their seat in the Dail as a platform to highlight and give public support to grass roots movements against the cuts and for jobs, be they in the community, or in the workplace. This is a massive step forward for People Before Profit across Ireland.
Since the Westminster election last year People Before Profit has been involved in a number of campaigns. Our public meetings and protests were instrumental in the defeat of the Public Assemblies Bill which was an attack on the basic right of free assembly and protest. We have supported the Galliagh Residents Group in their successful campaign to stop the MUGA being built in Bloomfield. The most notable action in recent months was the student campaign against education cuts launched by F.E.E. (Free Education for Everyone) in December. This campaign was originally against cuts to the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) and the rise in tuition fees, but it soon broadened out to be against all education cuts.
The People Before Profit Alliance has supported the student campaign from the beginning and was an integral part of its formation. Our members have taken a leading role within the campaign and, we have lent our support with printing, facilities and campaigning bases. The students led and organised the campaign themselves, and for many of them, it was their first taste of public protest. The biggest protest in Derry was on Friday 10thDecember when approximately 1000 students walked out of their schools, marched around the city centre and staged a peaceful occupation of the council chambers in the Guildhall.
The mass student campaigns across the North have scared Minister Danny Kennedy enough to come out and say that the EMA will stay in Northern Ireland. It remains to be seen how he intends to ‘reform’ it, but it is another example of ordinary people, in this case school students, instigating change through self organisation and protest.
The most important thing for the People Before Profit Alliance in the North over the coming weeks and months will of course be the N.I. Assembly and local elections on 5th May. Here in the North, apart from Eamonn in Derry, we hope to stand candidates for the Assembly in other constituencies, as well as in the council elections. We urge everyone who is fed up with the sectarian party blame-gaming at Stormont, who has had enough of massive cuts to jobs, services and quality of life to join us in organising for a real opposition in the Assembly, join us for a left alternative in Northern Ireland and Vote People Before Profit on 5th May!