Unite to defend Articles 2 & 3
Irish people North and South must unite in the face of
the latest onslaught against the sovereignty of Ireland
and attacks on the rights of Irish citizens.
These attacks have come in the form of a concerted
attempt to prepare the ground for an alteration to
Articles Two and Three of the Irish Constitution.
Those most affected by any change to Articles Two and
Three - Irish people living in the Six Counties - will
not be allowed to express their opinion on the matter
in any referendum. Nobody has a right to vote these
people out of the Irish nation, particularly when they
themselves will not even be consulted on the issue.
Ireland was undemocratically partitioned in 1920
against the will of the overwhelming majority of Irish
people and the claims of absolute British sovereignty
over the Six Counties remain. We are told that
Unionists should not be forced into a united Ireland,
yet Northern nationalists are forced into a United
British Kingdom.
Recent election results in the Six Counties have
underlined the shaky foundations for the alleged
legitimacy of that state. Despite the increasing
nationalist vote and the fact that whole swathes of the
Six Counties return an absolute nationalist majority,
constituents in these areas are not asked for their
consent to live under British rule.
The issues at stake in the debate around Articles Two
and Three are fundamental. The time has come for
nationalists to unite in defence of their identity and
their rights as Irish people. Nationalist political
leaders of all shades must unite around this issue and
be clear in stating that they will not take for granted
the rights and interests of Northern nationalists.
Articles Two and Three cannot be bartering counters for
long overdue reforms on the ground in the North.
But none of this can or should be left up to the
politicians. People must mobilise in the defence of
Irish nationhood and sovereignty. We cannot allow the
issue to be confined to backroom dealing by civil
servants. People must take to the the streets on this
issue. Our voices must raised to a level where they
will be heard clearly in Leinster House and elsewhere.
Let nationalist opinion be heard now so that those who
purport to speak for it cannot mistake the message -
Irish nationality is not for sale.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)