From the Braes to Basra
We are gathered here today to pay tribute to the brave men and women of the Braes who faced the armed might of the British state with little more than sticks and stones. Men and women driven to these measures by oppression, corruption and eviction. Men and women who had come to realise that only be standing together could they forge a future free from the slavery of landlordism, They form part of the largely unwritten, if not unspoken, fabric of the Scottish people’s history of resistance to British Imperialism.
From striking workers in the Calton area of Glasgow shot down for demanding basic trade union rights, to the Clansmen and women slaughtered, raped & robbed after the ’45. Resistance was widespread.
Democratic republicans at Tranent were mown down by British bullets for protesting against conscription to the British Army. Even in the 1790’s they knew fine that they were being enlisted to defend the rights of the rich who kept them in poverty and slavery.
Today there are no threats of Clearance or Press-gangs to “aid” recruitment but the same situation still fundamentally remains. Young working-class Scots going off to fight in the interests of British Imperialism. Only to return home and be thrown on the scrapheap due to mental problems and drug abuse.
Before we go we should also note (as the cairn beside us does) that as in so many episodes of our history the crofters struggle against landlordism was carried out within a pan-celtic framework with our brothers and sisters in Ireland. We must demand, as John Maclean did, an end to the shameful deployment of Scottish soldiers to suppress Ireland, no more shall "Ireland's Tragedy be Scotland's Disgrace".
Saorsa calls on the youth of Scotland to fight for their own country and not that of our oppressors. If you value freedom join the struggle against British Imperialism. Join the struggle for an Independent Workers’ Republic of Scotland. Join Saorsa.
END RECRUITMENT
THIG AR LATHA
(Speech given by Saorsa spokesman, 17 Oct 2010, at site of Battle of the Braes, Skye)
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From striking workers in the Calton area of Glasgow shot down for demanding basic trade union rights, to the Clansmen and women slaughtered, raped & robbed after the ’45. Resistance was widespread.
Democratic republicans at Tranent were mown down by British bullets for protesting against conscription to the British Army. Even in the 1790’s they knew fine that they were being enlisted to defend the rights of the rich who kept them in poverty and slavery.
Today there are no threats of Clearance or Press-gangs to “aid” recruitment but the same situation still fundamentally remains. Young working-class Scots going off to fight in the interests of British Imperialism. Only to return home and be thrown on the scrapheap due to mental problems and drug abuse.
Before we go we should also note (as the cairn beside us does) that as in so many episodes of our history the crofters struggle against landlordism was carried out within a pan-celtic framework with our brothers and sisters in Ireland. We must demand, as John Maclean did, an end to the shameful deployment of Scottish soldiers to suppress Ireland, no more shall "Ireland's Tragedy be Scotland's Disgrace".
Saorsa calls on the youth of Scotland to fight for their own country and not that of our oppressors. If you value freedom join the struggle against British Imperialism. Join the struggle for an Independent Workers’ Republic of Scotland. Join Saorsa.
END RECRUITMENT
THIG AR LATHA
(Speech given by Saorsa spokesman, 17 Oct 2010, at site of Battle of the Braes, Skye)
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Scottish Republicans Welcome “Defence” Spending Cuts
SAORSA – Press Release
20 October 2010
The Scottish Republican organisation Saorsa has blasted George Osborne’s public sector spending cuts as an ideological attack on
public ownership and a sign of the inherent instability of the capitalist system.
However Saorsa has also called on all supporters of Scottish independence to welcome the cuts in the “British Imperialist murder
machine”.
Speaking in Inverness spokesman Sean Mac Micheal stated Saorsa’s position, “We view in a positive light the news that UK spending on
its Imperialist murder machine is being cut. For three centuries the youth of Scotland have spilt blood on foreign fields dying to protect the profit margins of British capitalism.
“Highland glens and working class schemes have for too long provided a steady stream of cannon-fodder for Britain’s armed forces and the subjection of countless people’s to Britain’s bloody rule. We say to the youth of Scotland that your real enemy is at home, stay and join the fight for an independent Scottish Republic.”
Attacking fallacy of united Moray
Mr Mac Micheal continued that, “It is a fallacy for the media and political parties to portray Moray as united behind the airbases. There are many who will, in particular, welcome the reduction of low-flying jets harassing the local population throughout not just Moray but all northern Scotland. Hill farmers whose livestock are continually menaced by these manoeuvres and local youth in a low-wage economy, unable to get housing in the artificially inflated property market due to the presence of the RAF bases.
“The people of Moray have shown themselves to be hardened supporters of Scottish Independence and have no reason to fear a weakening of the chains of British imperialism.
Demands land and assets of British military handed over to community ownership
“It is shameful that Labour and the SNP have not put the same effort into backing the trade union movement’s opposition to 500,000 public sector job cuts as they have in prostituting themselves to Britain’s military machine.
Mr Mac Micheal concluded, “Saorsa makes the demand that the land and all assets, including bombing ranges at Tain and Cape Wrath, be immediately transferred to local community ownership to be put to use for the regeneration of the area and the benefit of all those affected communities, backed by a package of investement from the SNP administration at Holyrood.”
STATEMENT ENDS
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20 October 2010
The Scottish Republican organisation Saorsa has blasted George Osborne’s public sector spending cuts as an ideological attack on
public ownership and a sign of the inherent instability of the capitalist system.
However Saorsa has also called on all supporters of Scottish independence to welcome the cuts in the “British Imperialist murder
machine”.
Speaking in Inverness spokesman Sean Mac Micheal stated Saorsa’s position, “We view in a positive light the news that UK spending on
its Imperialist murder machine is being cut. For three centuries the youth of Scotland have spilt blood on foreign fields dying to protect the profit margins of British capitalism.
“Highland glens and working class schemes have for too long provided a steady stream of cannon-fodder for Britain’s armed forces and the subjection of countless people’s to Britain’s bloody rule. We say to the youth of Scotland that your real enemy is at home, stay and join the fight for an independent Scottish Republic.”
Attacking fallacy of united Moray
Mr Mac Micheal continued that, “It is a fallacy for the media and political parties to portray Moray as united behind the airbases. There are many who will, in particular, welcome the reduction of low-flying jets harassing the local population throughout not just Moray but all northern Scotland. Hill farmers whose livestock are continually menaced by these manoeuvres and local youth in a low-wage economy, unable to get housing in the artificially inflated property market due to the presence of the RAF bases.
“The people of Moray have shown themselves to be hardened supporters of Scottish Independence and have no reason to fear a weakening of the chains of British imperialism.
Demands land and assets of British military handed over to community ownership
“It is shameful that Labour and the SNP have not put the same effort into backing the trade union movement’s opposition to 500,000 public sector job cuts as they have in prostituting themselves to Britain’s military machine.
Mr Mac Micheal concluded, “Saorsa makes the demand that the land and all assets, including bombing ranges at Tain and Cape Wrath, be immediately transferred to local community ownership to be put to use for the regeneration of the area and the benefit of all those affected communities, backed by a package of investement from the SNP administration at Holyrood.”
STATEMENT ENDS
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