HAS THE Republican the North of Ireland lost the hunger strike? It is true that the have been forced to call off their protest without winning political status and without winnie demands.
It is also the case that the intransigence of the Tory government in refusing to make any concessions to the prisoners, either in practice or in writing until the hunger strike ended, appears to have paid off.
But the outcome struggle is not always judged on the terms on which it is eventually settled. It is best assessed on which side emerges the stronger. And, by that criteria, there is no doubt who won the hunger strike. movement in The movement prisoners hunger following: • Two the Westminster • Two parliamentary • Several important North of Ireland;
of a political • The defeat struggle the Republican and socialist which supported the strikers have achieved the election victories in the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone;
seats in the Southern Irish general election;
election victories at local government level in the • World wide protests against the intransigence of the Thatcher government. World wide sympathy for the cause of a united Ireland;
of the Fianna Fail government in the South of Ireland; • The marginalisation of the 'moderate' nationalist party in the North of Ireland - the Social Democratic and to support the prisoners; • The highest level of mass mobilisation against Britain that Ireland has seen in ten years; • A reported huge increase in funds from abroad to the Republican cause; • Reports of a rapid rise of volunteers to the IRA.
In Britain, during the hunger strike the Sunday Times has come out in favour of British withdrawal from Ireland. James Callaghan has also said that Britain should get out, and at last week's Labour Party conference the overwhelming majority of constituency Labour Parties supported a withdrawal resolution, while the conference itself committed the
В В С Delegates at Labour's annual conference