Worker's Party press release.

[eamo]

Good statement here, click on link for an easier on the eye version.



Source: http://www.workerspartyireland.net/syria.html

Workers' Party statement on Syria


The Syrian Crisis

The Syrian crisis is deepening and becoming ever more serious by the day. The internal frictions in Syrian society manipulated by the imperialist powers intent upon foreign intervention have created a situation which poses a major threat to Syria, the region and the world. The arming of terrorist groups determined to undermine the state by those same powers which are calling for sanctions against the government has brought civil war to Syria. While condemning any use of disproportionate force by the state, the state has a duty to protect the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, provide security for its citizens and preserve the secular nature of the state. It is also essential that the armed forces are in a position to confront any attack by armed terrorist groups against civilians, law-enforcement members, the armed forces and private and public facilities. In a situation reminiscent of Yugoslavia and the conflict of Kosovo-Metohija the US and the other imperialist powers demand that the Syrian armed forces stop fighting while the forces of the so-called Free Syrian Army and others are given the green light to launch acts of sabotage, subversion, terrorism and murderous sectarian attacks.

Syria, which for many decades had been the object of external annexation, built itself into a stable regional power constructing a non-sectarian Syrian identity and building a state capable of challenging Israeli and US aggression. The Syrian economy had also made progress in terms of economic growth, agricultural development and the establishment of new industries. Syria is a society comprising many minorities and the state also managed to create a secular society and to prevent the growth of sectarianism, particularly preventing the growth of dangerous sectarianism and religious fundamentalism.

However, in the recent decade significant changes took place. First, after September 11, 2001 the Syrian government began co-operating with the US. Syrian intelligence agencies co-operated with the United States and FBI agents arrived in Syria to conduct investigations. It was also alleged that Syria became a favourite rendition centre of the CIA where suspects were brought for interrogation by Syrian interrogators. Secondly, Syria adopted a national strategy which involved moving from a centrally planned economy to a “social market” economy. This retrograde measure meant cuts in subsidies and increased social and economic pressure on the workers and the poor. Agriculture was “liberalised” and the steady introduction of neo-liberal measures since 2005 increased that pressure. Syria also experienced a huge increase in income inequality in the past decade. Recently the public sector share of GNP has consistently fallen proportional to the private sector.

The situation has been exacerbated by US economic sanctions which were renewed by Obama in 2010. In those circumstances it is entirely understandable that Syrian workers and the poor would demand changes to their material conditions. This turn towards market capitalism is a situation which has been exploited by imperialism.

The Workers’ Party expressed its solidarity to the genuine, peaceful, social protests and just demands for economic, social, political and democratic changes in Syria but unequivocally rejects foreign political or military intervention in Syria, which is being currently planned by the USA, the EU, Israel and NATO in active collaboration with Turkey and a number of reactionary, anti-democratic monarchies in the Gulf region. The world need only look to Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya to understand the reality of imperialism and the myth of so-called humanitarian intervention. The Syrian people alone have the right to decide the future of Syria.

The demands for political, social and economic reforms in Syria by the popular movement and the working class must be addressed and dialogue towards a genuine political settlement facilitated in which a general peaceful settlement that isolates armed groups and respects the right of the peaceful patriotic opposition engaged in legal political work can be achieved. However, it is important never to permit imperialism to obtain succour from these circumstances. An occupied Syria, controlled by fundamentalist elements, would spell disaster for the political, social and economic interests of the working people of Syria and vastly worsen their condition.

However, imperialist forces, liberals and ultra-left groups have united in a global media offensive against Syria. This has nothing to do with the rights of the Syrian people. This campaign is designed to conceal the nature and programme of a coalition of ultra-reactionary and obscurantist religious forces; anti-democratic, tyrannical and despotic states in the region; Israel and the imperialist powers and to prepare the way for intervention and occupation with a view to destabilising and neutralising Syria and its strategic importance in the region, altering the balance of power in the area and creating a region of weak but compliant, loyal client states. This would serve the aggressive and expansionist designs of Israel which continues to occupy the Golan Heights and the Shebaa Farms in Lebanon, and guarantee unlimited access by the monopolies to the valuable natural resources of those states.

The broad progressive line traditionally adopted by Syria together with its support for the just struggle of the Palestinian people has long been a thorn in the side of Zionism and imperialism. The destruction of Syria would have a devastating impact on the lives of the Syrian people and the entire region. The examples of the continuing misery, destruction and terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq – and now Libya – are portents of what lies in store for Syria. Already, the killing and injury of civilians, the massacre and beheading of those believed to be loyal to the government, the displacement of thousands from their towns and villages, often on the basis of their religion, by sectarian terrorist groups financed from outside the country.

The US threats of military action against Iran, the Turkish provocations against Syria, the increased military aid by the Obama administration to Israel (a power which already possesses nuclear weapons and has a long history of military aggression against its neighbours), the escalating external pressure on Syria and the growing attacks by criminal terrorist elements demonstrates the dangerous role of the imperialist powers and the attempt by the monopolies and multi-national corporations to seize control of the energy resources of the region. Syria has considerable oil and natural gas reserves.

The Workers’ Party expresses its solidarity with Syrian workers, small farmers, youth, women, the labour movement and the communist and progressive forces in Syria and the peoples of the region.

The Workers’ Party demands:

· Full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria
· An immediate end to all overt and covert financial and military assistance to the so-called Free Syrian Army and other armed terrorist groups
· No intervention by imperialism against Syria and Iran
· An end to sanctions against Syria and Iran
· The Irish government refuse to assist in any war against Syria or Iran
· The Irish government refuse to permit any over-flight of its territory or any use of its facilities to assist any attack against Syria or Iran
· The right of the Syrian people alone to decide the future of Syria free from external interference


International Affairs Committee
Central Executive Committee
The Workers' Party of Ireland
September 2012







Peace, Work, Demoracy & Class Politics

[eamo]

The Workers' Party has called for a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on the 31st Amendment to the Irish Constitution, Bunreacht na h-Éireann, otherwise known as the Children's Rights Referendum. We explain why:-




The Irish constitution – Bunreacht na hÉireann – was adopted in 1937. It is 75 years old. There have already been many amendments made to the constitution on a very piecemeal fashion, and there have also been several failed attempts to change the constitution, most notably on the issue of proportional representation and multi-seat constituencies.

For over thirty years it has been obvious that the rights of children were not adequately protected in the constitution. Internationally we had the drafting and the adoption of the International Convention of the Rights of the Child, and its acceptance into domestic law in many countries. Conversely, in Ireland from the Kilkenny Incest case, through the Ryan Report, the Murphy report, and the more recent report on the deaths of minors in HSE care and the treatment of young offenders in St Patrick’s Institution, the lack of constitutional and statutory provision for children has been highlighted.

It is instructive to take note of some of the comments of Judge Catherine McGuiness in her report on the Kilkenny incest case.

On page 19 the report states “A major review of personal and social services for children was undertaken by the Task Force on Child Care Services which was established in 1974 by the Minister for Health.

The final report of the Task Force was published in 1980. Additionally an Adoption Review Committee was set up by the Minister for Health. This committee reported in 1984. These two reports contain comprehensive analysis and discussion of various aspects of child care and adoption”.

This clearly shows that almost forty years ago certain civil servants and politicians recognised that Ireland lagged behind most other states in its child protection and child services. Yet it took another decade for a new legislation to be enacted and even longer for all of the sections of that act to be brought into force.

"The major statutory provisions for protecting children who are at risk are still contained in the Children Act 1908 and it is these provisions which applied at all material times in regard to the particular case which is the subject matter of our inquiry. Under the 1908 Act, a child may be removed from the custody of his or her parents and placed in the care of a relative or other fit person in specified circumstances". (ibid p26)

"In considering the reporting and investigation of suspected child sexual abuse, it should be noted that no statute lays down in express terms a duty on any person private or official to report child sexual abuse or suspected child sexual abuse. This applies to health care and child care workers, as it does to teachers, friends and neighbours". (ibid p29)

The Kilkenny Incest Case report was written almost 30 years ago. Yet it is only in the last few years, in the wake of the revelations of the most horrific widespread and long term child abuse both sexual and physical, that we have come to the situation where we have legal compulsory reporting of child abuse. Even now there are obscurantist elements which oppose compulsory reporting.

A legislative base can only be secure if it soundly based on the constitution. Unfortunately the 1937 constitution never expressly gave rights to children, but did expressly give rights to the “family”. This has historically been interpreted as meaning that the rights of the child are, in effect, subsumed by and within the rights of the adults / parents. It is in order to correct this, and to give express rights to the child, that the Workers’ Party has long supported the call for a referendum to secure the rights of children.

What is being proposed?
There is in effect a two part proposal being made.

In the first part Article 42.5, which states: “In exceptional cases, where the parents for physical or moral treasons fail in their duty towards their children, the State as guardian of the common good, by appropriate means shall endevour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard to the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child” is being deleted.
It is to be replaced by a completely new article, Article 42A, which will state:
The State recognises and affirms the natural and imprescriptible rights of all children and shall, as far as practicable, by its laws protect and vindicate those rights.
1° In exceptional cases, where the parents, regardless of their marital status, fail in their duty towards their children to such extent that the safety or welfare of any of their children is likely to be prejudicially affected, the State as guardian of the common good shall, by proportionate means as provided by law, endeavour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard for the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child.
2° Provision shall be made by law for the adoption of any child where the parents have failed for such a period of time as may be prescribed by law in their duty towards the child and where the best interests of the child so require.
Provision shall be made by law for the voluntary placement for adoption and the adoption of any child.
1° Provision shall be made by law that in the resolution of all proceedings-
i brought by the State, as guardian of the common good, for the purpose of preventing the safety and welfare of any child from being prejudicially affected, or
ii concerning the adoption, guardianship or custody of, or access to, any child, the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration.
2° Provision shall be made by law for securing, as far as practicable, that in all proceedings referred to in subsection 1° of this section in respect of any child who is capable of forming his or her own views, the views of the child shall be ascertained and given due weight having regard to the age and maturity of the child.

Why the Workers’ Party supports this referendum
The Workers Party has, over the last long number of years, called for a complete redrafting of Bunreacht na hÉireann and, in particular a completely new approach to be adopted to children and to the rights of the child. In policy documents and in public presentations we have set down a three part threshold for the constitutional protection of children.
The three guiding principles to which we adhere, and which are based on the three guiding principles as set out in the UNCRC, are:-

Non discrimination;
Best interest of the child; and
Right of the child to be heard.

The issue of non-discrimination is central to treating children equally. The concept that children should have different standards of legal protection, or be regarded differently in the eyes of the law because of the marital status of their parents, is abhorrent to us. It is therefore to be greatly welcomed that the new proposed Article 42.A.2. 1° directly deals with this issue. In our view it makes clear that adverse presumptions against children will not be made about children because of the non-marital status of their parents, nor, on the other hand will children be allowed to suffer merely because of the married status of the parents. The child, and the welfare of the child, now comes centre stage.

In terms of Irish jurisprudence this is a major leap forward. For the first time, constitutionally, (proposed Article 42A.4. 1°.ii) it is a recognition that children, qua children, have rights independent of their parents or wider family. This moves away from the paternalistic and socially regressive view, as expressed in the original Article 42.

The express recognition, (proposed Article 42A.4. 2°) that: “the views of the child shall be ascertained and given due weight having regard to the age and maturity of the child” is again a major breakthrough in Irish constitutional law. It is undoubtedly because children were not listened to; and indeed in some instances are still not being listened to; that the litany of abuses that have been revealed and so shocked this country over the last decade was allowed to continue for most of the last century. It is only by children having a voice, and having constitutional protection for that voice, that we as a society can progress.

We reject the scaremongering of certain elements who claim that this amendment is an attack on the family and/or claim that this amendment lays the foundation for some type of draconian policing and state-sanctioned child snatching.

Every section of the proposed amendment states and restates that the state will only step forward to take the place of the parent “in exceptional cases” and “by proportionate means”. Article 41 and Article 42, section 1 to 4) remain intact and in force and the reading of the new Article 42A must be taken in conjunction with these existing articles.

Lastly we would point out that in our view rights are not a zero-sum game. The granting of rights to any individual or group does not deny rights to any other group. It is wrong in our view to set up a conflict between the rights of children and the rights of families. But it also fails to recognise that with rights come responsibilities and families have responsibilities, especially to the weakest members. The amendment is an attempt to deal with the reality that in a minority of cases families fail in those responsibilities.

The Workers' Party is therefore calling for and campaigning for a Yes vote in this referendum.

Central Executive Committee,
The Workers' Party
October 2012

Source:
http://www.workerspartyireland.net/children.html

[Baron von Biffo]

The Workers' Party has called for a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on the 31st Amendment to the Irish Constitution, Bunreacht na h-Éireann, otherwise known as the Children's Rights Referendum.

Malachy Steenson disagrees.

[eamo]

The Workers’ Party
Press Office



48 Nth. Great Georges St, Dublin 1. Tel (01) 8733916 . Email: wpi@indigo.ie



NEWS RELEASE



Monday 5th November 2012

"Referendum is about responsibility, not power" says Workers Party


The Worker's Party has stated that the NO side in this referendum are grossly misleading the electorate and that this referendum is about responsibility, not power.

In an address to party campaign workers, Mary Diskin, spokesperson on children stated: "This referendum is not an attack on families, and only a deliberate misreading of the wording can interpret it as such. Neither is it a power grabbing exercise by the state for itself or for its agencies like the HSE."

"In the first instance this amendment is a recognition, indeed a long overdue recognition, that all children resident in this state have rights and that these rights must be vindicated by law based on a sound constitutional framework. More than 30 years after the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), this amendment will enshrine the three basic principles of Non discrimination; Best interests of the Child; and Right of the child to be heard."

"I reiterate the Workers Party view that the proposed constitutional amendment is virtually unique in our political history as it is largely about placing responsibility on government rather than bestowing power to government. Because the new Article 42A accepts, in express terms, the three central precepts of the UNCRC, it places strict limits on how the government, or arms of the government; exercise power over children and directly impacts on how and why decisions will have to be made. For the first time in the history of this state children will have a voice and that voice will have to be heard".

"We cannot return to the miseries of the past, and we cannot allow past state failures to be used by a manipulative and disingenuous No campaign to frighten people into voting No or not casting their ballot.".

"Children need and deserve the support of the constitution and therefore we are asking the electorate for a high turnout and a massive endorsement of this proposal".

For Comment: Mary Diskin, Spokesperson on Children, 087 - 926 8490
Padraig Mannion, Research Officer - 087 6911 293
The Workers' Party position on the referendum can be accessed at: http://www.workerspartyireland.net/children.html