People Before Profit organise across the communal divide and strive to be a voice for working-class people throughout society. We see the major divide across our society is between the haves and the have-nots, and sectarianism as a major block to organising across the divide for a better lot for us all.
We, therefore, reject sectarianism, the communal carve-up of politics, and paramilitarism in all its forms and believe any kind of armed struggle on our streets to be counterproductive and unjust.
As socialists, we oppose those who engage in extortion and exploitation of working-class communities; self-appointed vigilantes who act as judge, jury and executioner when inflicting so-called “punishment attacks” and death upon communities are reactionary and must be resolutely opposed.
However, we cannot properly tackle paramilitarism and sectarian division without addressing the role that the state has played in the normalisation and persistence of paramilitaries, and their sense of impunity in recent years.
For example, the most recent outbreak of violence at interface areas last year was directly preceded by politicians meeting paramilitary representatives and then calling on people to take to the streets, ostensibly over the issue of the Protocol.
In reality, it was also a move to beat the communal drum and stoke up tension by politicians more interested in serving their own narrow self-interest in the face of dwindling support at the polls, than challenging division or paramilitarism.
The DUP were of course the chief force culpable in this recent debacle, which had predictable consequences. In the past, however, we have seen the way in which the entire Stormont Executive has been culpable in normalising the existence of paramilitaries.
It was well typified by the Social Investment Fund (SIF) scandal, where loyalist paramilitary figures were receiving substantial public funding and patronage—allowing them to be respected “community representatives” by day, and commanders of paramilitary groups by night.
Challenge Sectarian Political Structures and the Communal Carve-Up
People Before Profit can be relied on as a voice to challenge sectarian political structures and, by extension, we will challenge the communal carve-up of funding streams, both at Stormont departmental level and indeed at local government level, where public money is carved up between the big parties in a way that, at times, is not subject to public tender and equal process.
Instead, it is gifted to community organisations selected by those who dominate the Stormont Executive. We will fight to demand that all public funding is distributed in a fair, transparent and equitable way, through open process and open procurement.
No to State Terrorism
If elected, PBP will challenge paramilitarism in all its forms, and crucially, that means opposing state terrorism. There is much evidence to suggest that the state itself was a major force in fostering and deepening violence throughout our recent history and any real effort to address the legacy issue must reckon with this reality
One recent Ombudsman report into the murders of 19 people between 1989-1993 by members of the UDA found sustained evidence of collusion between the killers and the RUC, further highlighting what many victims’ families have known all along; that state agents were actively involved in the murder of their loved ones.
This issue impacts all communities, with reports of many major atrocities involving the shooting and bombing of innocent people. Examples of this state collusion are well known; the murder of Rosemary Nelson, the murder of Pat Finucane, the horrible atrocities carried out by the Glenanne gang, the state protection for the leader of the IRA’s internal security unit to name a few.
As recently as 2016, we learnt from a BBC Spotlight investigation of claims that the Special Branch had some 800 agents and informers working for them in the Belfast area alone.
Given the sheer scale of this network, and its relative size compared to the paramilitaries in question, serious questions must be asked as to how many of these agents are still active. Indeed, how many of these agents are still running the very paramilitaries in existence today?
People Before Profit fights for:
- The disbandment of all paramilitaries, including state paramilitaries.
- Opposition to the Tory push for an amnesty for soldiers, state actors, and others involved in the murder and maiming of innocent people.
- Campaigns for justice from bereaved families, such as the Bloody Sunday families, Ballymurphy families and the Springhill families.
- Truth and justice for all victims of violence during the troubles.
