Ireland's OWN: History

 

In Memory of Comrade Kwame Ture, Pan-Africanist, Revolutionary Socialist, and Friend of the Irish Revolution —by Peter Urban It was with great sadness that the Irish Republican Socialist Movement learned five years ago of the death of comrade Kwame Ture of the Central Committee, All-African People's Revolutionary Party, after his long battle against cancer. The Irish national liberation movement lost a good friend and comrade that day. We remember still the decades of work comrade Ture engaged in. From the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee to the Black Panther Party to the All-African People's Revolutionary Party, he was an inspiration. Whether in Guinea or in the belly of the beast, he was a consistent enemy of the oppressor and comrade of the oppressed. He never rested from the struggle against oppression. He remained committed to scientific socialism and Pan Africanism throughout his life. He remained an unwavering opponent of imperialism and capitalism. Even in the last weeks and days of his life, when his illness held him in its grasp, he was defiantly travelling to Libya, to show support for the Libyan people and to defy the United States government and its imperialist policies. He was speaking out in opposition to the US embargo against Cuba and demonstrating his support for the Cuban people in their struggle to maintain the gains made by their revolution. He was calling out to Africans around the globe to unite to liberate their motherland; to liberate the millions of members of the working masses in Africa and around the world. Kwame Ture was a tremendous speaker and I have had the great pleasure of hearing him speak on a number of occasions. But, Comrade Ture was not only an inspiring speaker, he also inspired revolutionaries by the example of his life. He was genuinely interested in other struggles waged by other peoples around the globe, consistently supporting the Native American people, to name but one example among many. He was also a good friend to the Irish revolutionary movement. When he spoke, he always acknowledged the solidarity of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement when given, and mentioned the struggle for national liberation and socialism in Ireland many, many times in his talks. He made clear his solidarity with all struggles against imperialism, capitalism, and oppression throughout the world. He was prepared to learn from others in struggle and aware all who struggle gain strength in our uniting to fight against the enemies of working people. To his comrades and loved ones, especially those who continue on in the All-African People's Revolutionary Party, the Irish Republican Socialist Party express our heartfelt sympathy. We share your sense of loss, as we share your respect for the memory of this revolutionary African. His kind are among us too seldom and gone always too soon.  Let us all pay tribute to Comrade Kwame Ture 's memory by continuing to struggle against imperialism and capitalism and for freedom through socialism in every way we can. In this way, we will serve as a living tribute to a courageous fighter. Beir Bua! Saoirse Go Deo! Long Live the Memory of Kwame Ture! Peter Urban, For the International Department Irish Republican Socialist Party November 22, 1970 Victory for the African Revolution In the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, in the dead of the night of November 22, 1970 hundreds of Portuguese troops and mercenaries serving the interest of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) came ashore on Portuguese warships at various points along the coast of Conakry, Guinea. Many of the regular army troops were in the interior of the country doing agricultural work at the time. Members of the people's army, the militia, workers, party militants of the PDG, and the youth, all courageously fought the invaders of Africa. The enemies of Africa tried to capture the radio station and airport but the people beat them back. The enemy also organized land-based attacks from Senegal and the Ivory Coast. It was only a short time before President Ahmed Sekou Toure was speaking on the radio to the people informing them about the battle and he called on all those who are aware of national dignity and the historical interest of Africa to rise up together with courage and confidence to crush the enemy decisively. Three hundred citizens of Africa died defending African soil. The army troops who were coming from the countryside with arms in hands did not get to Conakry until the evening time. By 10:30 p.m. the people held all the strategic points in Conakry. President Ture said, "We have no better defenders than ourselves." There were more landings of mercenaries and fighting went on the next day and night before the invaders were in full retreat, defeated by Africa. Many countries in Africa responded to President Ture's appeals for help, Nigeria and Sierra Leone offered to put their armies at Guinea's disposal, Egypt offered airborne troops, Libya and Algeria sent arms and ammunition, in Somalia a register was opened for volunteers to fight in Guinea, the Secretary General of the OAU reported that the 41member-statesof the OAU was in complete solidarity with Guinea, Tanzania sent heavy financial support of Guinea. Africans all over the world gave aid and assistance to the war victims. This was a truly a Pan-African response. At the time of the invasion Guinea-Bissau was using Guinea as a base to wage armed struggle against the Portuguese for independence. President Nkrumah  was also living in Guinea as the co-president of Guinea after the CIA had overthrown Nkrumah's government in Ghana in 1966. See Also:  African Women's Conference Irish Blue Out of Africa, Out of Ireland Shared Oppression and Struggle of the Irish Diaspora in the Western Hemisphere Page updated 17 Aug 2008 Ireland's OWN Logo by Eamann Website Design and Celtic Background by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.