THE IRISH ANTI-PARTITION LEAGUE is dedicated to the traditional Irish republican goals of eliminating the British military and administrative presence from Ireland. British interference, not least their carefully fostered, and institutionalized negative sectarian influences, will only cease with the establishment of a 32-county republic: whereby the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity can be finally adopted, embraced and realized, within nationally endorsed democratic structures.

The IA-PL, in the summer of 1999, was created in Derry, the second major city, within the six British-occupied northeastern counties. Our founders are veterans of the civil rights movement and non-aligned republican and socialist activists. Their collective desire is to create a truly democratic and basically anti-hierarchical network. Within this network three categories of association have evolved: (1) Registered Societies; (2) Associate Members & (3) External Correspondents.

Our founders' stated aims have necessitated ensuring collective dialogue, at all times, on all major issues relating to policy, strategy and administration. This document, and others (released on request), truly reflects such internal democratic consensus.

The League is non-party political and totally free standing. It will neither seek nor accept funding from an established political party or any government agency, so as to ensure its total independence. It will at all times pursue an internal self-financing policy, although donations for central administration will always be needed and welcome from existing societies, associate members, and other genuine sympathizers.

The League's work focuses on several fronts, including, Research & Development (within and between networks); Culture & Learning; Heritage Promotion; Humanitarian Concerns (including prisoners); Human Rights & Civil Liberties; Media Interventions, and advancing specific working class socio-economic issues. All involved should be regularly engaged on at least one of these fronts.

Associate members are those who indicate their desire to receive regular updates and who register by snail mail, verbally or via this workstation. Registration presents an opportunity to study the IA-PL's immediate and long-term concerns, before individuals, or fraternal organisations, commit hemselves to more fully participate, on any chosen front, as part of this pro-active network. Every associate member is expected to "report-in" at least once, over a one-month period. Registered societies will additionally be expected to present a more detailed report, on a periodic basis. Each quarter, those failing to do so. are removed from our respective mailing lists. Such periodic pruning is vital to maintain and advance the pro-active character of "the network".

Associate members in any known geographical location will be encouraged to form societies. Our primary concern is with issues and campaigns, not solely the current policy stances of other anti-GFA groupings, parties, publications or "personalities". Attaining total agreement between anti-GFA groups, is we feel somewhat utopian, but co-operation and sharing joint platforms, on ISSUES & CAMPAIGNS, is certainly the very least to strive for in our daily endeavors.

Societies can be established with four (4) like-minded anti-partitionists. All would be expected to accept the need for a pro-active approach in rejecting both partitionist assemblies. Registration implies a clear recognition that these institutions, established at the closing stages of the War for Independence, were contrary to the will of the Irish people, as expressed in the last all-Ireland election of December 1918. Designed to frustrare the will of a national majority, Britian backed its unilaterial legislation with overt threats, and overwhelmingly repressive force of arms. This same pattern was adopted by both neo-colonial régimes, within jurisdictions defined by Britain. Such created an artificial border, whereby Westminster retained control of the six northeastern counties.

Within the IA-PL all major policy and strategy positions are worked out ONLY between established societies. Such will solely be reflected in jointly agreed statements that are issued via this workstation. However, general media intervention e.g. letters to editors or press releases, does not require that degree of dialogue or consensus. Providing the time and means to obtain joint-agreement based on fraternal dialogue, is the central function of this workstation. It will not be the practice of any society to issue major action calls or statements without initially going through this outlined process.

The IA-PL was set up to encourage a unity of purpose among those skeptical, or opposed to what is termed "the current political process". Such has produced another Anglo-Irish Treaty, wherein Britain, together with their mainstream Ulster Unionist puppets have retained, and used their overriding vetoes. As in 1920, these were reinforced, not diluted, by Westminster statute, in latter days. Such "devolved powers", which can be unilaterally abolished at any time, (as in February 2000) ensure the continuation of British occupation, influence, administration and ultimate control. The mask of "Pan-Nationalism" has slipped, and thereby considerably weakened, as a London proconsul's powers remain absolute and supreme, contrary to what was supposedly agreed on Good Friday, 1998. In time "Pan-Nationalism" will be viewed as an almost irrelevance, vis-à-vis ending British rule, even when backed by the power and collaboration of the White House and Irish American politicians.

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