Derry Community Defy NIHE
Yesterday, Thursday 5th January, the Housing Executive evicted a father and three children from their family home in the Bogside area of Derry.
Paid thugs forcibly entered the family’s home in an intimidating and violent manner. The firm used in this incident arrived in vans with no markings, indicating they knew their deeds were not only wrong, but morally repugnant. After threatening the father with more thugs from the PSNI, he reluctantly left to save his children from upset and turmoil when they returned from school.
The contractors proceeded with their eviction by erecting steel barriers over all the windows and doors and with no thought or contingency in place for this family, they were left homeless, quite literally on the street.
The father contacted a locally elected independent community representative about the matter and hours later political and community activists, including members of the 32CSM, dismantled the barriers, allowing the family to return to their home.
The response from the local community in support of this family was swift and heart warming. The 32CSM now appeal to all political activists and community minded people to stand steadfast behind this family. We also appeal to anybody contracted to work with the NIHE to refuse to participate in these disgusting and appalling evictions.
This eviction took place a few hundred yards from the infamous Harvey Street eviction of the 1960s, and is yet another example which vindicates the 32CSM analysis of the contemporary six county state as being a repressive British capitalist entity, just as it was in the 1960s.
A few years ago the 32CSM endorsed a Republican initiative, the Proclamation Project, which provided ideas for Republicans to act in situations like this, where the working class face the wrath of the British capitalist system, and to build on these ideas. We urge Republicans, socialists and other progressive people to start encouraging resistance to all forms of British oppression in Ireland.
Beir bua.
