Statement on Mary Kelly's action at Shannon Airport from Shannon Peace Camp

Wednesday January 29, 2003 15:14

by Eamonn Crudden

Mary Kelly, the peace activist who last year risked her life to bring medical care to Palestinians trapped and under siege in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, was arrested early this morning at Shannon airport.

Gardai are investigating damage to a US Navy C 40 Boeing 737 aircraft from the 59th Fleet Logistics Squadron.

Such war-planes are used to transport troops, weapons, ammunition and explosives to the Middle East and Gulf
conflicts. Mary Kelly is being held at Shannon Garda Station.

The Shannon Peace Camp, of which Mary is a member, deplores all acts of violence, especially those committed against innocent and helpless people,
including attacks on innocent people in the USA, Israel and Palestine.

However, we support individuals who feel obliged in conscience to take non-violent direct peace-actions. Up to one million people have died in Iraq as a result of UN and international sanctions and so called no-fly-zone bombings by the US and UK since the previous Gulf War in 1991.

The Irish people are being made complicit in these crimes against humanity by the decisions of the Irish government to allow US military war-planes to use Shannon airport and Irish airspace. This contravenes Irish neutrality, and is in breach of several areas of Irish legislation, and the Irish Constitution. More importantly, innocent people will die because of Irish support for US-led wars.

The Irish government and its agents, the Gardai, immigration services, and Aer Rianta staff have consistently failed to search such war-planes for
weapons and explosives. The recent decision by the Minister for Transport, to grant virtually blanket approval to civilian type chartered aircraft to transport weapons and munitions through Shannon airport on behalf of the US military, is both an insult and a provocation to the Irish people, because it involves us in the killing of innocent people.

Even more insulting are the public statements by elected Irish public representatives and business interests that the Shannon Peace Camp peace activists should stop protesting in case these protests might endanger jobs and US direct investment to Ireland.

The protection of human life must take precedence over any such short-term selfish interests. Moreover, we at the Shannon Peace Camp believe that the promotion of global peace and sustainable development is in the best
interests of all Irish people and our neighbours, all humankind.

The Shannon Peace Camp demand the release of Mary Kelly, and the immediate withdrawal of the use of Shannon airport and Irish airspace by US and other
NATO military forces.

Contact information:
Edward Horgan 086-2380911
Tim Hourigan 086-3784780,