Army Officer to Return UN Medals to Government

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Tuesday September 23, 2003 17:43 by PANA & MAMA

Former UN Peace-keeper objects to proposal to send Irish troops

The retired Army Commandant who took the Irish government to the high court, opposing it's involvement in the war on Iraq has decided to return his medals to the government in disgust at the proposal to send Irish troops to help the occupation.

Army Officer to Return UN Medals to Government
while
An Taoiseach declares “Neutral” Ireland may send troops to Iraq

In November 1st, 2000 Edward Horgan, retired army commandant, and United Nations Peacekeeper, wrote an article in the Irish Times on the risks to Irish neutrality in which he undertook to return to the Irish Government, his military medals awarded by the United Nations, and the Irish Defence Forces, if our government took a decision to end Irish neutrality. On the 20 March 2003, the Irish Government ended Irish neutrality by participating in the war against Iraq. In this unlawful and unjust war, at least 30,000 people have been killed.
Commandant Horgan now feels obliged to honour his commitment to hand back these medals and certain items of military uniform as a symbolic gesture, in protest against the loss of Irish neutrality. It is also intended to highlight the cowardly actions of our government, in abandoning the disadvantaged peoples of the world and joining in political and military alliances that are intended to perpetuate global injustice and inequality.
The medals and other items of uniform will be handed back at Government Buildings, Merion St., Dublin, on Saturday 27 September during the peace demonstration, organised as part of the Global Day of Action against war. They include, the UNFICYP medal awarded for UN peacekeeping services in Cyprus in 1966, the UNEF medal awarded for UN peacekeeping service in the Middle East (Sinai) in 1973, the Irish Defence Forces Service Medal with bar, awarded for 22 years service, and most importantly, the United Nations special Medal for Peace awarded to all military peacekeepers on the occasion of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to the United Nations in 1988. The items of uniform being discarded include the officer’s tunic used by Commandant Horgan in his last year of service in 1986, which includes silver parachuting wings, awarded in recognition of paratrooper training completed in 1884, unit insignia for HQ Cavalry Corps, and the Military College, indicating his last posting as a lecturer at the Command and Staff College, Cavalry Corps officer’s Glengarry cap, and United Nations Blue Beret.

The following statement has been issued by Commandant Horgan:

While I have held each of these items as treasured reminders of my service to the people of Ireland and to United Nations peacekeeping, I feel obliged in conscience to return them because of the dishonourable conduct of the Irish government in abandoning Irish neutrality, contrary to international law, by participating in the war against Iraq in March 2003, thereby actively assisting in the commission of crimes against humanity. Today, 27th September 2003, the war is still in progress, Ireland is still participating in this war, by facilitating the passage of US troops and munitions through Ireland, and by providing a de facto US military base at Shannon airport. Our participation in this war against Iraq, and this loss of Irish neutrality has not been approved by the Irish people, and poses a very serious threat to international peace and global justice.
Irish neutrality and our commitment to global justice must be restored. The smaller countries of the world must reform and improve the UN, and support UN collective security. We must rein in the dogs of war let loose by terrorism, and by states operating beyond the control of international law. International jurisprudence is vital to protect the majority of the world’s individuals against terrorists on the lunatic fringe, and against the abuse of power by super-states.

In the meantime, An Taoiseach has just announced in the US that Ireland is considering offering Irish troops to the UN mission in Iraq. He used the justification that Ireland as a neutral country has a tradition of supporting United Nations mandated peace operations. This announcement by Mr Ahern contained two very inaccurate statements that could come very close to deliberate falsification. Firstly, he has stated, or strongly suggested, that Ireland is still a neutral country in spite of the fact that Judge Nicholas Kearns found in the High Court in April 2003 that Ireland had contravened the Hague Convention and customary international laws on neutrality by allowing US troops and munitions to pass through Ireland on their way to the Iraq war. The Irish High Court effectively found that Ireland was no longer neutral. It is inconceivable that An Taoiseach is not aware of this judgement because he, as Taoiseach, was one of the principle defendants in the case taken by Edward Horgan, as Plaintiff, against, An Taosieach, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs, and Transport, the Government of Ireland, Ireland and the Attorney General, as defendants. Secondly, the suggestion that Ireland has a long tradition of supporting the United Nations, blatantly ignores the fact that in March 2003, Ireland shamefully failed to support a United Nations approach to the crisis in Iraq and backed an illegal war by US led forces against Iraq.
The war in Iraq has now entered classic guerrilla warfare, and all allies of the US are likely to be targeted by Iraqi resistance groups. The UN has already been bombed twice in Baghdad with serious loss of live. If Irish troops are committed to Iraq, under any guise, many Irish soldiers are likely to be killed on a mission that will not be peacekeeping, but will be supporting the US war and the US occupation of Iraq.

INFORMATION
Edward Horgan 086 2380911
email: edward_horgan@hotmail.com edward.horgan@ul.ie