Workers' Party demand release of Fintan Lane

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Monday December 01, 2003 14:18

by Press Office - The Workers' Party

wpi at eircom dot net

23 Hill Street, Dublin 1

The Workers' Party has demanded the immediate release of Dr. Fintan Lane.

The President of the Workers’ Party Seán Garland has called for the immediate release of Dr. Fintan Lane who has been sentenced to 60 days in Limerick Prison following his refusal to pay a fine arising out of an anti-war protest at Shannon Airport.

Mr. Garland said that the jailing of Dr. Lane was totally unacceptable and showed that the courts were being increasingly used in an anti-democratic manner against ordinary people.

“Under the present coalition government, and especially since Michael McDowell became Minister for Justice we have seen more and more ordinary people who have not committed criminal acts being jailed. This is in stark contrast to the failure of the state to impose such penalties on people who have defrauded the state of many millions, possibly billions through corruption”, said the Workers’ Party President.

“We have seen bin tax protesters, building workers and anti-war protesters thrown into jail while the wrongdoing of corrupt politicians and their paymasters has gone unpunished in the vast majority of cases”.

“The Workers’ Party calls for the immediate release of Fintan Lane. We also call for an end to the real crime which is the continuing use of Shannon Airport as a military base for the United States in its invasion and occupation of Iraq”, said Mr. Garland.

Ends

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Comments (6 of 6)

Most Iraqis

by Joe

Wed Dec 03, 2003 13:30

Polls seem to show that most Iraqis were happy to see Saddam go, just as in the early 1990's polls in Britain showed people were happy to see Thatcher go.

Polls also seem to show that most Iraqis are unhappy to be living under occupation. Probably if Thatcher had been got rid of because the US had invaded and occupied Britain the same would have been shown there.

In other words don't confuse support for the removal of a nasty leader with support for war and occupation. An argument that anti-war movement understood before the war and that polls show Iraqis seem to understand now but which seems to be beyond the pro-occupation crowd.

I don't think many Iraqis will feel sorry for Fintan

by Bernard Dunleavy

Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:31

Don't you people read the Iraq blogs??

They wanted the invasion to happen. It's confirmed too by this Oxford survey, carried out by Iraqis.

To the Iraqi people, Fintan was just one more pillar of Saddam's repressive state.

Write to Fintan

by Fintan Supporter

Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:25

I'm not sure how sniping at the Workers Party is helping Fintan. Much better to write him a letter.

Did the sticks know?

by Official

Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:08

That Fintan used to be an Irp!!
Is the ice thawing around Sean's heart.

two things:-

by ipsi

Mon Dec 01, 2003 17:31

one how to say Hi to Fintan:
write "Hi Fintan!" on a postcard.
now write :
Fintan Lane,
Limerick Prison,
Mulgrave Street,
Limerick,
Ireland
on the right side of the postcard.
Now put a stamp at the top right hand corner of the postcard. If you live in Ireland, you have a wide variety of stamps to choose from, you might like to select a natural or christmas theme. If you live in the UK you may be able to find one those rare stamps with the English Queen, remember it's a monarch.

2nd thing:-
(for the stickys) How are the brickies doing?
It's been a while since we heard about worker affairs in the Bricky sticky dept.
would you give us an update?

Statement welcomed by Cork Anti-War Campaign

by Dominic Carroll - Cork Anti-War Campaign/Clonakilty Against the War

Mon Dec 01, 2003 15:43

The Cork Anti-War Campaign is most appreciative of the statement issued by the Workers' Party on behalf of Fintan Lane.

We would welcome similar statements from other political parties/organisations, trade union branches, branches of political organisations in your area, councillors, student unions, campaigning groups, anti-war groups, or from any other group/organisation/individual you think might add their voice to the call for Fintan’s release. Already, the Cork Trades Council, the Irish Anti-War Movement and Joe Higgins TD (in addition to the Workers' Party) have called for the release of Fintan Lane. We need to add to this list. Please send copies of statements to corkantiwar@hotmail.com

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Workers' Party demand release of Fintan Lane

Comments (6 of 6)