Brief report of Anti-War Ireland organising meeting, 15/5/04

national | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday May 17, 2004 16:15 by Fintan Lane - Anti-War Ireland info at antiwarireland dot org 087 1258325

Organising for the Bush demos and in support of Mary Kelly

Anti-War Ireland, a national alliance of anti-war groups, held its most recent organising meeting in the Teachers' Club, Parnell Square, Dublin, between 2pm and 6pm on Saturday, May 15th. Roughly 30 people attended, mostly from Dublin groups, but also including activists from Galway, Cork, Kilkenny and Clonakilty.

The following is a summary of decisions taken:

1. BUSH VISIT: Anti-War Ireland has called a demonstration to oppose the presence of Bush and the US military at Shannon airport. This will assemble at 8pm in Shannon town centre, on Friday evening, June 25th.

There was a wide-ranging and energetic discussion on the Bush visit, during which members of the Galway-based AmBush2004 group and various Grassroots groups indicated their willingness to work alongside Anti-War Ireland. Many suggestions were made regarding the format of the protests at Shannon, but everybody agreed that Shannon is the place to be on Friday evening, June 25th, as Bush arrives in the country. It was suggested that we should be looking at a weekend of events rather than just the demonstration on the Friday night. The auspices under which this wider range of protests/manifestations will be organised has yet to be decided, but it was agreed to establish a Bush visit working group (drawn from from a number of organisations) that will meet again at 8pm in the Teachers' Club next Saturday night.

The Cork Anti-War Campaign has suggested that the weekend before the arrival of Bush be made a national weekend of 'festive protest' with the aim of creating inclusive events that would bring out large numbers in opposition to the war policy of the Bush administration. A concert/peace picnic and 'white ribbon day' will be held in Cork city, and other areas have indicated an interest in doing similar events. This weekend of protest (broad-based and inclusive) would help to build for the events the following weekend at Shannon, where we will meet the warmonger-in-chief as he arrives on Irish soil.

2. ANTI-WAR IRELAND CONFERENCE: It was decided to hold the first conference of Anti-War Ireland two weeks after the Bush visit. It will be a two-day event (comprising a day of discussion and a day dedicated to organisational matters). All literature distributed in the lead up to the Bush visit will include information on the forthcoming conference, and information will also be distributed at the Bush protests themselves. The conference will be held in Dublin, with the understanding that the next AWI conference will be held outside the capital city.

3. MARY KELLY CASE: There was considerable discussion of the forthcoming re-trial of Mary Kelly. Her trial for decommissioning a US warplane at Shannon airport will begin on June 15th, and it is essential that anti-war activists take part in solidarity events.

Anti-War Ireland is continuing to run a solidarity stall and leafleting in Ennis town centre every Saturday in the run up to the trial, and it is requested that activists should make the effort to travel to Ennis to help with this stall. Information, and offers of help (including financial help), to Liz Tully at rjhennessy@eircom.net or fairviewantiwar@eircom.net.

Those who cannot make it to Ennis are asked to set up information stalls in their own cities and towns to highlight Mary's case.

It was also agreed to issue a press statement in support of Mary prior to the trial and that all press statements will mention her pending case.

In addition, Anti-War Ireland will produce a 'Support Mary Kelly' poster which will be distributed in pdf format throughout the country. This should be available soon and will be emailed to everybody on our emailing list.

4. MARCH IN SOLIDARITY WITH CONGOLESE PEOPLE: The Congolese-Irish Partnership are organising a march (assembling at 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin) this coming Saturday in solidarity with the Congolese people. The march to government buildings is intended to highlight this little-noticed conflict.

This is a country that has been plundered for its mineral resources, with more than 5 million people dead as a result of war since 1998. Anti-War Ireland will be attending as a gesture of solidarity with the ordinary Congolese people who have suffered at the hands of invading armies and their own. Fintan Lane (Anti-War Ireland) will be among the speakers at the rally.

5. VOTE NO IN THE RACIST REFERENDUM: Anti-War Ireland agreed to call publicly for a 'no' vote in the forthcoming citizenship referendum. It was also decided to endorse the recently established Campaign Against the Racist Referendum.

The next meeting of the Anti-War Ireland organising group will be held in Cork. Details later.