Clare - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

An Evenings Vigil.

clare | anti-war / imperialism | event notice

Thursday December 15, 2005 18:53

by Conor - Na Cosantoiri Siochana

jailbertie at hotmail dot com

For Womens Little Christmas

On Saturday, 7th January 2006, we invite you to attend an Evening Vigil at Shannon Airport starting at 4.00 pm. This vigil will take place on the approach road to the airport and the invitation is extended to everyone, young and old,. We remember the thousands of people killed in Bushes "War on Terror", including thousands of Iraqi children, slaughtered by the U.S. military occupation of their country taking freedom’s name in vain.

For more information please call Joe @ 0868228032 or Mary @ 0879112961.

We will show the Shannon premier of Margaretta D'Arcy's award winning film "Big Plane Small Axe", documenting the trials of Mary Kellly, who disarmed a US Navy cargo jet plane on the airfield at Shannon on the 3rd of February 2003.

There will also be a tree planting service in remembrance of one of the founding peace campers, our friend, Emma O Carroll who sadly passed away this week after a long battle with cancer.

Three years ago, as war loomed in Iraq, a group of peace activists spent the month of January camped on the doorstep of Shannon Airport to highlight the amount of U.S. troops and military cargo being trafficked through Ireland’s second international airport to the Middle East, in preparation for the impending war. The first night spent at the airport was the coldest night on record for decades as the temperature plummeted to -7 degrees Celsius. The brave women of the peace movement won praise from the mainstream media in Ireland for their vigil on the night of "Women’s Little Christmas". As the peace camp increased in numbers and stature the world’s press were drawn to the West of Ireland with live links and images beamed all over the globe.

Thousands of people visited from every corner of the country and abroad, bringing food and equipment to make life easier for the campers. They brought good cheer and gratitude for the activists who provided a centre for information on what was, and still is happening at Shannon. The camp also served the purpose of providing focus for the peace movement that was being created in Ireland, as people marched for peace all over the world.

The stance taken at Shannon by this action put the Irish government on the spot, with activists from the camp breaking several news stories to the press, including the fact that vast amounts of weapons, ammunition and military explosives were being shipped through the civilian airport. Further information revealed that patriot and cruise missiles had been smuggled through the airport.

Other actions happened at Shannon Airport including the disarmament by Mary Kelly and the Pit Stop Ploughshares of a US Navy cargo jet, causing disruption of logistics. These actions reverberated all over the world further highlighting the Irish Government’s docile attitude to the aggressive Bush administration of the USA.

‘What’s that Willie? Nothing furtive happening at Shannon?’ During the time of the peace-camp plane spotter Tim Hourigan logged the landing of one of the CIA flights involved in "Extraordinary Rendition". This logged plane became part of a Swedish TV documentary and later the subject of investigations by the United Nations and the Council of Europe, amongst other bodies. Thankfully, the U.S. Ambassador has given assurances to the Minister of Foreign Affairs that no torture victims have been "Rendered" through Shannon Airport. This assurance would be laughable if not for the serious nature of the issue.

Troop numbers through the Airport to theatres of war in Afghanistan and Iraq are now at record levels with over 303,300 soldiers passing through Shannon Airport this year. We of Na Cosantoiri Siochana demand that Bertie Ahern realise the expectations of the 150,000 people who marched for peace on the 15th of February 2003 by stopping the US Military and CIA use Shannon Airport in their war crimes.

Statement ends

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Comments (6 of 6)

Give Peace a Chance

by Edward Horgan - PANA Peace and Neutrality Alliance

Thu Dec 15, 2005 23:02

The alternative to peace is violence and war, and violence always breeds more violence. The peace movement in Northern Ireland in 1968 led by John Hume and others was ignored and the alternative, war, cost over 3000 lives. In France recently we saw violence because of injustices to migrant communities that have been igored for years. The peace movement must not be allowed to fail at Shannon. To some extent it has already failed because violence has already killed up to 100,000 in Iraq, and Ireland has participated in these deaths. The bombings in London were also an example violent response sparked off by the UK government ignoring the majority of UK citizens who are opposed to war.
We must ensure that peace prevails at Shannon and in all aspects of Ireland's international affairs.
Lets use the 7th January to reengage with peace.
On Tuesday next, a group of four peace activists, Tim Hourigan, Mary Kelly, Deirdre Morgan and Edward Horgan will make a special presentation to the Oireachtas Joint committee on Foreign Affairs, at the Dail. This is an open public meeting as we urge peace activists to attend and offer your support. We will be raising the 4 issues of US troops and munitions passing through Shannon, CIA torture planes, breachers of Irish and international laws, and safety aspects due to possible disasters at Shannon resulting from military aircraft crashing at Shannon.
Meeting will be Government buildings, Kildare Street at 11.30 am Tuesday 20 Dec.

Please support the overnight peacecamp at Shannon on Sat 7th and Sun 8th January
Edward Horgan

incorrect e-mail address

by Conor

Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:27

should be jailbertienow@hotmail.com

Bring a sleeping bag and a spoon

by Aron

Tue Jan 03, 2006 22:42

0872895036

We are bringing a marquee, the bitchin kitchen will be cookin and we'll be staying the night so all welcome we don't want to feel lonely.

LINK-It's BBC Official Shannon Pratt Says it's Worth the Price of His Soul!

by B

Wed Jan 04, 2006 18:59

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4577906.stm

in todays news: furter presssure to check US planes in shannon

by dunk

Fri Jan 06, 2006 16:01

Council of Europe backs calls for Shannon flights probe
http://www.unison.ie/breakingnews/index.php3?ca=9&si=85008

Call For Inspection Of CIA's Shannon Flights
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/2005/1206/633371789HM5SHANNON.html

perhaps someone can post the content

council for civil liberties request for planes to be checked by irish authorities to ensure no torture victims are being taken through airport to guantanamo

Torture, bombs and killers pass through Shannon Mar 9 2005
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68921

Council of Europe backs calls for Shannon flights probe

by Elaine

Sat Jan 07, 2006 00:12

( content of today's Indo article - subscription service, hence the cut and paste )

Europe's leading human rights body has backed calls for the Irish Government to mount a formal investigation of US military landings at Shannon Airport.
The calls comes amid ongoing controversy over the US "extraordinary rendition" programme that sees the CIA transporting suspected Islamic militants to secret interrogation centres around the world.

Several people detained under the programme have turned out to be completely innocent after allegedly being tortured for months in countries like Saudi Arabia and Syria.

Critics claim the CIA is effectively 'outsourcing' torture because the practice is banned under US law.

Irish peace activists say planes involved in the programme have landed at Shannon on numerous occasions, but the Irish Government says it accepts US assurances that no prisoners were on board any of the flights.

However, the Irish Human Rights Commission has said the Government has a duty to conduct a proper investigation rather than simply accepting such assurances.

The 46-nation Council of Europe, set up to safeguard human rights and democracy on the continent, has now backed this stance, saying the issue should concern all Irish people.

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Comments (6 of 6)