Galway Shell to Sea activism today : a Harbinger for Shell's Summer of Discontent

galway | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday February 18, 2006 19:27

by Tommy Donnellan - Shell to Sea

"Add your passion"

In an effervescent glorious Spring day , Shell to Sea activists were out again after a long winter siesta on William st working towards Shell's Groundhog Day, where every turn they take with their new hatchet man, Loftus, will a nightmare/cul-de-sac revisited.
Besides the info table, the Statoil Service Station at Cemetery Cross roundabout was picketed, true to form, the bloody minded proprietor there called the Gardai (true to form, well humoured and genial) when, due to lack of numbers, we were'nt even blockading it.

Outside the Brown Thomas Store, William Street.

Text of Info Leaflet we were handing out today.

THE ISSUES
A consortium of multinationals, Shell, Statoil and Marathon are proposing to build a dangerous and experimental on shore raw gas pipeline and gas refinery in North West Ireland. At 5 times the usual pressure the pipeline would be built over unstable bog land with a history of landslides and in very close proximity to peoples homes. It would be 70m from the nearest home, 10m from the public road and 3 families would have to cross over the pipeline every day to leave their houses.

Air and water emissions from the refinery would pollute the local environment including Broadhaven Bay, which is a breeding ground for whales and dolphins and Carrowmore Lake, the source of local drinking water.

The Shell-led consortium have been facilitated in this project by the Irish State. Law was changed to allow Shell to use private land through a Compulsory Acquisition Order. State owned forestry was sold to Shell for the refinery site

RESISTANCE
Since June 2005, Shell have been forced to suspend work on the project due to direct action taken by the local people and the Rossport Solidarity Camp. Sites at Bellanaboy and Rossport were picketed daily throughout the summer. For two weeks in June a road blockade stopped Shell vehicles entering their compound at Rossport. At Shell’s behest 5 local men known as “The Rossport Five” spent 94 days in jail for breaking a High Court injunction when they denied Shell workers access to their land.

Local fishermen threatened to blockade one of the world’s largest pipe laying ships, the Solitaire, if it attempted to lay the off shore part of the pipeline. All around the country and even further afield there were rallies, protests and pickets. Eventually Shell asked for the injunction to be lifted and The Rossport 5 were released.

However, Shell plan to start work again work in early 2006. This project cannot be allowed to go ahead. So, come and add your passion, ingenuity and imagination to a diverse collective effort, which has defeated Shell and the state thus far and with you, can continue to do so.

THE CAMP

The Rossport Solidarity Camp was set up in June 2005 on the route of the proposed pipeline. The aim of the camp is to lend practical support to the local struggle and to provide a base for protestors not from the area. Over the summer, we have taken part in a road blockade, pickets of the Rossport Compound and we have organised gatherings with music and talks, actions and street theatre.

The camp is organised in a non-hierarchical way, we have regular meetings and everyone is treated as equal regardless of gender, age or experience. We need people in early 2006 and right throughout the year to help prevent Shell destroying this beautiful area and risking peoples health and safety.

The camp welcomes people of all ages, abilities and skills to come and stay for a few days, a few weeks, a few months. Transportation is being organised, for details contact one of the following:

Bob 086 3201612

House 097 20944

Michael 086 3588890 … See you there !