"The Rule of Shell Law has to be implemented at Bellanaboy". - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
mayo |
environment |
news report 
Sunday November 12, 2006 15:59
by Niall Harnett - Shell to Sea.
clare at shelltosea dot com
Doonagore, Liscannor, Co Clare.
086 8444966
ACCOUNTABILITY: Violence & The Law - The Lie that is Bellanaboy.
On Friday November 10th 2006,
On The International Day of Action against Shell,
On Ken Saro-Wiwa Day, the 11th anniversary of his death by hanging, executed by Shell,
On the day when Shell’s Cops - Hell’s Cops, An Garda Síochána were ordered to step up their brutalisation of citizens with violent force and indiscriminate multiple beatings which resulted in the hospitalisation of peaceful protestors,
The, eh … ‘leader & prime minister?!’ of this country, Bertie Ahern, said this:
"The Rule of Shell Law has to be Implemented at Bellanaboy". - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
In the title and text of this article, I CONSCIOUSLY INSERT ’SHELL’ into An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's statement, because HE CONSCIOUSLY OMITTED IT.
THIS IS NOT LIBEL, IT IS TRUTH, and I will argue that through every appropriate national and international court of justice available should he or his legal dogs decide, in their wisdom, to sue myself or Indymedia Ireland on this presentation of the facts.
Bertie Ahern, I challenge you.
Clarification: Please note that Niall H does NOT speak on behalf of Indymedia -Ed
Since Tuesday October 3rd when Shell’s Cops broke (temporarily) the Shell to Sea picket at the Shell Corrib Gas Refinery Site at Bellanaboy, directions have come from the highest levels of the Irish Government to quash with violence the dissent against this project which has manifested in the peaceful protest of civil disobedience to Shell Law. So, for the past six weeks, residents of the remote Erris community of North West Mayo, their friends, their families and their supporters, have been subjected to a force of hundreds of Shell’s Cops, members An Garda Síochána who are OUT OF CONTROL with a lust for violence the likes of which I have never experienced, nor do I understand.
We are shocked, we are hurt and our bodies are damaged. We will not be broken.
We are vehement and more confident than ever.
We will break this project, we will break Shell’s Cops / An Garda Síochána and we will break your plans to destroy democracy in this country, you prostitute creatures of Government.
"IT'S QUITE CLEAR that there are people there with an agenda for violence". - Christy Loftus, who now works as 'Shell External Affairs Manager' - ex-journalist with Mayo's 'The Western People', and still a member of the NUJ, the national union of journalists!!!
“It’s not to be tolerated in a civilised society”. Yep, you said that right Christy.
How readily this Shell Government allows deceit to flow readily from their lips. Their forked tongues corrupt the truth, with the filth of their adulteries, into lies.
To whom do ye yield yourselves as servants to obey? To Shell.
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies. He cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 8:44 & John 10:10.
“We are just ordinary people, fighting for our environmental rights. Greed and money, look what it’s doing to us”. - Joan Hayes, Pallaskenry, mother to Orla Kaiser, both of whom will go to jail if necessary to protect their Bleach Lough Spring Water Supply in Co Limerick. See http://www.indymedia.ie/article/76611 . Joan is a regular visitor to Bellanaboy now with fellow campaigner Donal O’Brien, Pallaskenry who just can’t stay away even when he should be taking things easy following heart problems over the summer and the stress of fighting Limerick County Council who want to poison them with water from the polluted River Deel.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Shell to Sea is organising, as it does best in times of crisis, along various lines of campaigning such as media and film-making, legal challenge, Dáil representation, non-violent direct action, national and international liasing, meetings and rallies, political and democratic organisation etc.
I’d like to focus, in this article, on legal challenge.
I suggest that we can bring these violent aggressors, Shell’s cops and Government ministers to account through the courts of national and international justice.
This is something that we should be prepared to do ourselves, directly, and in consultation with experienced individuals and legal support groups here in Ireland, and in consultation with international lawyers who will volunteer support, some of whom we have been working with and talking too in the last few days and weeks.
For those who have had doubts, myself included, about the chances of success in State courts etc, I’ll say this …
We have a very strong case, a case that cannot be buried, ignored or interfered with politically, because we have a trump card (among many), a constant variable in the equation of our favour and their downfall, and one which can be relied on for surety - the crass stupidity of Government ministers and An Garda Síochána, which cannot fail but to rear its head and show itself in these defining times of crisis. You have shown yourselves and you will show yourselves, despite and against your will. And know this … “By your own words shall you be condemned”.
Having been granted a High Court ‘interlocutory injunction’ on Tuesday Nov 7th against An Garda Síochána, and ‘leave for Judicial Review’ of their behaviour, returning to high court on Dec 1st , ( see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/79574 ), and after having been attacked by three Gardaí on Friday Nov 10th, two of whom are mentioned in my affidavit, and after having my camera forcibly stolen and smashed by them, and after having been punched and kicked on the ground by all three, (Supt. Joe Gannon, Inspector Pat Robinson & Sgt. Dermot Butler MY28), I am encouraged to take on a role of facilitating a joint effort in bringing these dangerous bullies and others to justice.
WHAT TO DO NEXT.
1. SHELL'S COPS / AN GARDA SIOCHANA
(a) Make written accounts of any assault, verbal or physical, by members of An Garda Síochána.
(b) Make a note of their numbers.
(c) Ask to see their ID card and ask for their name, which is your entitlement. Make a note of exactly what they say if and when they refuse you.
(d) Establish your witnesses there and then and get your witness contact details. Ask them to write a detailed account for you of what they saw. Co-ordinate and exchange information and facts. Stay in touch with each other.
(e) Establish whether or not there are photos or video footage of the incident and ask the person for copies as soon as possible.
(f) Wait for further instruction as we work on establishing a data-base for all assaults, contact list and decide on strategic course of action. Watch this space and contact me in the meantime, contact details above.
2. GOVERNMENT MINISTERS, OPPOSITION TD'S, PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES, GARDAI etc.
(a) Document, file and/or tape any statement by the above on tv & radio news items, newspapers etc etc. DOCUMENT IT ALL.
(b) Ask them questions, document and witness their answers.
(c) Wait for further instruction as we work on establishing a data-base and contact list and decide on strategic course of action. Watch this space and contact me in the meantime, contact details above.
PURPOSE: Direct Action of a legal nature in directly initiating private proceedings / criminal prosecutions in open public court ourselves, avoiding the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and ‘political interference’.
REMEMBER: This is a learning experience for us all. We will get on top of it together.
WE FIGHT AND WE FIGHT ON.
"We fight non-violently, peacefully ... and WE SHALL WIN." - Ken Saro-Wiwa.
We will win for Saro-Wiwa, we will win for Ogoni, we will win for all others who fight Shell the global predator. And we will win for community.