Peace Vigil at Shannon Airport

clare | anti-war / imperialism | news report Monday February 18, 2008 18:53 by Conor Cregan - Cosantoiri Siochana

"It is great to see Amnesty and the Quakers here"

Yesterday, Cosantori Siochana hosted what is now a monthly vigil at Shannon Airport to highlight Ireland’s participation in a war raging around the globe. This dignified witness was supported by Amnesty International and several Quakers from Limerick City.

Standing at the entrance to Shannon Airport, this group of peace-mongers held banners calling for the demilitarisation of the Airport and to end the use of Shannon by CIA torture taxis. This low key vigil is gaining numbers since peace activists resumed a monthly presence in December with just five people.

Shannon Airport has seen over 1,000,000 US troops pass through to Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, the government was criticized by the Irish Commission for Human Rights for not searching CIA and Military flights at the airport. Several of these planes have been involved in the US’s Extraordinary rendition programme where prisoners were transported to other countries for outsourced torture .

Speaking at the vigil, a local peace activist said “we have come back to show that this is still an issue with the people of Ireland. It is great to see Amnesty and the Quakers here. Both groups are well known in the peace movement and bring a strong presence to the vigil ” Commenting on the large amount of Gardai positioned near by, he said” Judging by the amount of security here, it seems that the government knows that any protest at Shannon highlights their complicity in America's military failures. Obviously this threatens the state and they will continue to pour taxpayers money into securing the myth that it's business as usual at Shannon Airport.”

After initial contact with this peaceful group, An Gardai Siochana kept a visible distance reminding these citizens that they were at hand. Three local detectives interrogated one of the youngest members of the group as he went past their unmarked patrol car, when confronted by the young boy’s irate father, the driver said: “we were just engaging in conversation!” Detective Sergeant Michael Houlihan sitting in the back seat refused to tell the father if they had recorded the boy’s details. The member in the front seat had an open notebook on his lap.

The next vigil will happen at Shannon Airport at 5pm, 23rd of March. Please bring flowers to commemorate those who died since the Iraq war started five years ago