rendition and torture as usual through Shannon

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Wednesday May 28, 2008 17:06

by paul o toole

pauljotoole at eircom dot net

Amnesty Report-rendition Uninterrupted.

The horrific inhuman treatment of individuals kidnapped from all parts of the world and transported to Guantanamo for torture, and using Shannon Airport to facilitate this is becomming part of acceptable behaviour by our government it would seem.
The continnued use of this once civilian airport to transport holidaymakers business travelers and all other civilian activity is now acceptable alongside the kidnapping, rendition and torture of human beings as young as 9 years of age.
The true face of the Ireland of tomorrow is visible now in this most disturbing episode in our history. The acceptance of our government to allow the US to continnue this unspeakable treatment of human beings unmolested is an indictment of the cowardice and leaderless Fianna Fail and Green government we now have.

Irene Kahn, General Secretary of Amnesty International described the 'assurances' given by the US that .....'Irish Airports are not being used for rendition, are not worth the paper they are written on'.......

She went on to accuse countries like Ireland for ...'failing to put in place adequate safeguards against rendition'.

And that despite...'repeated calls by the Council Of Europe, no government (Irl) has yet put in place adequate measures to prevent their territoriy being used bt the US for the secret transfer of detainees for detention'.

It would appear that our own government are only to willing to stand by and allow the kidnap and torture of innocent people. This ammounts in some views to support. Either way, the great shame brought on Ireland by the current regime is set to continnue which is a deplorable situation to be in considering the past we all hold dear when we were appalled at the treatment of the Irish by the British which included torture and rendition (transportation).
We would have once described this behaviour as barbaric.....have we now become the barbarians we once abhored the very sight of? Im afraid so.