Shell2Sea Activists Sentenced and Jailed - ShellToSea on TV3 Tonight - Phone-In

by Observer Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:33

The national media quite rightly drew attention to a biannual conference taking place in Dublin this past week where up to a hundred human rights defenders from around the world were in attendance.

UN representaives gave addresses as did the Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Martin. Strange in Ireland over the years the State was only brave enough to deal with human rights outside Ireland, and that included the North ,as a matter of Foreign Affairs.

Michael Martin affirmed that approach and spoke glowingly about human rights defenders. There was no one from Ireland defined as one so he could be very wonderful in his words:

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS PUT THEIR OWN LIVES AT RISK TO BREAK THE DEAFENING SILENCE OF INDIFFERENCE AND COMPLACENCY ...IRELAND ACTIVELY PROMOTES THE WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AND OPPOSES ATTEMPTS TO OPPOSE THEIR WORK...AT A TIME WHEN ECONOMIC PRESSURES ARE BEING ACUTELY FELT, HUMAN RIGHTS RISK BECOMING A LUXURY ITEM THAT WE GUILTILY PENCIL IN AND THEN SCRUB OUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOPPING LIST Of GLOBAL NEEDS...( IRISH TIMES 11 FEB.).

Erris activists need to watch the State guiltily scrubbing the grounds of protest and putting what it scrubs in prison. Is this the fate of Pat O Donnell?

by FSB! Sat Feb 13, 2010 20:59

When you as a Garda are clearly breaking the laws you are sworn to uphold, the presence of a citizen filming your criminality is an affront to your over-developed sense of Impunity.

When you as a Garda are clearly oppressing the people you have sworn to serve, the presence of a citizen filming your acts of betrayal is an outrage that cries out to P.J. Stone for vengeance.

The Gardaí's sense of their own entitlement knows no limits, and it is a serious menace to the few civic freedoms we have. Resistance to the corrupt agenda of the cops and their political/corporate masters is necessary if we as a society are not to succumb to the beige totalitarianism of Chambers of Horrors (sorry, Commerce) and Paedo Fáil (no apology).

by Supporter Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:33

It is what I do that matters as George Lee. Telling others what to do is an avoidance but does show a conscience or a fear of what is really going on.
The judge was angry last week with citizens using video cameras. Yet police video is now part and parcel of prosecution evidence and so it will have to be matched by the defence.
Complaints to the Garda Ombudsman are doubly valuable when supported by citizen video evidence. Complaints to human rights organisations and eventually to the UN Human Rights Council will be more compelling when supported by video evidence.

by Michael Gallagher Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:40

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Pat O'Donnell at a recent ShelltoSea information briefing © Michael Galllagher 2009

by . Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:17

What I think that is needed now is for everybody concered with carrying on the fight to take these setbacks in, allow some time for reflection, look at the scope for reorganising within and outside of Mayo, with the option of galvanising again all the anti-shell support, and laying the foundations for a coming together of all those forces, in a co-ordinated and diciplined way, to finally see, that with the right leadership and democratically organised resistance, that these setbacks (and that's what they are - not a defeat) can be taken on the chin and reversed. Their is still a long way to go in this fight. Vision is needed now, not negativity, finger pointing and blame gaming at the campaigners. The only 'outsiders' in this are Shell and their imported henchmen of I-RMS.

Well done to all, past and present in the continued fight.

by I also! Sat Feb 13, 2010 03:42

Maura, your facts are worthy of a Wikipedia entry but they are not the only issues the campaign has to deal with. Any organisation that refuses to review their practices will either fail or eventually become a toothless dinosaur. The courts in Ireland are apt at taken the wind out the sails of political campaigns. These reporting of these recent appeal cases have reinforced the message that both Shell and the State have been putting out. Is it not evaluating this against the resources put into these cases?

Most of these cases were instigated by the actions of people acting alone or in a reactionary manner. Acting without the consent or support of others members in Shell to Sea is undemocratic and has the effect of alienating people whose personalities are not as forceful. For this campaign to be successful Shell to Sea needs to bring the people along. The Irish people have shown that they are willing to support the campaign but they are not stupid.

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League Fri Feb 12, 2010 19:23

The following facts for comment:

(i) the Shell to Sea name was adopted in early Feb. 2005 and came to prominence following the jailing of the Rossport 5 in June '05
(ii) the focus of the campaign/movement has always been, and remains, twofold - at the local level, environmental human rights and, nationally, to redress the scandalous giveaway of our natural resources
(iii) it was easy for mainstream media to cover the David v Goliath issue of small farmers v giant Shell from a human interest angle which saved them from asking deeper questions about what was happening in north Mayo; nearly five years those questions - and many more - remain unasked and therefore answered
(iv) from '05 to date, Shell/FF/PD's/Geens have pursued an unremitting campaign to metaphorically hang us; despite their worst efforts, we're still standing and our support grows
(v) Shell to Sea, which began in nth Mayo is now in its eleventh year; we're on our third useless government with no prospect of any better in sight; the Tiger has lived and died; we have shown that every facet of this benighted state is in thrall to big business and afraid of competent citizens
(vi) the issue of environmental human rights only affects people when it is imposed on their own doorsteps; the issue of the giveawayof our resources at a time of current and guaranteed future need is an issue which affects every man, woman and child in the country; the time to address this issue is now

I look forward to further comment.

by corporal sensible Fri Feb 12, 2010 13:01

Not asking S2S to change media tactics. Needs to do much more than that.
Barra is justified in blaming in part the media for the non-issue that Mayo has become but S2S must ask itself what part it played in the big decline of support for a great cause.
When the Rosssport 5 went to jail there was tumult here and even a bit abroad. Not a whimper now.

Time for some lateral thinking. Time for the local rational brigata to lead the campaign as seemed to be the case around the time of Rossport 5 jailings. If the campaign becomes again (and is also perceived as) a tussle between a small beleagured community and the international pariah of Shell, then the struggle has a very good chance of succeeding . Otherwise 'tis dead in the water of Broadhaven Bay. That's all there is.

by barra Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:51

The main reason the injustices of the Corrib Gas Project has gone under the radar of many people to the simple fact Shell 2 Sea are against one one the most powerful lobbies in the world, the Oil and Gas industry.

Shell can afford to spend their hard earned exploited dollar on lavish PR Campaigns, good ethic branding campaigns, put their logo on Charity cause...

Shell to Sea has praticaly being branded as "Sinn ers and Hobbies" to the Irish public by various PR (Public Relations) campaigns.

The fact Shell to Sea, a grassroots campaign has achieved even a faction of the resistance (peaceful and dignify) and ability to get the campaigns goals out to the public is inspiring considering the lack of resources, hostility Irish media.

Shell 2 Sea changing media tactics misses the main point. The real reason Shell 2 Sea has problems reaching out to people is it arch nemesis is one of the most powerful lobbies in the world.

Look are the human rights inflections Shell has cause in Africa. Corporations attitude towards global warming. Human rights, owership rights mean nothing to a good quarterly statement for a hard working corporation.

by I also! Fri Feb 12, 2010 02:15

I think it is now time that Shell to Sea have a review of the tactics used over the last few years. The campaign has lost the support of the people that the Rossport Five enjoyed in 2005. My opinion is that the propaganda of Shell is not the only reason for this. The Courts have not been fair but we have to admit that mavericks have had more of a negative effect to the campaign.

Shell to Sea has always been a local lead campaign but in the last few years the hard nose approach has been a gift for the State. The icing was reported in the Irish Times today when one Shell to Sea campaigner apologised to the a Guard in court. I understand the reason for this but it stinks of guilt.

by Shelver - Rossport Solidarity Camp Thu Feb 11, 2010 16:44

TV3 have pulled Corrib Gas from the Vincent Browne Show tonight. In effect we have lost a chance to reply

It is very important that loads of people contact TV3 during
William's documentary to complain about it, They will have to log
each complaint.

The contact details are:

Phone: 01 4193333 or
email: info@tv3.ie

by Michael Gallagher Thu Feb 11, 2010 13:36

Irish Times article ofnPat O'Donnell and other sentences.:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0211/1....html

Just heard: Maura Harington sentenced....fined and banned from driving for two years...further sentences put back for twelve months.

Judge Raymond Rourke said "ShelltoSea acting like a secret police force".

Maura and 'friend'. © Michael Gallagher 2009