Protests expected at CRH AGM next Wednesday

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Thursday April 29, 2010 11:54 by Fintan Lane - IPSC media officer 087 1258325

CRH plc complicity in human rights abuses in Palestine to be raised at its AGM next Wednesday

IRELAND-PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN

PRESS RELEASE, 29/4/10

CRH helped to build this

On Wednesday May 5th at 11am, the Irish multinational CRH will hold its AGM in the Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin, where its activities in Israel/Palestine will come under intense scrutiny by shareholders.

The Ireland–Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is planning a significant protest outside the hotel calling on CRH to divest from Israel and it will also call the Directors of CRH to account at the AGM itself.

In recent times, CRH has come under increasing pressure from human rights organisations here in Ireland, Europe and in Israel itself due to its unhealthy relationship with Israel’s sole cement producer Nesher Cement Enterprises, in which CRH owns a 25% stake through the holding company Mashav Initiative and Development Ltd.

CRH admitted to Amnesty International ‘that in all probability’ their subsidiary’s cement was being used in the construction of the wall and illegal settlements. The Irish Government too has strongly condemned the building of the fence/wall, and its condemnation has been vindicated by the World Court.

The Israeli the human rights group BOYCOTT have written to CRH urging them to withdraw its holdings in the Israeli company as its is supplying raw materials for the illegal settlement construction in the West Bank. It was also endorsed by the Coalition of Women for Peace.

In 2004, the International Criminal Court of Justice ruled that the apartheid separation wall being built on annexed Palestinian land was illegal. Many UN Resolutions have called for the end to settlement building in the West Bank.

Human rights lawyers are now considering taking a civil action in the Irish Courts.

In London this autumn, the Russell Tribunal on Palestine will hold a 2-day people's tribunal on international corporate complicity in Israel’s illegal ongoing occupation of Palestine. This important tribunal is supported by the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation. It follows on from Russell Tribunal on War Crimes in Vietnam in the 1960’s which was instrumental in bringing the injustices of that war to public attention in the US and ultimately contributed to a radical change in public opinion.

CRH, BT, Veolia and Dexia Bank are among some of the major multinational companies that the Russell Tribunal will investigate. The tribunal will advise what legal action is possible and on the most favourable jurisdictions in which to launch such actions. Human rights lawyers from Ireland will take part in the tribunal.

According to John Dorman of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign: "We are calling on CRH to respect internationally proclaimed human rights within its sphere of influence. CRH can ensure that it is not complicit in human rights abuses by immediately divesting from Mashav and its operations in the occupied territories of Palestine."

Mr Dorman continued: "Human rights activists in Ireland are very disturbed by CRH's involvement with the building of the infrastructure of Israeli apartheid in the West Bank. Palestine solidarity activists will campaign vigorously on this issue until CRH severs its connection to the Israeli state. We intend to step up our campaign and will be a tangible presence at this year's CRH AGM."

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

For further information, phone John Dorman (IPSC Divestment Officer) at XXX, or Fintan Lane (IPSC Media Officer) at 087 1258325.