Caoimhe Butterly was shot in the leg by soldiers firing live ammunition in the Jenin refugee camp this morning. A British UN Official was also shot dead. This is the second time Caoimhe has been injured this year by the Israeli Defence Forces. She is in Palestine acting as a human rights monitor as are several other Irish Citizens.

IMC Ireland has published a lot of personal accounts from Irish citizens who have travelled to Palestine in Solidarity with the Palestinian people over the last few days and months. Some of the most up to date are linked to below. More complete information on the Irish Volunteers in Palestine, some of whom have been deported in the last couple of weeks, can be found at the website of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Interview with Caoimhe Today link
Old Observer profile of Caoimhe link
Mid-November report on re-invasion of Jenin Accounts from Tracey and Peter from Gluaiseacht (1) (2) (3)
Accounts from Mary Kelly (1) (2) (3)
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign

An event of gypsy and world music cancelled by Taylor's bar, in Galway, on racist grounds went ahead in Richardson's pub in mid November with many musicians and activists from different groups taking part. Organisers report that, "We went to the door of Taylor's bar to inform people that the event had been relocated. "Some people asked the management why it had been cancelled. We are willing to hear the responses they got and to have a meeting to try to reach consensus as to what actions must follow on grounds of Taylor's response. It is clear to us that a public acknowledgement that a mistake has been made and a willingness to host similar events (without censoring the mention of gypsies travellers or activists) would be acceptable. Otherwise the issue will be brought to the equality authority."
Read Full Article
Background to story Anita Dolinska Discussion of Romani rights in Europe Index of Romani Activist Groups in Europe etc.

The Garda Compaints Board held a press conference about their "Reclaim The Streets" investigation and told the assembled journalists about the difficulties they experienced in trying to get to the bottom of the matter, with Gardai failing to identify their colleagues and generally refusing to assist the work of the inquiry. Media reports are focusing on this particular issue, and once again radio call-in shows are full of discussions about the rights and wrongs of what happened on that day and the continuing fallout.

But there are many unanswered questions that are for all purposes being ignored by most journalists. It seems as if the latest information from the Complaints Board raises more questions than it answers. The problem of the extremely limited powers of the board to compel witnesses or take serious action, raised when Indymedia reported on the establishment of the investigation, has not gone away.

* Breaking news report.
* Full report.

In a bizarre encounter at Shannon airport, two of the war monitors at Shannon today came face to face with a group of US military personnel in the arrivals hall at Shannon airport. The monitors were in the public area, watching the three Hercules C-130s at the airport, and did not expect to see uniformed military personnel in the public part of the terminal. One monitor asked a simple question and both were ordered out of the terminal, at the behest of an anonymous special agent. Two inspectors, two Garda and several security personnel made sure we left the premises. They were very determined to get us out, and the whole thing raises a lot of questions. Today is Halloween so maybe they were just trick or treating? Strange and scary stuff…

Read on if you dare

Lots of information and debate on the Nice Treaty and the issues surrounding it is passing through Indymedia Ireland as the National ‘debate’ approaches it’s conclusion. Interestingly there has yet to be a post on Indymedia arguing in favour of a Yes Vote. Here is a selection of recent posts covering a plethora of issues.

Trade Unionists against Nice, ETUC position on the Nice Treaty, A Call to Action on Nice (includes comprehensive list of media contacts), League table of leaflets distributed by various No campaigns, Who butchered the Referendum Commission? , Who has the best Posters?, Comments on Opinion Polls, Splits emerging in Labour Party on Nice line, Justin Barrett and his links with Neo-Nazis, SIPTU Dublin Regional Conference calls for a No vote, Dail asked to interpret 'Irish NO vote' if Nice Treaty rejected, Anti-racist no campaigners outraged by media smears , Article 133 Information Group Open Letter .

Nice update
Despite the issue of Article 133 and its relationship to GATS finally getting some airing, 1 2 3 the Treaty of Nice was passed. This has lead to a lively debate on the Newswire: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18