Free 'The Chief'

100 cars gathered today at noon in the fishing village of Porturlin, Pat O'Donnell's home, for a rally to Ballyglass pier on the Mullet peninsula in support of 'the Chief' who has been in Castlerea prison since 10th February.

The cavalcade travelled from Porturlin, out by Rossport, over to Glengad, up by Bellanaboy, into Belmullet and out to Ballyglass pier.

Related Links:
Joe Higgins MEP visits 'Shell To Sea' Activist, Pat o'donnell, In Castlera Prison | Eoin O'Leidhin - Interview | Another Shell to Sea Campaigner Imprisoned | Shell retreats as solidarity with Pat o'donnell continues | Mary O`Donnell interview | Video: S2S Solidarity with jailed Pat o'donnell | Audio: Shell to Sea protests against jailing of fisherman Pat o'donnell at Shell HQ | Court Report from Mayo Shell Corrib Gas - Who are the real Thugs & Bullies? | Pat o'donnell - "Hero and Friend" not "Bully and Thug" | Review of the week of Shell to Sea court hearings

Are you sure the right person was sent to jail?

Yesterday in Castlebar circuit court, appeals involving Shell to Sea campaigners were concluded or deferred, with no further prison sentences being handed out. This follows the jailing on Wednesday of local fisherman Pat O’Donnell, who was sentenced to 7 months in jail for convictions of “breach of the peace” and of "obstructing a Garda".

In total 21 people appeared before Mayo courts this week in relation to protests against the Corrib Gas Project. On Wednesday all fourteen campaigners who appeared before Belmullet district court had their cases adjourned until the special Shell to Sea sitting scheduled for March. From Tuesday to Thursday seven campaigners were involved in appeal cases before Judge Raymond Groarke in Castlebar Circuit Court.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
'We Know What You Did This Summer!' - Cork Shell to Sea visits LE Aisling during 'Culture Night' | Niall Harnett Released on Bail from Custody after 15 Days at Castlerea Prison | Two Anti-Shell Campaigners Jailed for Civil Disobedience | A weekend in Erris at the national Shell to Sea meeting | Shell's Lackey's in the Media Out in Force Again | Message to an Bord Snip Nua. Resolve the Recession. Tax Shell! | Reports that Pat the Chief's boat was sunk last night | Massacre of Indigineous Amazonians in Peru - 25 dead and counting | The Pirates of Broadhaven Defeat Shell’s Armada | Prison van carrying Maura into Montjoy blockaded for 20 minutes by Dublin S2S | Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled | Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed

Participants view the finished wind turbine in action

From Wednesday the 27th to Sunday the 31st of January, the Rossport Solidarity Camp hosted a wind power workshop. Local people and campers united to learn metal work, wood work and electronics to produce a fully functional 2.4 meter diameter wind turbine, now supplying power to the off-grid Rossport Solidarity House. The use of farmer's shed for the week was kindly by donated which was the perfect base for the workshop. The course was led by V3 Power, a workers co-operative based in Nottingham specialising in teaching courses in how to build DIY wind turbines.

Related Links:
Shell to sea website | Hugh Pigotts website | More about Hugh's work (video) | Gluaiseacht website | more about V3

"the pathetic excuse of humanitarian aid"

On January 28th, we had the chance to have a telephone talk with Camilla Chalmers, from the Plateforme Haïtienne de Plaidoyer pour un Développement Alternatif (Haitian Platform in Defence of an Alternative Development, PAPDA), in Port-au-Prince. Here we transcribe the questions and answers we could exchange in spite of the natural difficulties of communication in these circumstances. We believe his opinions represent a contribution to understand what’s really going on in Haiti, they contradict the official version of the media and give us a very precise notion of the type of solidarity that the Haitian people need –and that we should not fail to give.

Related Links:
The forest behind the trees: what’s behind the US occupation of Haiti? | Wikipedia on Haiti | Code Noir | Namoi Klein – My date with Aristide | Haiti's children die in UN crossfire | An Interview with Jean-Bertrand Aristide | Al Jazerra Haiti coverage | What Future for Haiti? - An Interview with Patrick Elie by Reed Lindsey | Taking us to democracy like cattle to a killing house - Patrick Elie | Haiti's Catch-22 - An interview with Patrick Elie | Interview with Aristide's lawyer, Miami-based Ira Kurzban | Will Criminal Gangs Take Control in Haiti's Chaos? | Fear of the poor is hampering Haiti rescue | Haiti's streets 'safer than before earthquake | US troop landings delay Haiti aid | Why the U.S. Owes Haiti Billions | The Rescue Operation's Priorities in Haiti | US accused of 'occupying' Haiti as troops flood in | Haiti - a history of intervention, occupation and resistance | Strong aftershock hits Haiti | Naomi Klien's document | has the world failed Haiti? (video) | US aid relative to other countries | The Incapacitation of Haiti | Against the grain main site | Haiti - a beginners guide (indy link)

In January 2009 Independent Newspapers, in the face of mounting criticism of its commercial exploitation of children, withdrew its 'Building for the future campaign.

Related Links:
Victory for Schools as Irish Independent Scraps Voucher Scheme | 50 Primary Principals speak out against Independent Newspapers’ “Building for the Future” promotion | Call for Students to Boycott A.I.B. School Bank | Schools Out! Stop the Commercialisation of Education | Against Supevalu's Kids in Action Voucher Scheme | Against Commercialism in Irish Education | INTO Calls for End to Commercial Exploitation of School Children

Education Articles on Indymedia.ie