A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
With Her Brutal Slaying of the Freedom of Speech Act, Bridget Phillipson Has Shown the Tories How to... Mon Jul 29, 2024 11:12 | Toby Young With her merciless slaying of the Freedom of Speech Act, Bridget Phillipson has shown herself to be a far more brutal political combatant than the enfeebled Tories. If you want to win the culture war, this is how to do it.
The post With Her Brutal Slaying of the Freedom of Speech Act, Bridget Phillipson Has Shown the Tories How to Win the Culture War appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
?Experts? Spouting Junk Science Based on Models Tell Ordinary Citizens to Lockdown With Disastrous R... Mon Jul 29, 2024 09:00 | James Leary Former airline pilot James Leary reviews Twisters for the Daily Sceptic. A pleasant enough way to spend the afternoon, but, oh my, the pseudo-science about the weather! It makes Al Gore look like Einstein.
The post ?Experts? Spouting Junk Science Based on Models Tell Ordinary Citizens to Lockdown With Disastrous Results. Does Twisters Remind You of Anything? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Are the Leaked Minutes From the Robert Koch Institute?s Covid Crisis Group Meeting in 2020 Forgeries... Mon Jul 29, 2024 07:00 | Robert Kogon German social media is aflame with speculation about the authenticity of what purport to be leaked minutes from a Covid vaccine meeting at the Robert Koch Institute in 2020. Robert Kogon thinks they're forgeries.
The post Are the Leaked Minutes From the Robert Koch Institute?s Covid Crisis Group Meeting in 2020 Forgeries? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
News Round-Up Mon Jul 29, 2024 00:40 | Richard Eldred A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Labour?s VAT Plan for Private Schools Will Raise Less Money Than Previous Estimated Sun Jul 28, 2024 19:00 | Richard Eldred New analysis suggests Labour's tax on private schools could bring in less than half the expected amount because of the extra cost of adding more students to the state system.
The post Labour?s VAT Plan for Private Schools Will Raise Less Money Than Previous Estimated appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
|
Blood on Our Hands
national |
anti-war / imperialism |
opinion/analysis
Sunday December 02, 2007 18:39 by Margaretta D'Arcy - Women in Media & Entertainment margaretta at iol dot ie
![Report this post to the editors Report this post to the editors](../graphics/report.gif)
Our Cash Kills Kids
Government hypocrisy has allowed the National Pension Reserve Fund to invest € 500 million in companies that produce weapons of mass destruction.
PENSION FUNDS IN WEAPONS PUT MONEY BEFORE MORALS
The National Pension Reserve Fund (NPRF) has invested € 500 million in companies that produce weapons of mass destruction – notably nuclear weapons, missiles, and cluster bombs. The NRPF will finance pensions for schoolteachers, nurses, prison officers, gardaí and other public servants, after the year 2025. It will also help to fund any social welfare payments made after that date.
This despite the fact that the NRPF was a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment in 2006.
There is no ethical legislation in Ireland to prevent this kind of investment. Norway, on the other hand, has excluded any firms involved in nuclear weapons and cluster bombs from its similar fund.
Bertie Ahern promised to campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster bombs. In the Programme for Government, the government said it would seek an immediate freeze on their use. Yet Ireland has nearly € 70 million worth of shares in seven of the world’s main cluster-bomb producing companies.
“DOSSIER OF SHAME.”
The top 10 arms-producing firms, with the value of Irish shares.
BOEING, USA. Aircraft, missiles, etc. € 18,871,586.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN, USA. Aircraft, missiles, etc. € 2,549,571.
LOCKHEED MARTIN, USA. Aircraft, missiles, cluster bombs, etc. € 17,124,321.
BAE SYSTEMS, UK. Aircraft, nuclear warheads, etc. € 14,543,571.
RAYTHEON, USA. Cluster bombs, missiles, etc. € 12,392,445.
GENERAL DYNAMICS, USA: Cluster bombs, etc. € 12,712,947.
FINMECCANA, Italy. Nuclear warheads, etc. € 9,680,018.
EADS, Netherlands. Aircraft, cluster bombs, nuclear warheads. € 19,488,139.
1-3 COMMUNICATIONS, USA. Cluster bombs, etc. € 692,916.
THALES, France. Cluster bombs, etc. € 6,636,170.
(Info from 'The Star,' 27 - 28 Nov 07)
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Get Questions asked in the Dáil, with a view to a Bill to implement the UN Principles of Responsible Investment at a national level and to exclude (on the Norwegian model) any firms involved in nuclear weapons, cluster bombs, etc., etc.
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4Of course if (like most people in Ireland) you work in the private sector and are "lucky" enough to be offered a private pension by your employer youll probably find that you have little choice but to invest in the pension fund selected by your employer. And very few of them have an "ethical" option.
Of course you could opt out and find your own pension scheme but then
1) You almost loose out on the bribe/"matching contribution" that feature in most employers schemes.
2) The very few (if any ???) "ethical " pension funds operating in the Irish market are poorly advertised and difficult to find. There are some good UK based ones but most (all ?) of them wont take on Irish-based clients (probably in breach of EU law RE: single market in goods/services)
We need legislation enabling employees to choose their own pension scheme and requiring employers to contribute to any approved pension scheme chosen by their employees.
There should also be a trade union organized academic boycott of all firms and university departments connected to the arms industry . The likes of Raytheon and BAE are reliant on Dr Mengele type scientists for research and development projects .Many of these are prominent in academia and members of trade unions . Anti-war activists should be monitoring all those engaged in the war industry and gathering evidence for future war crime tribunals.
If anyone wants to use this image for publicity material feel free. This issue has to be put to the forefront of Irish antiwar activism, we can pressure TD's and get legislation enacted to prevent unethical investment by government bodies.
"Bertie Ahern promised to campaign for a complete ban on the use of cluster bombs"
did he also promise to make it a 'top priority'?
We know by now what Aherne's word is worth.
"As Taoiseach, he now intends to sign Ireland up to Nato's so-called
'Partnership for Peace' without giving the Irish people their voice
through the referendum he once promised."
http://indigo.ie/~goodwill/icnd/neutrality/pfpduw.html