Vigil at Polish Embassy Dublin

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Friday March 28, 2008 17:30

by Justin Morahan

We Urge Poland to Reject US Missile Base Plans in Poland

Nine people took part in today's vigil outside the Polish Embassy in Dublin where a letter was handed in to the Polish Ambassador, Dr Tadeusz Szumowski.

We vigilled from 12 noon to 1.15 pm when the rain became very heavy. The letter, signed by all nine and handed in by Fintan, read as follows.

Dear Ambasador

Rejecting the US Missile Base Plans in Poland

We are here to vigil at the Polish Embassy in solidarity with our anti-war friends in Poland who are trying to prevent the United States of America from locating new "defence" bases in your country.

The US, as you know, has stated that it is planning to locate up to ten silo-based long-range missile defence interceptors in Poland, probably in Redzikowo. The majority of Polish people are opposed to this plan but there is a danger that your Government appears willing to bargain. The plan has been opposed in the United States by the large and vocal anti-war movement, also by peace and human rights and humanist associations. Democrats in the House of Representatives have voted to cut funding for it.

The present plans of the Bush administration, named "the US National Missile Defense Programme" are a follow-up to the infamous Star Wars programme of the Reagan administration. This programme is now being sold to the world - and to Europe - as a necessary element of the “war against terror”. It has more the appearance of a necessary element of Bush's pursuit of global military domination. It is a further unwarranted incursion by the United States of America into Europe and the affairs of Europe. The US claims that it needs this "shield" in order to protect itself from what it calls “rogue states” like Iran, and North Korea. The country that lied openly to the UN and to the world about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to facilitate the Bush invasion of that country is now trying to install weapons of mass destruction in Poland on the very same pretext as it used to deceive the world about Iraq.

We oppose the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction from whatever source, we oppose USA or other domination agendas using the pretext of defence, we oppose the waste of money and resources on weaponry and militarism while poverty is rampant in the world.

We urge you not to agree to this US base on European soil but to learn from the lessons of recent history. Don't let Poland - and Europe - become a target for hate by going along with this ill-advised and dangerous project. We are confident that the Government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk will not make the same mistakes as its predecessor.

(Signed) Justin Morahan, John Fitzgibbon, Gearóid Kilgallen, Colm Roddy, Fintan Mullally, Mártín Mac Maoláin, Darren Mac Gearailt, Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa, Máire Mhic Fhearghusa.

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Comments (12 of 12)

A second e-mail

Tue Apr 01, 2008 01:31

Dear Ambassador

Further to my e-mail of Friday last, I have received very disturbing news from Poland about Saturday's demonstration against the siting of US missiles in your country and the violent manner in which the non-violent protestors were mistreated by police.

I wish to express my serious concern about these developments and I protest about the manner in which participants were provoked, harassed and beaten during the course of a non-violent demonstration.

I am further asking you to inform your Government of my protest and concerns

I am now publishing this, and also last Friday's e-mail on Indymedia Ireland.

With best personal wishes
Justin Morahan

The Ambassador's e-mail address is: info@dublin.polishembassy.ie

Disturbing developments

Tue Apr 01, 2008 01:11

These are disturbing stories concerning the treatment of non-violent protestorsin Poland on Saturday.

Also, following the fourth comment above and the news contained in the link http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6212843.stm, I sent the following e-mail to the Ambassador, Dr Tadeusz Szumowski last Friday evening. There has not been a response to date.

Dear Ambassador

Nine of us vigilled at your Embassy yesterday opposing the siting of a US missile base in Poland. We also handed a letter to the Deputy Ambassador which he promised to pass on to you. We hope that you have received it and read it by now. I would like on behalf of all of us to express our sincere good wishes to the young couple who emerged as if for a wedding, while we were carrying out our vigil.

We now have concerns further to those expressed in our letter. On Indymedia Ireland, a comment from someone in Poland reminded us of, and gave access to, an article on the web http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6212843.stm that gives rise to great concern

The article was by Nick Hawton for the BBC Dec 28, 2006) and adduced very strong circumstantial evidence that there were secret CIA prisons in Poland from 2003, probably located at Stare Kiejkuty. The notorious Gulfstream plane, the N379P, making several landings at Szymany airport and another Boeing 737, had flown direct from Kabul to this remote Polish airport for no apparent legitimate reason and.surrounded by great secrecy. In Ireland, we know that N379P was engaged in carrying prisoners for torture.

We know that 2003 and 2006 are not 2008 and that you have promised to remove all Polish soldiers from Iraq by the end of this year.

It would be reassuring also to know that the secret prisons have been exposed and demolished with the guarantee that they will never re-appear. Also that the Polish link with "extraordinary rendition", or rendition for purposes of torture, have been severed for good.

With best personal wishes

G'Day Gdansk-Oz Solidarity with Polish Resistance to U.S. Star Wars Base

by Ciaron - Ploughsares

Mon Mar 31, 2008 19:34

G'Day Gdansk-Oz Solidarity with Polish Resistance to U.S. Star Wars Base
by Ciaron O'Reilly

Peaceful Protests End in Police Brutality - 25 anarchists and artists gassed, batoned, asaulted, jailed in Slupsk, Polska

*FRI. MARCH 28th.

Ciaron O'Reilly at Press Conference Statement - Slupsk, Polska

"Good afternoon my name is Ciaron O'Reilly. I am from Australia.

I come to Slupsk from 30 years of anti-war activism.

The proposed U.S. base in Slupsk, and its associated nuclear weapons system, will make this area a target from people it will make a target. These weapon systems are not secure and they do not secure us..

The United States is a modern empire with a military presence in over 100 countries. I have been involved in many acts of nonviolent resistance across the globe to this murderous war machine. From disarming a B-52 Bomber in upstate New york on the eve of the 1991 U.S. massacre over Iraq to blockading a U.S. Star Wars base in the Australian outback to disabling a U.S. war plane at its refueling depot at Shannon Airport, Ireland, on the eve of the 2003 of Iraq. I have spent over two years in prisons in Australia, the United States and Ireland for nonviolent resistance to war and war preparations.

The United States has dragged Poland, Ireland, Australia and many other countries into wars on Iraq and Afghanistan - the United States now has Iran in its gun sights.

These wars have been denounced as "immoral" by the Pope, "illegal" by Kofi Anan the head of the United Nations" and "unwinnable" by a growing number of military experts.

As the biggest and deadliest empire in human history, the United States attempts to dominate the earth and now reaches for the heavens with its "Star Wars" and related "missile defense" programs. The United States wants to drag Poland into this escalation of war preparations as it has dragged Poland into the military disasters of Iraq and Afghanistan.

We believe "security" comes from peace and justice. "Security" does not come from invading other people's countries, bombing their children and threatening the world with nuclear weapons.

The U.S./Polish governments and the U.S. weapons corporations - Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin - want you to believe "security" is a commodity they can sell you at the expense of other people's security, lives and children.

The missile defence system, and this base planned for Slupsk, is a scam!

If this base goes ahead it will make Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and the politicians they bribe, a lot of money. If this base goes ahead it will make the world a much more dangerous place!

We must make sure this missile base planned for Slupsk does not go ahead!

We must resist it directly, nonviolently and with the same intensity that those who wage war and destroy our planet pursue their own objectives..

Let's go forward to wage peace and stop this base!"

Ciaron O'Reilly

*SAT. MARCH 29th.
Pod Cast - Ciaron Oz Solidarity Speech March in Slupsk, City Square

For pod cast go to following link....

http://www.gp24.pl/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080329/...51107

...scroll down multimedia section to following lin

Protest pod ratuszem (czas 3:00)

odtworz (3,81 MB)

*SUN MARCH 31st
Peace Protest Ends in Brutal Police Violence Against Artists and Anarchists - 25 Jailed in Slupsk.

Read full report (in English)........
http://cia.bzzz.net/peaceful_demo_in_poland_against_us_...talit

Prisoner Update....

by Prisoner Update

Mon Mar 31, 2008 18:36

UPDATE: most of the charged people are out. 8 people are charged with an assault of a police officer (article 222 of the Polish penal code - up to three yrs of prison). All of the people arrested got a 500 zloty (around 150 euro) fine for "violating the night silence".
The people charged are also not allowed to leave Poland, are under police supervision (have to come to a police station once in a certain period of time to sign the papers that they are still in the country).

Peace Protest Ends in Brutal Police Violence Against Artists and Anarchists - 25 Jailed in Slupsk.

by 25 arrested/bashed

Mon Mar 31, 2008 09:31

Polska

*SUN MARCH 31st.

Peace Protest Ends in Brutal Police Violence Against Artists and Anarchists - 25 Jailed in Slupsk.

Read full report (in English)........
http://cia.bzzz.net/peaceful_demo_in_poland_against_us_...talit

Posters and Long Banner Available for Use Again!

by Máire Mhic Fhearghusa - Peaceful Means Campaign

Sat Mar 29, 2008 22:19

The last item should have read: Posters and Long Banner Available for Use Again!

www.CentreForChristianNonviolence.org

Sat Mar 29, 2008 22:12

maire.mhic at hotmail dot com

Use of the Posters and Long Banner available should the IAWM like to highlight the issue at their Saturday stand @College Green @2pm?

Perhaps signatures could be collected from others who may also like to urge Poland not to allow the US anti-missile base to be build in Poland?

Polish Community in Ireland

by Máre Mhic Fhearghusa - Peaceful Means Campaign

Sat Mar 29, 2008 22:04

Perhaps some of the members of the Polish Community would like to add their voice to our Campaign?

Beir Bua! Czy może pani amerykańskimi wiezienie pokazać mi na mapie?

by :-)

Fri Mar 28, 2008 23:32

Next time (there will surely be a next time) ask them to come clean about the dark prison established for rendition and other detainees under presidential executive order agreement in Poland by the USA.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6212843.stm
Czy może pani amerykańskimi wiezienie pokazać mi na mapie?
(= Can you show me American prison on the map?)........or maybe it doesn't. Grammar could be iffy. But they'll help you out with that & get the message all the same.

Two more

by Máire Mhic Fhearghusa

Fri Mar 28, 2008 22:31

The Deputy promised to hand the letter to the Ambassador.

Fintan handing letter to the Deputy Ambassador

Máire, Gearóid and friends

More pictures

Fri Mar 28, 2008 22:08

While we were there a wedding party emerged from the Embassy. We wished them well and secretly hoped that their children would not in time have to serve in a killing army

Colm Roddy