éirígí to challenge Royal Marines presence at Belfast Tall Ships Challenge

antrim | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Thursday August 13, 2009 14:37

by Éamann Mac Mánais - éirigí

éirígí general secretary Breandan Mac Cionnaith has condemned the inclusion of
the British Navy's Royal Marines in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge
festivities. Mac Cionnnaith also confirmed that éirígí activists will be on
the ground to challenge the presence of the Royal Marines in Belfast on Friday
14 August.

Mac Cionnaith said,

'It is disgraceful that a great occasion, such as the Tall Ships Challenge, has
been politicised with the inclusion of a British military unit in the
accompanying festivities. It seems that no event is safe from those who want to
'normalise' the British occupation of the Six Counties.

'The Royal Marines have only just arrived back to Britain following another
murderous tour of Afghanistan. They, along with the rest of the occupying
forces in Afghanistan directly murdered at least 2,000 civilians last year,
according to United Nations. The track record of the Royal Marines in Ireland
has also been appalling. As a unit they have been responsible for the injuring
and murdering of many Irish citizens.'

"Any attempt to portray this band as being in some way separate from the British
war machine is pointless. Indeed the British Navy website proudly boasts that
members of this marine band are "hot from operational duties in Afghanistan".

'éirígí believes that this potentially great event has been ruined by the
presence of Britain war machine. The fact that is has recieved financial
support and political backing from Belfast city council only adds insult to
injury. SDLP and Sinn Féin members were asleep at the wheel when they allowed
the inclusion of the Royal Marines in the Tall Ships event to go ahead
unopposed.'

'éirígí activists will be on the ground on Friday at the Tall Ships event to
make sure that the presence of the Royal Marines does not go unchallenged.'

ENDS.

Note to editor 1: éirígí is an Ireland-wide, socialist republican political
party, formed in 2006 to provide a vehicle for the national, social and
economic liberation of the people of Ireland.

2;eirigi have continued to oppose Britain's war machine in Ireland and beyond
through our RIR protest, Nov 08 and British Armed Forces day protest in June 09.