Upcoming Events

Clare | Anti-War / Imperialism

no events match your query!

New Events

Clare

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Thu Jul 03, 2025 01:28 | 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.

offsite link Jaguar?s Sales Crash 98% After Woke Rebrand Wed Jul 02, 2025 19:00 | Will Jones
Jaguar's sales have plummeted by 98% after a woke rebrand that left customers stunned ? though the company claims the rebrand has "nothing to do" with falling sales.
The post Jaguar’s Sales Crash 98% After Woke Rebrand appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Christian Artist Reported to Police and Banned From Own Exhibition Over Gender-Critical Views Wed Jul 02, 2025 17:00 | Will Jones
Christian artist Victoria Culf was reported to the police and banned from her own exhibition because of her gender-critical beliefs in the latest example of free speech in peril in Britain.
The post Christian Artist Reported to Police and Banned From Own Exhibition Over Gender-Critical Views appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link The Human Cost of Starmer?s Welfare U-Turn Wed Jul 02, 2025 15:00 | Mary Gilleece
Thousands of young people are being paid by the state on condition of remaining 'incapable' of working. It's a tragic, expensive mess ? and now they've been betrayed by Keir Starmer once again, says Mary Gilleece.
The post The Human Cost of Starmer’s Welfare U-Turn appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Reeves in Tears as Starmer Refuses to Guarantee She Will Stay in Job Wed Jul 02, 2025 13:01 | Will Jones
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was visibly in tears during Prime Minister's Questions today as Sir Keir Starmer refused to guarantee she would remain in role following last night's welfare reform humiliation.
The post Reeves in Tears as Starmer Refuses to Guarantee She Will Stay in Job appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en

offsite link Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en

offsite link The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en

Voltaire Network >>

Global Injustices and Violations of Civil Liberties Go Hand in Hand at Shannon

category clare | anti-war / imperialism | feature author Tuesday December 22, 2009 13:33author by Shannonwatch Report this post to the editors

featured image
It Takes More than This to Stop Us

Every day the war machines roll through Shannon, as the innocent populations of Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere suffer the brutal consequences of neo-liberal occupation. The Gardai react by mounting public displays of strength against half a dozen innocent protestors, while claiming to have no opinions or authority over the cargos and personnel passing through the airport.

The US-led “war on terror” has resulted in the erosion of human rights in the interest of state security, as disappearances, illegal imprisonment and torture of detainees has become commonplace. The rights of ordinary people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza to live safely with the full enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights have been systematically violated by invading powers as they seek to secure their strategic interests. Technology is used to bring death and carnage to millions as the rhetoric of Western security is repeated like a mantra.

Shannon Airport is a prime example of how the lives and human rights of ‘other’ distant peoples have become expendable in the context of Western self-interest. The ongoing use of the airport by the US military and their contractors is justified locally on the basis of its economic benefit to the region. In the past we have even been told that it is linked to multinational corporate investment, and that we somehow can't have one without the other (that lie stopped when Dell announced it was firing 1900 employees). In fact our support for US imperialism makes us complicit in the suffering and death of innocent people, and contributes to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. It is made even worse by the routine refueling of CIA rendition planes under the watchful eyes of the airport police and Gardai and in clear violation of national and international law. This is all too high a price to pay for jobs.

Gardai at Shannon go to great lengths to protect the illegal and immoral business being conducted at the airport. Take their actions at the peaceful vigil on December 13th for example. For a start there was the completely unnecessary presence of 10 – 15 uniformed officers and metal barriers, in position for over an hour to stop a total of 7 peaceful demonstrators from getting anywhere near the airport. In fact the demonstrators had no wish to go into the airport on this occasion; public expressions of protest like these outside the airport are quite effective in gaining the attention of other citizens – and of policy makers it seems, judging by the large Garda presence.

Around the world the erosion of civil liberties goes hand in hand with governmental abuse of human rights, and Shannon is no different. When this writer attempted to drive into the airport after the vigil to leave two older members of the group to their bus stop, he was refused entry. The reason given was that “you have no lawful reason for going in”. But repeated efforts over a 15 minutes period, combined with unanswered requests regarding the legal basis for refusal, finally resulted in a change of heart from the Gardai. This confirmed that lawful reason did exist! It also confirmed that the Gardai at Shannon – acting under orders from higher authorities (or perhaps from the US officers stationed at the airport?) – will attempt to administer the law in a discriminate and improper way.

Perhaps the Gardai did not believe the reason given for entering the airport, and felt that the real purpose was to engage in further protest near the terminal building. If so they should note that this too is a lawful reason for entry, as the Irish Constitution guarantees ones right to freely express their convictions and opinions. Or perhaps they were under instruction to protect an arriving warplane from peaceful photographers … a visitor to the viewing gallery at the airport an hour and a half earlier was told that it was being closed “for security reasons”!

The abuse of state power was in further evidence after this writer had dropped his passengers off in the airport and was waiting for one of them to return to the car. The Garda sergeant who had tracked the car all the way in told the writer that he was liable to arrest if he did not immediately leave the aerodrome. Why? You guessed it – because he had “no lawful reason …”.

It is shameful that our law enforcers do not seem to know what is and what is not lawful. While they impede the movement of peaceful protesters without valid reason, they turn a blind eye to known rendition planes and their crews, to cargo destined for Iraq and Afghanistan, and to US occupation soldiers on their way to kill or be killed. It’s been happening for years but it still astounds and dismays me.

Thursday last, December 10th, was Human Rights Day. It was a day on which ordinary people around the world were asked to stand up for human rights. But this Christmas human rights abuse will continue in Afghanistan and Iraq, and more innocent lives will be lost. Its not enough to write letters of complaint to distant governments. Standing up for human rights means ending what goes on at Shannon.

Related Link: http://www.shannonwatch.org/

 #   Title   Author   Date 
   Here's Irony for you.....     DoubleStandards    Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:32 
   Crimes against Humanity     Edward Horgan    Tue Dec 15, 2009 20:50 
   Neglecting one duty and exceeding another?     Coilín    Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:01 
   Shannon and the Secret Prisons     Bazooka Joe    Tue Dec 22, 2009 17:29 
   See also ...     John    Wed Dec 23, 2009 18:20 
   Hyping up Shannon AGAIN..     Ex Shannon Airport Worker    Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:37 
   What inspections have been done?     Justin Morahan    Sun Jan 17, 2010 14:00 
   Yes, we are hyping up Shannon - for good reason     John    Thu Jan 21, 2010 19:49 


Number of comments per page
  
 
© 2001-2025 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy