The people of Ireland are being pulled into wars we don’t support. Every week planes full of armed U.S troops pass through Ireland’s Shannon airport en route to conflict zones. The airport has been directly involved in the illegal invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Over two million U.S troops have used Shannon Airport since 2002. Ireland has even given an exemption to fees for these military flights. In addition, CIA rendition torture aircraft have regularly used the airport en route to the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison camp and other torture sites. Shannon’s use as vital cog in the illegal U.S. renditions programme has been highlighted by Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, the UN Committee Against Torture and others. It’s time to show the world that we don’t support the bombing, killing and torture of innocent people. With Shannon back in the news, we now have a real opportunity to put pressure on politicians to hear our voices. Please sign and share the petition today. Every time someone signs the petition, the Minister For Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore receives an email. change.org/petitions/petition-respect-ireland-s-constitution-end-u-s-military-use-of-shannon Successive opinion polls show the vast majority of people want Ireland to remain neutral and that we don’t support economic development based on the slaughter of innocent people abroad. In 2003, 100,000 of us marched in Dublin against a war the then pope described as ‘”illegal, immoral and unjust”. 100,000 Iraqis have since died in a war that Ireland is complicit in. Irish President Michael D. Higgins has previously spoken out on this, as have people such as Eamon Gilmore, Pat Rabbitte, Ruairí Quinn, and actor Martin Sheen. Enda Kenny has also spoken out on the use of Shannon. At the start of the Iraq war he said “We are not the 51st state of the United States. We are a free nation.” Afri patron and former UN Assistant Secretary General, Irishman, Denis Halliday has said “Irish people do not want to make a living on the backs of dead Iraqis, dead Afghanis and dead Pakistanis. That is not the way we do business. We all want to make a living, but that is a price no Irish person is willing to pay.” The militarisation of Shannon airport is illegal under both Irish and international law. Political parties and individual politicians have promised action on neutrality and flight inspections, but once in power, have abandoned their promises. It’s time to change all that! Please sign and share the petition today change.org/petitions/petition-respect-ireland-s-constitution-end-u-s-military-use-of-shannon Please join the growing chorus of voices who want to bring about a democratic, independent and neutral Ireland that supports diplomacy, peace and an end to the use of Shannon airport as a war-port. If enough of us join together, we can put pressure on the Irish government to respect Ireland’s Constitution – which is committed to “the pacific settlement of international disputes” – and ensure an end to Ireland’s participation in unjust wars. Sign and share our petition today and let’s make sure our leaders hear our voices. Working together for a better world, Joe, Lisa, Rose, Andy and all at Afri - Action From Ireland PS – Please consider chipping in to support Afri’s ongoing peace, justice, sustainability and human rights work. We need your support to keep the office running and to continue highlighting important Irish and global issues that others can’t. More info at afri.ie or donate via idonate.ie/afri ; Afri – Action From Ireland Working for peace, justice, human rights and sustainability. W: afri.ie | E: [email protected] F: facebook/afriireland T: @AfriPeace €: idonate.ie/afri ……………………………………………………………………… A message from Afri patron and Nobel Peace Laureate, Desmond Tutu: “Afri is a small organisation with a global reach, whose creativity and imaginative approach give it an ability to punch above its weight. Afri represents a dissenting voice that sometimes goes against the grain, an extremely important role in society, especially at a time when the dominant approaches have brought us to a situation of grave inequality and crises. I reaffirm my support for Afri,…organisations like Afri are now needed more than ever and that they should be supported and encouraged by all who believe in democracy in Ireland and beyond.” ……………………………………………………………………… Please sign and share the petition today. change.org/petitions/petition-respect-ireland-s-constitution-end-u-s-military-use-of-shannon ……………………………………………………………………… Background info Shannon Watch shannonwatch.org Amnesty International Ireland on Shannon renditions amnesty.ie/content/rendition-flights Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) on Ireland’s neutrality pana.ie/idn/neutral.html Open Society – Globalizing torture (renditions) info opensocietyfoundations.org/projects/globalizing-tortu Irish Anti-War movement irishantiwar.org/ ……………………………………………………………………… Shannon airport in the news Behind bars with the Shannon One February 1st, 2014 irishtimes/life-and-style/people/behind-bars-with-the-shannon-one-1.1675241 Peacemakers like Margaretta D’Arcy uphold the greater moral law Jan 28, 2014 thejournal.ie/ Shannon protesters spoke for many of us January 27, 2014 irishtimes/news/crime-and-law/shannon-protesters-spoke-for-many-of-us-1.1669349 Aosdana calls for release of jailed peace activist January 24th, 2014 independent.ie/irish-news/aosdana-calls-for-release-of-jailed-peace-activist-29945747.html 79-year-old Aosdana member jailed for three months over Shannon protest January 16th, 2014 irishtimes/news/ireland/irish-news/79-year-old-aosdana-member-jailed-for-three-months-over-shannon-protest-1.1656720 US plane landed at Shannon armed with weapon, admits Gilmore October 18, 2013 irishexaminer/ireland/us-plane-landed-at-shannon-armed-with-weapon-admits-gilmore-246664.html New Red C Poll Shows that Irish People Want Neutrality September 17, 2013 shannonwatch.org/story/new-red-c-poll-shows-irish-people-want-neutrality Ireland told ‘atone for helping US rendition September 12, 2013 irishexaminer/ireland/ireland-told-atone-for-helping-us-rendition-242719.html Report shows Ireland facilitated CIA rendition programme February 5th, 2013 thejournal.ie/ireland-cia-rendition-782742-Feb2013/ Extraordinary U-Turn on Extraordinary Rendition by Labour Leader in Government February 24th, 2012 shannonwatch.org/story/extraordinary-u-turn-extraordinary-rendition-labour-leader-government Supporting US Wars Costs Ireland Over 4 Million Euro a Year January 11th, 2012 shannonwatch.org/story/supporting-us-wars-costs-ireland-over-4-million-euro-year ; Shannon protester conviction overturned April 2011 peacenews.info/node/4260/shannon-conviction-overturned Programme for Government should mean an end to U.S. Military use of Shannon Airport March 11th, 2011 shannonwatch.org/story/programme-government-should-mean-end-us-military-use-shannon-airport First Irish Wikileaks document reveals US attitude on Shannon Airport joe.ie/news/current-affairs/first-irish-wikileaks-document-reveals-us-attitude-on-shannon-airport/ Anger at rendition flights through Shannon September 2, 2011 irishexaminer/ireland/politics/anger-at-rendition-flights-through-shannon-166249.html Ahern suspected US carried prisoners through Shannon: WikiLeaks Dec 17th, 2010 thejournal.ie/ahern-suspected-us-carried-prisoners-through-shannon-wikileaks-59178-Dec2010/ US Embassy was concerned over Shannon Dec 9, 2010 irishecho/2010/12/embassy-was-concerned-over-shannon/ WikiLeaks: Irish Government focused on U.S.-Shannon flights to gain support in election December 02, 2010 irishcentral/news/wikileaks-irish-government-focused-on-us-shannon-flights-to-gain-support-in-election-111181984-237729251.html Government faces fierce criticism over US-led renditions June 25, 2008 irishexaminer/archives/2008/0625/world/government-faces-fierce-criticism-over-us-led-renditions-65873.html Eamon Gilmore calls for Shannon inspections following Amnesty report 14 March 2008 labour.ie/press/2008/03/14/following-amnesty-report-gov-must-act-on-rendition/ Troop use of Shannon airport called into question by former Irish army commandant August 1 2007 theguardian/world/2007/aug/01/ireland-us-military Military use of airport wrong, says Irish cleric July 22, 2007 theguardian/world/2007/jul/27/usa.ireland CIA is still using Shannon for torture flights December 13, 2006 irishexaminer/archives/2006/1213/opinion/cia-is-still-using-shannon-for-torture-flights-20584.html Ireland-US row brews as Shannon Five acquitted by jury July 26, 2006 irishexaminer/archives/2006/0726/ireland/ireland-us-row-brews-as-shannon-five-walk-free-9298.html Labour says Govt can’t feign ignorance on extraordinary rendition following Council of Europe report 7 June 2006 labour.ie/press/2006/06/07/govt-cant-feign-ignorance-on-extraordinary-renditi/ Concerns grow in Ireland over use of Shannon airport as US military stopover Jan 21 2006 theguardian/world/2006/jan/21/usa.ciarendition Ruairí Quinn presses government over Shannon airport October 9th, 2005 breakingnews.ie/ireland/govt-pressed-over-us-military-use-of-shannon-airport-224597.html Cracks appear in Dail argument for use of Shannon airport March 23rd, 2003 independent.ie/opinion/editorial/cracks-appear-in-dail-argument-for-use-of-shannon-airport-26229722.html Pat Rabbitte says Ireland will be ashamed of its war role in years to come March 21st, 2003 thefreelibrary/GULF+WAR+2:+AHERN’S+COALITION+BACKS+BUSH+IN+NEUTRALITY+ROW:+YANKS+A…-a099015000 Rabbitte seeks clarification from Bertie on use of Shannon March 21, 2003 indymedia.ie/article/24885?search_text=rabbitte&comment_order=asc&condense_comments=true&userlanguage=ga Government wins Dáil vote on Shannon 20 March 2003 rte.ie/news/2003/0320/36388-iraq02/ Irish protest military use of Shannon airport January 19, 2003 theguardian/world/2003/jan/19/iraq3 Green party renew airport demands January 18, 2003 breakingnews.ie/ireland/green-party-renew-airport-demands-84735.html ……………………………………………………………………… Please sign and share the petition today. change.org/petitions/petition-respect-ireland-s-constitution-end-u-s-military-use-of-shannon Copyright © 2014 Afri, All rights reserved. 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Posted on: Fri, 02 May 2014 00:01:22 +0000
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