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.
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.
http://www.change.org/
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
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 www.afri.ie or donate via www.idonate.ie/afri
Afri – Action From Ireland
Working for peace, justice, human rights and sustainability.
W: www.afri.ie | E: admin@afri.ie
F: www.facebook.com/
T: @AfriPeace
€: www.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.
http://www.change.org/
Background info
Shannon Watch
http://www.shannonwatch.org
Amnesty International Ireland on Shannon renditions
http://www.amnesty.ie/content/
Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) on Ireland’s neutrality
http://www.pana.ie/idn/
Open Society – Globalizing torture (renditions) info
http://www.
Irish Anti-War movement
http://irishantiwar.org/
…………………………
Shannon airport in the news
Behind bars with the Shannon One
http://www.irishtimes.com/
February 1st, 2014
Peacemakers like Margaretta D’Arcy uphold the greater moral law
Jan 28, 2014
http://www.thejournal.ie/
Shannon protesters spoke for many of us
January 27, 2014
http://www.irishtimes.com/
Aosdana calls for release of jailed peace activist
January 24th, 2014
http://www.independent.ie/
79-year-old Aosdana member jailed for three months over Shannon protest
January 16th, 2014
US plane landed at Shannon armed with weapon, admits Gilmore
October 18, 2013
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
New Red C Poll Shows that Irish People Want Neutrality
September 17, 2013
http://www.shannonwatch.org/
Ireland told ‘atone for helping US rendition
September 12, 2013
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
Report shows Ireland facilitated CIA rendition programme
February 5th, 2013
http://www.thejournal.ie/
Extraordinary U-Turn on Extraordinary Rendition by Labour Leader in Government
February 24th, 2012
Supporting US Wars Costs Ireland Over 4 Million Euro a Year
January 11th, 2012
http://www.shannonwatch.org/
Shannon protester conviction overturned
April 2011
http://peacenews.info/node/
Programme for Government should mean an end to U.S. Military use of Shannon Airport
March 11th, 2011
http://www.shannonwatch.org/
First Irish Wikileaks document reveals US attitude on Shannon Airport
http://www.joe.ie/news/
Anger at rendition flights through Shannon
September 2, 2011
http://www.irishexaminer.com/
Ahern suspected US carried prisoners through Shannon: WikiLeaks
Dec 17th, 2010
http://www.thejournal.ie/
US Embassy was concerned over Shannon
Dec 9, 2010
http://irishecho.com/2010/12/
WikiLeaks: Irish Government focused on U.S.-Shannon flights to gain support in election
December 02,2010
Government faces fierce criticism over US-led renditions
June 25, 2008
Eamon Gilmore calls for Shannon inspections following Amnesty report
14 March 2008
http://www.labour.ie/press/
Troop use of Shannon airport called into question by former Irish army commandant
August 1 2007
http://www.theguardian.com/
Military use of airport wrong, says Irish cleric
July 22, 2007
http://www.theguardian.com/
CIA is still using Shannon for torture flights
December 13, 2006
Ireland-US row brews as Shannon Five acquitted by jury
July 26, 2006
Labour says Govt can’t feign ignorance on extraordinary rendition following Council of Europe report
7 June 2006
http://www.labour.ie/press/
Concerns grow in Ireland over use of Shannon airport as US military stopover
Jan 21 2006
http://www.theguardian.com/
Ruairí Quinn presses government over Shannon airport
October 9th, 2005
http://www.breakingnews.ie/
Cracks appear in Dail argument for use of Shannon airport
March 23rd, 2003
http://www.independent.ie/
Pat Rabbitte says Ireland will be ashamed of its war role in years to come
March 21st, 2003
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/
Rabbitte seeks clarification from Bertie on use of Shannon
March 21, 2003
Government wins Dáil vote on Shannon
20 March 2003
http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/
Irish protest military use of Shannon airport
January 19, 2003
http://www.theguardian.com/
Green party renew airport demands
January 18, 2003
http://www.breakingnews.ie/
Please sign and share the petition today.
http://www.change.org/
Published by