Racist Hecklers

This evening's anti-war vigil outside St Patrick's Cathedral attracted roughly 30 to 40 participants, including a number of schoolkids who had maintained a presence since 2pm. Just before the vigil began, one of these kids fainted and had to be removed by ambulance for medical attention.

Throughout the vigil - and for some time before - those there in solidarity, including the schoolkids, were subjected to repeated taunts, abuse and racist chants from a group of local teenagers.

Related Links: Update on Afghan Hunger Strike: Day 4 Wednesday | Belfast Solidarity Picket | Belfast Photos | Questions in the Dail | Statement from volunteer observer | Hunger Strike in Colnbrook Detention Centre | Colnbrook Hungerstrike Solidarity Page | Residents Against Racism | Picket at McDowell's constituency office this Friday | Bush Speech: The American Right Demands a Final Solution for Immigrants

Castlemartin, Kildare residence of O’Reilly

“Paramilitary style death threats have been made against workers on Shell's controversial Corrib gas pipeline project in Co Mayo, the Sunday Independent can reveal. The Sunday Independent has learned that two Scottish workers employed by the Norwegian-owned Statoil corporation were approached by a gang of men outside a pub in Belmullet and told they would be shot "in the back of the head".”

- Sunday Independent, July 17th, 2005.

People who suffer the misfortune of being regular readers of the rag known as the Sunday Independent may remember a series of literary assaults it ran last summer on the Shell to Sea campaign. As the weather improves and we enter a new ‘construction season’, so to does the chance of Shell attempting work, things hoting up here, and another parade of corporate media lies. So in the spirit of getting your retaliation in first here follows an exploration of the interests the O’Reilly Empire has in the privatisation of natural resources. Growing naturally from this is a look at what is entailed in that privatisation, at fresh developments in oil and gas in Ireland, and at the political issues involved in campaigning around this.

Related Links on Oil and Gas: Centre for Public Inquiry Providence Resources Gas Lads – Magill Article Irish Offshore Operators Association

Related Links on Media and O’Reilly: Attack on Corporate Greed Censored Independent News and Media Plc Guide to Independent News and Media Wikipedia on Independent News and Media Castlemartin Stud

SHELL NOT WANTED IN ROSSPORT

Syttende mai (May 17th) is commemorated every year by Norwegians all around the world, to mark their country's achievement of independence. A parade was held this morning in Dublin, when many members of the Norwegian community carried their country's flag along Grafton Street.

They were joined this year by members of the Shell to Sea campaign, who followed along behind with a section of Pipeline with PROPERTY OF STATOIL and NOT WANTED IN ROSSPORT printed on the side.

John Monaghan of Shell to Sea said: "This year in Ireland May 17th was also marked by Shell to Sea activists who want to point out the absurd situation whereby the people of Ireland will benefit nothing from the Corrib gas field, while the people of Norway will see the profits invested in their schools, hospitals, roads and pensions."

Liverpool Brigade Veterans Jack James Larkin Jones(93)
and Jack Edwards(92) behind banner of Connolly Column
at fortress of Castell de Sant Ferran, Figueres, Catalonia

On Saturday, April 15th, 2006, British and Irish relatives and friends of International Brigaders marked the 70th anniversary of the formation of the International Brigades with a commemorative walk, led by Pauline Fraser, across the Pyrenees from France into Spain.

The ceremonies commenced in the French Pyrenean village of Las Illas, at the monument to mark the passing through that village in 1939 of the President of the Spanish Republic, the President of the Basque Republic and the President of the Generalitat of Catalunya - fleeing for their lives as refugees from the triumph of fascism in Spain. (In 1940 the Nazi German occupation authorities and the collaborationist Vichy French Government would hand over President Companys of Catalunya for subsequent execution by Franco’s Spanish fascists in Barcelona).

This monument also commemorates the same village as one of the routes through which International Brigade volunteers clandestinely entered a blockaded Spanish Republic from 1936 to 1938; as well as the route taken in the reverse direction in 1939 by a significant proportion of more than half a million Spanish Republican refugees.

A group of twenty to thirty refugees (UPDATE: numbers are now known to be 41) occupied St. Patricks Cathedral after today’s Cathedral Service. At least three minors are believed to be among the group of men. The group are seeking refugee status in Ireland and decided to hungerstrike after some of their applications were turned down last Friday by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Commissioner. Geen Party TD, Ciarán Cuffe has met some of the men and believes them to be genuine.

Hoping for human rights in Ireland

According to Amnesty International’s 2005 Country Report armed groups in Afghanistan continue to commit abuses against civilians, aid workers, election officials and potential voters. Abduction and rape are reportedly common. The legal system lacks basic provisions for fair trials and executions have been reported. AmnestyUSA reports that some of this violence (including torture) is perpetrated by the US troops currently occupying the war-torn country.

The asylum seekers issued a statement to explain the reason for their drastic decision to go on hunger strike in St. Patricks Cathedral, it states very starkly and clearly the reason why they believe they should be allowed to stay:

We have been in Ireland for years and most of us have been suffering from mental and physical problems besides the mental and physical problems we had in Afghanistan. We want an answer from the Irish Government, Is it life in Ireland or death?

Latest Updates: more join, water refused, show support | church authorities appeal, hungerstrike continues | McDowell responds, Catholic Church quiet | Request quiet night, solidarity is welcomed | Day 3 vigil announced solidarity picket photos|