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"Do you have a house, do you have a car? You should think about your wife and family.....” mayo |
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feature
 Wednesday June 29, 2005 18:50 by IMC Ireland Editorial Dublin
 Shell Vs. People Of Rossport: "Mafia Threats" from Judge Before He jails The Rossport Five. Shell Lawbreaking In Mayo: What Was Not Told In Court / Indymedia Shell VS Rossport Archive / Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied: An E-Mail To RTE / Joe Higgins Statement / Shell To Sea Dublin Press Conference: Thurs 30th June: Statement / I am Micheál Ó Seighin, of Ceathrú Thaidhg, Béal an Átha, Co. Mhaigh Eo / Galway : Rock Solid Support for the Rossport Five / The Issue For Statoil: Think For A Minute
He warned them it was also in his power to seize assets, including their homes and farms. The judge also awarded costs against the five, Philip McGrath, Willie Corduff, Vincent McGrath, James Brendan Philbin and Michael O'Seighin. The landowners in question say if the pipeline goes ahead they will have to leave their homes because of the danger posed by the pipeline, which even Minister Noel Dempsey has acknowledged is "unprecedented" anywhere in the world. They had previously said they were prepared to go to jail rather than be "guinea pigs" in Shell's "experiment". Noel Dempsey has not yet given ministerial consent for the pipeline, yet the five were jailed for refusing to give an undertaking not to obstruct Shell from accessing their land to begin work. The jailing comes 10 years after the execution of nine Ogoni activists for their opposition to Shell's operation in Nigeria.
Record of Indymedia Reports as Events unfolded today - 29th June 05
Farmers attempting to stop Shell from laying high-pressure gas pipeline across their land in Rossport, Co. Mayo in the west of Ireland (a development of a type admitted to be without precedent by a minister in the Irish government) have been appearing in court in Dublin today.
Breaking news from the newswire: Latest news from the Shell in Mayo case in court this morning report that things are not looking great for the people of Rossport. The Judge at one point appeared to threaten every farmer in Mayo with imprisonment. The case resumes in the High Court in court No. 6 at 11.45am. It is looking more likely that some of the people on trial will be sent to jail although sentencing may be deferred until Friday. All support very, very welcome. Shell to Sea looking for help in protesting this campaign. Click link for regional details.Pictures from start of protest outside Mountjoy Wed 29th 2005 Statement by Joe Higgins Further reports will be posted throughout the day. Background on the case was previously reported on Indymedia.ie here and here |
The High Court has jailed five people at the request of Shell for attempting to stop the multinational from laying a controversial, high-pressure, "offshore" gas pipeline through their land in Rossport, Co Mayo. The judge ordered that the five men - four small landowners and a local supporter - be imprisoned "until they purge their contempt", meaning they will not be released until they have promised to allow Shell to dig up their land.
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Comments (46 of 46)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46“Do you have a house, do you have a car?
You should think about your wife and family.....”
High Court president to Micheal O' Seighin
What is the next line is this dialog?
Well if it was the mafia film the president of the high court seems to want to be in it would probably run something like.............
“are you threatening me your honour?”
But this film is a monologue
The judge makes all the threats
– The defendents get to, mostly, stand and listen.
I suppose 16 years of anarchism should have cured me of any illusions in our class based system of justice. But never in my life have I witnessed such a craven, supine willingness to run, yap, jump and bare the teeth at the simple behest of a foreign multi national.
Time and again the judge resorted to simple crude threats and thuggery on behalf of his masters– threatening to jail every farmer on Rossport even in Mayo if his orders weren't obeyed!
OK I'll try and over come my anger and describe a little of what happened.
This hearing in court number 6 of the high court was to consider the breaking of an interim injunction granted to Shell last April.
The incredible (no the awesome!) basis of this injunction is that land owners must give way to pipe laying by shell ON THEIR OWN LAND.
The judge ruled that the pipeline could be laid but not switched on – until the full case was heard. (Yes of course sure Shell be only delighted to spend millions on tearing it all up again ha ha)
At the last minute this morning a second notion was submitted by shell to commit people who they accused of taking part in a “blockade” of pipe laying trucks in Rossport (on foot of a second injunction granted 24th of June)
see http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=70489
The judge wanted to hear nothing except that his instructions would be obeyed to the letter. He made dire threats about fines running into thousands per day, attachment of land and possessions and immediate jailings.
Despite all this with enormous courage and dignity (qualities sadly absent from “his worship”) none of the people asked on either injunction would give a promise to obey his instructions.
Eventually in so far as I can figure it – he postponed the “blockade” hearing till Friday at 10.30 am and then said he was looking for a judge to impose sentence on the other injunction (he himself has a much more important criminal case, poor dear love, to hear).
He picked out Michael and Philip (the two that are only on the land injunction but weren't mentioned in the road blockade one) and made it clear that they would not be going home tonight.
At the moment just waiting for confirmation – but if the cases were heard at 11.45 then jail seems almost inevitable.
Remember there is a call for a protest at Mounjoy at 7.30 pm if the jailings happen!!!!!
Two more small things
On the case itself there was a discovery motion to Shell for documents. Poor Shell felt this would take an awful long time (well until pipe laid anyhow) to get. Judge ruled they had to be in by Monday week and set a date for hearing at 10.30.
He appreciated traveling up would be difficult for the dependents but then realized they'd all be in the clink any ways
“you're unlikely to have the trouble of traveling up for future hearings” (ah the icy wit what a fucking extrodinarily gifted comic)
Another barrister representing Peter Sweetman (Friends of the Irish Environment) put in a motion on the original order from the minister for the Marine but the judge was severely disinterested – may be it will have relevance if the actual case is ever heard.
OK all five defendents are to be jailed indefintly until they agree to abide by the terms of the injunction. The judge also awarded costs to Shell's oily barrister.
They're being bought to the Bridewell - then probaly to Mountjoy - If people can spread the word.
PROTEST AT MOUNTJOY TONIGHT
7.30 pm
Breaking news
All five defendants have been sent to jail – “committed to prison until such time as they purge their contempt”.
After sentencing all five men gave moving, courageous and heartfelt speeches. All present were shocked at the sentence, particularly as the judge also awarded costs against them.
Afterwards, outside the court there was a large press presence, many interviews were given, these may be on Six One this evening as RTE camera were among those.
Please show solidarity this evening at Mountjoy jail at 7.30pm. Keep an eye here on indymedia for further details on exact location on where to meet.
I'm shocked and totally stunned by the news
Five local men sent to jail for defending their families safety. Its going to be a sad day for those in Rossport and elsewhere who care. We will support them to the end.
November 1995: Nigerian state executes nine Ogoni activists arising out of their opposition to Shell's activities in their homeland
June 2005: Irish High Court jails five Mayo people over their opposition to Shell's activities in Erris
Now that the Shell five have been jailed, solidarity and practical help is needed in Rossport more than ever.
CONTACT:
ERRIS:
Maura Harrington at 087 9591474
Or e-mail info@shelltosea.com
Regional Coordinators:
* CORK/LIMERICK: E-mail cork@shelltosea.com
or phone Eugene at 021 4840862
Contact Anitya at 087 6757674
or e-mail greenday27186@yahoo.co.uk
* DUBLIN: Contact Eoin at 086 3840040
or e-mail eoin@csn.ul.ie
* KILDARE: E-mail kildare@shelltosea.com
* BALLINA: Contact Bob at 086 3201612
I applaud the integrity of the 5 landowners who in the face of corruption, bullying and deception had the courage to stand up for their own and their families and neighbours safety- an issue which does not count for much by our government, our county council, our health & safety authority nor indeed our Judiciary.
This struggle has been going on since 2000-
It still goes on...
GOD GRANT THOSE 5 BRAVE MEN A VICTORY THAT IS JUSTLY THEIRS.
Let us all stand and be counted and end this LANDLORDISM.
Ni neart le chur le cheile.
I applaude the committment, courage and integrity of the five people from Rossport, who today have proved there is no price on the safety and welfare of their families and generations to come. I am absolutely devastated in 2005 that five people have been jailed while endeavouring to get health and safety issues addressed, and have been doing so since 2000. Not such a proud day for our government, local authority or any decision makers to date??
It's a bit like the bin tax jailings where 21 people went to prison, but of course nothing ever happened to those who were involved in the toxic waste dumping around the country. The same toxic waste that now surrounds the Blessington lakes and must be slowly seeping through the gravel pits to the city water supply.
Yes, it's a case of the criminals go free and the innocent and those who dare stand up for their rights go to jail
images (c) redjade ( photovideo@dublin.ie )
images (c) redjade ( photovideo@dublin.ie )
Sinn Fein protest
Small landowners and legal team
i wonder how many shares the judge will qualify for as reward for his stupid decision. He belongs in the septic tank on the compound with his friends We must now support the protest more than ever
as a reward for this. He's probably just "doing his job". His job involves enforcing and enacting laws which are written by the rich. It is hard for people that are not rich to make the law work for them, but it can be done. It's to be hoped that the balance of public pressure in this case will defend ordinary citizens against the rich.
Self explan....
..
...
..
I read Liamy McNally's article in the Mayo News (http://www.mayonews.ie/current/county.tmpl$showpage?value1=3329038738171628) and was astounded by the points. I had been following things and was well aware that there were serious issues across all aspects of the so-called project. But here is a raft of new issues which are breathtaking.
Edward Lear couldn't even make it up.
I am also aware from local anecdote of the total farce that is the transubstantiation of some mind boggling amount of peat from the proposed terminal site to Bangor Erris where it will re-emerge as a kind of jelly-peat substance that defies normal handling procedures. Every dog in Erris knows that it is a farce. How that plan ever saw the light of day is beyond me. I get a mild sense of satisfaction in the sure knowledge that this aspect of the project will be an utter failure.
I am also very certain that when Shell and the Government get the heat turned up on them over this contemptuous and pathetic so-called project that it too will be an utter failure.
It should be stopped immediately and Shell should be put out to sea where they should have processed the gas in the first place. By the time that this farrago is over and the costs totalled. Shell will have wished they had done so in the first place.
I wonder if Shell shareholders know what kind of shite-hawking Shell are up to here in Mayo.
Regards
Liam Caffrey
i praise the courage of the five people jailed today, but these words are cheap unlike cost these people are induring , fighting for the need to live in a healthy and safe enviroment for there families and neighbours.
in jail til they "purge their contempt" for these blood for oil scum, it sickens me, so much so i now intend going to anti-g8 protest armed with a banner.
I reject this law that allows decent people to standing up for basic human rights (or what should be) go to jail. Good to see that some people care about there grand children
Freedom the real justice to these people
QUOTE: It sickens me, so much so i now intend going to anti-g8 protest armed with a banner.
That's good, fair play to you, but it'd be great if people would lend their weight of numbers to supporting in Co.Mayo or Dublin at the courts, prison etc. In terms of effect it's the difference between having Bono/Geldof using your voice lost among 100,000s as justification for how great they are, or having the chance to really help these people.
http://www.ucdsu.net/attachments/jun2005/shell.pdf
Support the Bogoni and distribute this leaflett to all and sundry....
Thank God for the internet, I've only just heard about this via a weblog. I'm in Scotland, and nothing's been heard about these utterly outrageous events! I've complained to BBC News for their lack of coverage, and written to my MEP's voicing my concern. Hopefully if we can start kicking up a fuss overseas that'll help - I can only hope!
James Philbin: The affidavit (of Shell read out by prosecuting Counsel) contains a lot of untruths. Shell are doing this for their own gain alone. Shell are making criminals out of us.
Philip McGrath: Because of my fear for our safety, I will obstruct. I will not leave my home just for Shell. I won't be a guinea pig for Shell.
Vincent McGrath: I am concerned with health and safety. There are pipelines and electric cables. We are talking about a peat bog. Mayo Co Council, an Bord Pleanála, the Health and Safety Authority, Shell and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources - none of these will take responsibility for my health and safety.
This is a derogation of sovereignty from the State to Shell, re my health and safety
Willie Corduff: The affidavit (of Shell read out in court by prosecuting Counsel) is wrong, Shell are dictating to the courts and ye are going to agree with them. Shell is using the courts to bully us. It's a poor state of affairs when the judiciary are helping a private company. I have no objection to gas if it is cleaned out at sea. They (Shell) have no Health and Safety Assessment. My wife and family are scared. (to the Judge) Will you take responsibility for me and my wife and kids? Shell are telling lies.
Like McBrearty I'm going to get my rights. Don't let it go like the McBrearty case and it will take years to come out.
I intend to go to prison for whatever time it takes to prove my innocence.
Mícheál Ó Seighin: I said before that the area was like Guantanamo but I was wrong. Instead, it's like as if it were under martial law. The entire power of the State in this area is invested in the Department of the Marine.
The President (of the High Court) was at least aware that there was a Health and Safety issue. This pipeline is in breach of normal standards of Shell and others. There are more than landowners involved. Kids will have to walk over this land.
Shell's strategy is that you use one stone at a time to get across the stream.
The President erred in a material way because it is not possible to implement his order. We don't have the resources to appeal the honourable Judge's decision.
Though not involved directly, I go in and out picking cockles. I am baffled by the result of the April hearing, as Minister Dempsey has said again and again "No, the consent to instal (the gas) is not there.".
I don't wish to go to jail but I'm prepared to go.
(in response to the Judge) No, I am not happy to give such an undertaking.
(Apologies for any mistakes in the above. Such mistakes are entirely mine. Justin Morahan)
"I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law."
Martin Luther King Jr.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy".
Martin Luther King Jr.
Hello C.Moss, contact Val at london(at)shelltosea.com who's working on this in Britain too. She'll be in Scotland at G8 also.
Click on 'contact us' on shelltosea website below to see other regional coordinators. You could be scotland(at)... if you want
I am shocked and disgusted by what has happened to these Mayo men. The photos above tell a clear story. The Irish judiciary and by extension the Irish government have alot to answer to. I spit on Shell.
Which Ministers signed off on the Compulsory Purchase Orders that gave these farmer's lands to Shell?
If anyone ever doubted it, there's the proof that the govt are just gangsters who can be bought by a brown envelope at the Galway races...
I have registered and made a topic on the 'Tell Shell' forums.
Posting a link to this page and asking them for their opinion.
Anyone can join the discussion, please do.
http://www.tellshellforum.shell.com/startFrame.aspx?messageID=25
From another indymedia thread:
"On this occasion Shell personnel were acting on an unprecedented ‘Compulsory Acquisition Order’ (CAO), issued by statutory instrument by then Minister Frank Fahey (i.e. sneaked through by Fahey in 2001, rather than coming before open Dail debate). Also unprecedented in that CAOs have always only been used for public developments, e.g. state motorways, rather than private developments geared to the profit of international capitalists. "
Frank Fahey
TD for Galway West
Ballybane Industrial Estate, Galway
Tel: 091-771020
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=70442&condense_comments=false#comment112696
Dear Everyone,
Please send them our very best wishes and tell them that we're thinking of
them and planning stuff in support and solidarity.
Also tell them that we did a protest outside the Shell AGM this tuesday and
were joined by representatives of the fenceline communities from around the
world that are living with Shell in their communities, that were over here to
raise questions in the AGM about Shell's environmental and social injustices.
We've had problems putting the report up on indymedia UK but its there now
and we're also posting it to indymedia.ie later today.
I'll be in Scotland from sat and will be taking 15,000 leaflets about Mayo
with me to distribute in Edinburgh, Glasgow and the rural convergence centres
and want to link up with Irish people coming over, especially from Mayo, to
organise workshops and stuff. There will be an assembly of around 900 people
at Edinburgh convergence centre on Monday where we can raise the Mayo
situation. I'll be camping at the rural convergence HoriZone in the pink n
silver samba barrio, if anyone gets this message that's going and would like
to link up. (i don't have a mobile, sorry!)
Some of the leaflets could go back to Mayo if you want them, for a mass
leafletting, which i think is essential. Just a few thoughts: Shell and
corrupt politicians can dismiss activists as drug crazed or alcohol fuelled
thugs (which is not true & a ploy that divides public opinion (divide &
rule!)) but residents cannot be dismissed so easily. I believe if the
majority of Mayo people came out in protest against Shell, then Shell would
pull out eventually, especially if it starts costing them too much money.
In solidarity,
Val
london (at) shelltosea.com
>> If anyone ever doubted it, there's the proof that the govt are just gangsters who can be bought by a brown envelope at the Galway races...
eh, most people can be bought via a brown paper bag i think you'll find. thats why the Republic of Ireland needs to be dismantled so that local people can rule themselves and decided exactly what happens in their community. At the end of the day we are all to blame for this situation because any society is responsible for the type of government that governs it. How will most people in Ireland react to the jailing of these 5 men? Well, I’m sure they’ll think its terrible but few people will bother expressing this outrage in a meaningful way. That’s the problem. We have a form of government where hundreds of thousands of people must become vocal and active regarding an issue in order for it to be reversed. For example, I remember signing a petition to make Irish an official EU language – tens of thousands of people did the same. Only a handful of us bothered protesting in Shannon and as a result the US still refuel there. But if there were a local government system then it would only take a few hundred pissed off people to reverse such ridiculous decisions. In fact, Rossport would have told Shell oil want to do with their pipeline long ago if they had their own government. Blaming Shell Oil or the Irish government for this is pathetic. Its our collective fault that the aforementioned exist in the first place. There are hundreds of Shell oil garages on this island, and Shell Oil are not to blame for that, we are. If we didn’t purchase their oil then they wouldn’t exist. But it seems that society no longer takes responsibility for it actions. Rather we abstract things and blame faceless entities such as Multinationals or governments, or we find an anti-Christ character such as George Bush to pin everything on. But the average man or woman creates these things. When I went for lunch today I found myself surrounded by Coke cans. And so what if you or I don’t drink Coke or buy Shell oil? We are the enlightened few – were just lucky. You can’t blame a man for being ignorant, whether he is a Coke drinking student or a corrupt politician. It is up to us who know better to educate those who are not. And I’m not talking about lecturing people, that doesn’t work. I’m saying that we need to integrate and gain the respect of those whos lifestyles and beliefs we disagree with. But are we doing this? How many liberally minded people make the decision to remain in the one horse town they were born in rather than make their home in a city. American election results present a fundamental rural / urban split. Liberals in the cities, hicks in the country. Who’s to blame for this? Or put another way, who’s needs to change their lifestyle in order to reverse this trend. Its not a rural persons fault if they fall for the shenanigans of the US administration when there is nobody in their community, nobody whos trust they have, there to expose these lies to them. What I’m trying to say is that we all need to take more responsibility for whats wrong in our society rather than passing the buck all the time. And I think we need to be less myopic in how we view our problems. Again its not corporations and how corporations behave that’s the real issue. The real issue is how we behave as a society. Unless we change how we govern ourselves, then well always have these kinds of problems. I remember watching a film made in seventies America about a farmers fight against a big corporation. Nothing has changed because the system is still the same. But in order to change the system in a non-authoritarian fashion (i.e. on a long term bases), then society must also change, and change fundamentally.
"Mine ear is open, and my heart prepared:
The worst is worldly loss thou canst unfold:-
Say, is my kingdom lost?"
Shakespeare
You know, it occurs to me that all multinational corporations care about is, obviously, money.Therefore the best way to make a multinational sit up and take notice of a campaign is if that campaign is reducing their profits. The best way to do this is, to remember what the people of Mayo did so many years ago when they were in conflict with a landlord, is to begin a boycott. Not just one by the people who are directly concerned with the case, but a National Boycott. It doesnt take much to begin, just a few national personalities (e.g. Joe Higgins,Gerry Adams) to call for one and a bit of publicity and it will take off. The media are hopping all over this story and remember that what the media want most is drama. I can guarentee that Shell will listen then, and they won't hide behind ministers of big business who don't give a rats ass about these brave men and women. The people with the contacts should concentrate on this aspect of the campaign.
Bua nó Bás.
The simple answer is clean the gas at sea, for the sake of the Irish people!
Busy at moment, exams coming up but what can I do? Anywhere we get leaflets, etc? This judge has wiped his arse on people's democratic rights, Shell have no right to make compulsary purchases against small holders. However, judges have a tradition of elitism, snobbery and contempt for the hoi polloi. Can you imagine a compulsary order to build gas pipes on judges land?No, neither can I.
Even the trolls are staying quiet on this one. Anyway, keep us all posted, I'm well up for distributing leaflets, something I normally never do, because I'm shallow and image conscious.This time round, though, I'll do it.Hell, I'll even go down to the posh hotels and give them out to rich foreign tourists and show them what a sham of a place this country of ours has become.
As for the judge, hopefully Karma will slap his sneering backside hard.
To the five; Don't give up.
Ed: comments on editorial policy removed
Let us refer briefly to Bunreacht na hEireann.
To the best of my knowledge this noble document accords no special privileges to multinational corporations, being framed as it was at a time when these evil combines had not yet tightened their death grip on the peoples of the Earth.
In fact it only enshrines in law the personal rights of its citizens as HUMAN PERSONS.
Personal Rights - Article 40
1. All citizens shall, as human persons, be held equal before the law.
.....
3. 1° The State guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate the personal rights of the citizen.
2° The State shall, in particular, by its laws protect as best it may from unjust attack and, in the case of injustice done, vindicate the life, person, good name, and property rights of every citizen.
Now in relation to compulsory purchase orders, the only abrogation of private property rights to be found is as follows:
Private Property - Article 43
2. 1° The State recognises, however, that the exercise of the rights mentioned in the foregoing provisions of this Article ought, in civil society, to be regulated by the principles of social justice.
2° The State, accordingly, may as occasion requires delimit by law the exercise of the said rights with a view to reconciling their exercise with the exigencies of the common good.
THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE EXIGENCIES OF THE COMMON GOOD.
Any of ye legal scholars care to explain to me how the signing away of our national resources to a multinational corporation (an entity which is not even explicitly recognised or accorded any rights by our constitution) is to be considered in accordance with the above stated principles and exigencies ?
Let's have the figures on the table and see how much the common good of the people of Ireland is served by this deal !!!!
Now turn to Art. 34
5. 1° Every person appointed a judge under this Constitution shall make and subscribe the following declaration:
"In the presence of Almighty God I, , do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my knowledge and power execute the office of Chief Justice (or as the case may be) without fear or favour, affection or ill-will towards any man, and that I will uphold the Constitution and the laws. May God direct and sustain me."
ALL PERSONS OF SOUND MIND CAN DRAW THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS AS TO HOW WELL THIS JUDGE HAS UPHELD HIS OATH OF OFFICE.
Solidarity Message to the Rossport Five
Many many people rushed to sign the above.
They were part of the G8 March today,30 June 2005.
Send a card or letter of support.
Shell To Sea made it possible for people of the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY march to sign a solidarity message to the Rossport Five between 6 and 8 pm this evening. We collected about 500 signatures in an hour and could have had hundreds more if we had the capacity.
The people were expressing their shock and utter disgust and actually lined up to sign.
These sheets of signatures are being given to the families tomorrow to bring into the prison and a copy is being made of the lists to be handed into Noel Dempsey.
We encourage everyone to post or deliver cards to the Rossport Five at Cloverhill Prison, Clondalkin, D 15
Thanks to all the helpers of SHELLTO SEA.
you are invited to sign online support, for the class action which has been taken against Shell Oil & Gas on behalf of the Ogoni people of Nigeria today.
but read the fine print first.
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/shell
{{{You should not act, or refrain from acting, based upon any information on this web site. This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. The information provided at this web site is not privileged and does not create an attorney-client relationship.# you confirm that the information you have provided is true and accurate, and not given for the purpose of harassment. # You acknowledge that you are not engaging Online Legal Services Ltd. to give you legal advice.}}}
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68769
Or you could reflect on the steady divestment of Shell in the carribean over the last years, and the news that today Chavez signed a thirteen nation,
(that means twelve other people signed but it spun o you as just little old him with the baseball bat)
pact with caribbean states on petro-chemical co-operation. These include nicaragua, cuba, trinidad & tobago, dominican republic blaa blaa ribbid ribbid,
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3222,36-667714@51-650791,0.html
As a frequent troll on this site I have to change from the usual rant and say I am 100% in support of the farmers and residents in this case,following their very informed interviews given on Mainstream Media yesterday.
Sadly though,a boycott of Shell or Statoil is not practical due to the lack of any other low price fuel merchants.
As one who has lived next to a low pressure gas pipe for most of my adult life(and some childhood too) I wondered what the fuss was all about,but after hearing the daughter of one of the farmers on Today FM yesterday, I am enraged that a Business is abusing the courts in this way to save a few euros,having stolen the exploration site from the irish people . And caring little for the potential risk to those who live nearby.
Most of the evil in the world today has Oil Companies in there somewhere....Who Knows,if we continue to resist Shells plans to rape our scarce resources and ride roughshod accross the green fields our isle is so famous for,we will upset the Great Oil Baron himself,and find ourselves the victim of sanctions,airstrikes etc,for some imagined offence?
A line must be drawn in the sand.(literally).
Jonathan Brown, Independent [UK] 08 Jun 2005
...for Shell, operations there [in Sakhalin] are running into fierce local resistance, and the company has found itself the target of the biggest environmental campaign in Russia...Parallels are being drawn with the resistance the company faced in the Ogoni region of Nigeria...SEIC's [Sakhalin Energy Investment Company] chief executive, Ian Craig...accepts...that the project is not universally loved and that mistakes have been made. "This a huge development and it must have a very significant impact. Our job as management is to minimise the negative and maximise the positive. You can't have a development on this scale without an impact on one part of the community. There will be people who have concerns but there will be others who will benefit from it." Shell and SEIC believe they are doing everything they can to comply with social and environmental standards as laid down by the World Bank and other bodies. [also refers to Mitsubishi, Mitsui]
check out the link
Thank for your support for the above, please over the days to come do whatever you can to highlight the cause. Today July 1st please join the residents of Rossport and their supporters at the Shell compound in Ballinaboy at 1pm for a protest.
Minister Dempsey clarified in the Dáil yesterday that he has yet to issue the required consent to Shell E&P to lay the pipeline in Rossport, yet on April 4th 2005 the President of the High Court, as far as I remember and I was there, issued an injunction under which he claims he assured the locals about safety concerns until the hearing, by allowing Shell E&P to lay the pipeline and to test it (by passing water through it), but not to use it. Please feel free to correct me in this if I'm wrong!
My question is this: does anyone know what this implies legally? Has Minister Dempsey's authority not been seriously undermined in this? Does he need to issue the consent to lay the pipeline when the High Court is allowing Shell to build the pipeline anyway? Did the President of the High Court make a clerical error in not recognising that the appropriate consent had not been granted, an error which has had such devastating consequences for all concerned? Should this injunction be thrown out of court on this technicality? Who's in charge in this scenario? Who has responsibility?
Proceedings against Mayo men dismissed
01 July 2005 11:50
The High Court has dismissed proceedings against three Co Mayo landowners who were facing the prospect of a second jail sentence for contempt of court.
The men undertook not to obstruct the road leading to the shell depot in Rossport.
However, the three men, Vincent and Philip McGrath and Willie Corduff are already in jail with two other Mayo men for contempt over their opposition to the Corrib gas pipeline.
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The men are being held in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin.
Minister says he can not interfere with High Court decision
Last night, the Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources told the Dáil he could not interfere with the High Court decision to jail the men.
Noel Dempsey confirmed that a risk assessment of the Shell plan for the pipeline had shown it conformed to international criteria.
He said he would ensure that an appropriate independent auditing and monitoring regime will be installed prior to any gas passing through the pipeline.
This morning, Independent Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley, who visited the men in jail last night, again called on Mr Dempsey to intervene in the dispute.
He said the men were determined to continue with their opposition to the controversial pipeline, and the Minister should undertake a complete review of the project on health and safety grounds.
Council has served warning notices on Shell EP Ireland
Meanwhile, in a new twist in the Corrib gas terminal saga, it has emerged that Mayo County Council have served warning notices on Shell EP Ireland concerning alleged unauthorised development at the company depot in Rossport.
Following complaints from locals in the area, the council investigated the apparent unauthorised development of a septic tank like structure and served the notices on Shell and Roadbridge Limited yesterday.
The Director of Services at Mayo County Council, Joe Loftus, said he is now awaiting a response from the company and that the council is monitoring the Rossport site closely to ensure compliance with planning legislation and conditions.
'Safety was not the point of the injunction.If they get it wrong you get money' President of the High Court Justice Finnegan[10-06-05].......'Sometimes things do go wrong.We do our best to insure people who suffer are compensated'Shell Chairman,Lord Oxburgh[28-06-05]...............Two statements by two different people ? They could change jobs but the outcome would be the same...NO JUSTICE
People had only assembled outside mountjoy when the men were moved under escort to Cloverhill. Nevertheless the Rossport 5 supporters made their presence felt as the lads passed in the van! There was an open mic and a good speak out from the families and grassroots supporters before a smaller contingent headed to Cloverhill to sound off support to the five men in their first night behind bars.
Messages of solidarity to the Rossport 5, Cloverhill Prison, Dublin 22
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I am 100% behind the Rossport 5 and we support them the whole way for standing up against the 'big boys' and fighting for what they believe in. Take it all the way. These men would make better politicians then the ones who are running the country. We will continue spreading the word and gaining support.