3 Weeks from Trial - A Call for Solidarity with the PIt Stop Ploughshares

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | press release Thursday June 15, 2006 17:50 by Pit Stop Ploughshares ploughsharesireland at yahoo dot ie Ploughshares c/- 134 Phibsborough Rd. Phibsborough Dublin 7 IRELAND 087 918 4552

The War is the Crime!

***APPEAL****
To Help The
PIT STOP PLOUGHSHARES
(Deirdre Clancy, Nuin Dunlop, Karen Fallon, Damien
Moran, Ciaron O'Reilly)
ON TRIAL
Dublin Four Courts, July 5th. 2006

Dear Friends,

It has been a long journey to
trial for the "Pit Stop Ploughshares" community, since
our February 3rd, 2003, non-violent disarmament of a
U.S. Navy War Plane at Shannon Airport, Co. Clare,
Ireland.

It has been a long 3 years for our ploughshares
community, but a much longer three years for the
people of Iraq suffering an invasion, occupation and
plunder of their homeland.

The Irish State's attempt to criminalise our
non-violent act of peacemaking complements their
militarisation of the civilian Shannon Airport to
service the U.S. war machine. We are not alone, as
other peace activists, and also resisters within the
British and U.S. military are being dragged before
courts & court martials, imprisoned in jails &
stockades for their non-violent resistance to this
war. In war, authentic peacemaking is criminalized,
as killing, theft, torture, incineration, internment,
rape and sexual abuse are legitimised as policy.

*TRUTH THE FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR

Over the past three years the lies that were employed
to market this "illegal war" have been exposed;

-A WAR AGAINST WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

No WMD has been found during the three years of
U.S./U.K. military occupation of Iraq.

-A WAR AGAINST TERRORISM

U.S. destruction of Iraqi civil society through its
1980's support for Saddam Hussein, 1990's imposition
of a genocidal sanctions regime and now a brutal
bombardment and military occupation has transformed
Iraq into a swamp of vengeance and a breeding ground
for terrorism.

- A WAR TO BRING SUPERIOR WESTERN VALUES TO THE
MIDDLE EAST

U.S. colonial rule by decree from Saddam's former
palace, trans-national privatisation of Iraqi
resources, and evidence of crimes Abu Ghraib &
Fallujah puts lie to this mirage.

Over the past three years, 100,000 Iraqis mostly women
and children have been slain. Over the last two
years, over 2,500 U.S. soldiers, many who passed
through Shannon Airport, have returned in body bags.
Uncounted thousands of Iraqis, Americans, Britons and
others have lost limbs, sanity, loved ones and homes.

As the late Peter Ustinov reflected, "War is the
terrorism of the rich; Terrorism is the war of the
poor"

Over the past three years, following our remand time
in Limerick Prison, the State has tried to keep the
Pit Stop Ploughshares in a state of suspended animation
on bail. We have tried to remain faithful to the
non-violent disarmament we undertook and vigilant to
continued Irish complicity in this war. We believe if the
Irish state granted us a fair trial,we would be acquitted
of all charges. We hope they will grant us one on their
third attempt.

We have refused to see our jail time, bail time,
2 trials thus far and the threat of future punishment as
apersonal predicament to evade or disown. We have
seen thesephases of our non-violent disarmament
witness as opportunities to speak truth to power and
to expresssolidarity with the people of Iraq & the young
Americans being shuttled through Shannon to Iraq, to
kill and die for the rich and powerful.

We are on a journey inspired by the ancient prophecy
of Micah and Isaiah to "beat swords into ploughshares
and study war no more". We invite you to join us on
this journey.

We see our act of "beating swords into ploughshares"
at Shannon Airport as a non-violent gift of faith
enfleshed, hope enacted and freedom offered at a
time when the war machine is deployed at full throttle
to invade, occupy and plunder. In turn, we have been
sustained over the past two years by the gifts of
solidarity from old friends and new. Gifts of
hospitality, friendship, transport, musical talent,
legal expertise have accompanied us through the
roller coaster ride of the courts. A judicial process
designed to isolate, intimidate, and defeat the war
resister. The only sustenance we have is our faith
and your solidarity.

We hope to join with you to take this witness of
non-violent resistance to the ongoing war to
Dublin’s Four Courts from July 5th., 2006.

We hope our trial, beginning on July 5th., will
be a time of celebration and a catylyst for non-violent
opposition to the war. We hope friends from around
Ireland, and from overseas, will gather in Dublin to
celebrate non-violent disarmament as an authentic
option for the human family.

We hope the trial will non-violently confront the
U.S., British and Irish institutions that continue
to wage war on the people of Iraq. We hope other acts
of nonviolent resistance and solidarity will grow out
of the trial and our time together - whether we are
acquitted or imprisoned.

WE ARE IN URGENT NEED OF FUNDS TO BRING RELEVANT
WITNESSES TO COURT TO TESTIFY TO THE NATURE OF THE
HIGH CRIMES INFLICTED IN IRAQ AND TO FACILITATE
OUTREACH IN THE LEAD UP AND THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL.

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO:

"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
134 Phibsborough Rd.
Dublin 7
IRELAND

Donations can be lodged at any
Bank of Ireland branch:
"Ploughshares Defence Fund"
Account No. 80965573 Sort Code 900551

More information
www.peaceontrial.com
ploughsharesireland@yahoo.ie