Shannon Torture Watch

clare | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Thursday September 04, 2008 00:35 by John Lannon

Peaceful Protest against Ongoing Use of Shannon Airport by the US Military and CIA Torturers

The monthly vigil to highlight Shannon airport's complicity in war and human rights abuse takes place on Sunday 14th September from 5 to 6pm. Meet at the small roundabout just before the airport. This is an opportunity to protest peacefully against Ireland's shameful disregard for international human rights law, and to remember the men, women and children who are suffering as a result.

Some reasons to protest ...

- On August 22nd US airtrikes in Afghanistan killed 90 civilians, including 60 children. The country is in a state of war, and the only thing thriving there is opium production. Meanwhile Iraq is beset by growing sectarian strife, is being ruled by militia, and has five million of its people displaced inside or outside the country - all since the US-lead invasion in March 2003. Ireland supports these US occupations by allowing daily troop movements through Shannon Airport.

- As the troops continue to go through the airport lounges, the local and national authorities have come to accept war and the suffering it causes as a business opportunity for the airport. Perhaps a US military attack on Iran, if it refuses to stop its nuclear activities, is seen simply as another chance to profit?

- This week also saw a second request to the Irish government for information on rendition flights that stopped in Shannon. The request concerns two flights - the first landed on July 22nd, 2002, on its way to taking Binyam Mohamed to a torture chamber in Morocco; the second stopped at Shannon on September 17th, 2004, en route to rendering the same man from Rabat, Morocco to Kabul, Afghanistan. The request was made by Mr Mohamed's lawyer, Clive Stafford-Smith.

- Tens of thousands more prisoners remain illegally detained in secret CIA black sites around the world. Shannon airport may be involved in the illegal disappearance and brutal torture of these forgotten victims of the "war on terror".

We want our government to be accountability and to respect human rights. Tht means not turning a blind eye to US activities at Shannon.

Join the vigil on Sept 14th at 5pm for one hour.