Derry: Solidarity With Maura Harrington

derry | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Monday March 30, 2009 11:38 by MAOR Derry - MAOR maorderry at gmail dot com

Activists from the north west group, MAOR, held a solidarity vigil in Derry city center, Saturday March 28th, with the SHELL TO SEA campaigner Maura Harrington highlighting her continued imprisonment.

Leaflets were distributed condemning the continued repression and occupation in Mayo as well as Maura's political imprisonment and called for her immediate release from Mountjoy Prison.

END THE REPRESSION AND OCCUPATION IN MAYO

Since 2000, Shell to Sea campaign and local communities of Erris, Co. Mayo, have fought against the construction of a dangerous oil refinery project by the multinational giant SHELL.

On March 11th 2009 at Belmullet court, Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington was sentenced to 28 days in prison in relation to an assault at Pollathomais Pier on the 11th June 2007.

This relates to an incident which occurred when Gardaí and Shell used a digger to force their way onto private property against the wishes of the landowner in order to facilitate the laying of a portacabin.

Commenting on the sentence, Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway stated “On the 11th June 2007 at Pollathomais in the region of 20 local people received injuries in relation to Gardaí forcing their way illegally onto private property, yet no Garda has ever been brought to justice as a result of this incident. Instead now that Shell is about to begin their works in Glengad, it seems that the State operation against the community has kicked into gear”.

Speaking at Belmullet court, local fisherman Pat O’Donnell stated that “It’s a sad indictment of the country when a brave lady like Maura is put in jail for defending her community and standing up to corruption and greed; while all the corporate executives and bankers seem to only get golden handshakes for their corruption and greed. Maura Harrington is a political prisoner sentenced at the behest of Shell”. Previously during the hearing of the case, Maura Harrington had refused to take the stand in her own defence after Judge Mary Devins refused to allow video footage of the incident to be admitted.

Mr Conway continued “In the last 3 weeks the Gardaí have handed out in the region of 25 summonses to people for their opposition to Shell, so it seems that political policing has commenced in no uncertain manner. It cannot be mere coincidence that all of these summonses are appearing just as Shell is due to re-commence work back on Glengad Special Area of Conservation”. Mr. Conway concluded by saying that “Our opposition to Shell’s plans will continue, as we are fighting for the health and safety of our community and the future of the area”.
‘MAOR calls on everyone in Donegal and the North West to Mobilise, Act, Overcome and Reclaim our rights to our country’s offshore natural resources.