|
The County Kildare
Anti-War Movement is in
the process of planning
a national anti war /
peace action, which would
aim to involve the various
anti war and peace groups
throughout Ireland.
The objective would be
to try to recapture the
spirit of February the
15th when over 100,000
people took to the streets
of Dublin to oppose the
war in Iraq, and the Irish
government's facilitation
of the US/UK lead war
through the use of Shannon
by the US Military. We
wish to recapture this
spirit by reengaging people
through a positive action
designed to continue to
raise the issue of the
increasingly militaristic
nature of the western
governments.
We propose a walk, or
cycle, across Ireland,
possibly west to east,
for example from Shannon
to the Dáil. The
idea would be to involve
the various anti-war groups
in a relay type action.
This format would allow
for the various groups
to have events in their
own towns along the way.
As the geographical locations
of the various groups
is widespread, this walk
or cycle, does not necessarily
have to have one starting
point, perhaps a number
of starting points, converging
on one end point.
So why carry out this
action now?
We feel that the events
of the 15th of February
were underplayed by the
Irish media, and in an
international context,
by the world media. Following
the Dublin march, Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern in an interview
with RTE tried to suggest
that the marchers were
in favour of the government's
stance, which in a very
vague manner he said was
that no one wanted a war,
and that the UN was the
preferred route. This
Ludicrous observation
of the march, completely
ignored the frustration
and real concerns of the
thousands of marchers
which took to the streets
of Dublin.
We feel that the hundred
thousand people that showed
up in Dublin on February
15th, and the thousands
more that didn't, but
still opposed the US/UK
war, and the use of Shannon
by the US military, have
been ignored by the media,
and more importantly,
by the government. There
is a need to continue
to engage these people,
and to try to raise the
profile of the Irish peoples
opinions towards such
a militaristic world order,
and the Irish governments
complicity in it.
We feel such an action
is also very important,
in order to counteract
some recent worrying developments.
On April 12th, the County
Kildare Anti-War Movement
participated in a march
organised by the National
Anti-War Movement, at
Shannon Airport. All members
of the group were shocked
by the overwhelming Garda
presence, and the manner
in which they policed
this march.
Two cars of our members
were pulled over at a
Garda check point before
we reached Bunratty, and
searched. On arrival at
Shannon airport, the march
was met by hundreds of
police, uniformed, plain
cloths, police with dogs,
mounted police, the ever
present Garda helicopter
flying above, and a rather
large presence of riot
police (not warning their
official numbers), along
with no less than three
water cannon placed on
top of the airport fire
engines. The police also
made it very obvious to
everyone that they were
being photographed and
videoed from adjacent
roof tops.
We feel that this very
out of proportion policing
was an attempt to intimidate
ordinary people. Given
the very large number
of police, and the small,
peaceful and family orientated
nature of the protest,
it would seem that the
only possible objective
was to frighten and deter
ordinary people from peacefully
and legally gathering
to voice their very legitimate
concern over the use of
Shannon Airport by the
US military.
It is our democratic
right to protest against
government policy, and
no one should be intimidated
and made feel like a criminal
in this manner. Bering
in mind the above mentioned
march at Shannon, and
the incident which took
place out side the Dáil
a number of nights previous,
in which the riot police
forcefully removed, and
injured a number of peaceful
protestors (one an elderly
woman), we are proposing
this "peace walk"
or "peace cycle".
This is an action to reengage
people, and encourage
them to exercise their
right to protest. It allows
people to engage in a
very inoffensive manner,
giving no excuse (not
that there was one previously)
for excessive and intimidating
policing. What can be
more inoffensive than
a walk or cycle for peace
across Ireland? We feel
that this would be a very
positive action, which
could capture people's
imagination, and raise
awareness of the issues
still facing us, despite
the end of the war in
Iraq.
We are currently trying
to make contact with the
various anti-war and peace
groups throughout the
country, in an attempt
to put some plans in place
for this action. All your
suggestions and ideas
for such an action are
welcome. Please place
your comments along with
your contact details on
our special notice board
dedicated this topic.
Suggestions and comments
board for
"Peace Walk National
Action" here
»»
|
