National demonstration at Shannon, Saturday, 21 June

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday June 10, 2003 20:17 by Fintan Lane - Cork Anti-War Campaign corkantiwar at hotmail dot com 087 1258325

March to Shannon terminal from town centre on Saturday, 21 June. Assemble at Shannon town centre at 2pm.

Aer Rianta has admitted that over 50,000 US troops passed through Shannon airport in the first four months of this year. Irish government complicity with the US killing machine continues and the illegal occupation of Iraq is being actively assisted. The anti-war movement needs to refocus on this complicity and, in practical terms, that means highlighting the abuse of Shannon airport.

The Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) is currently considering simultaneous demonstrations at Baldonnel, Shannon, and Raytheon (Derry), to be held sometime during August. These protests should be supported by all anti-war activists. However, the Cork Anti-War Campaign (CAWC) feels that a protest at Shannon is needed (sooner rather than later) in order to indicate our disgust at its continued misuse. Hence, we have taken the initiative and have organised a national demonstration at Shannon to held on Saturday, 21 June. We have contacted anti-war groups throughout the country to encourage them to mobilise for this demonstration, and we will provide the infrastructure on the day.

The march is scheduled to assemble at Shannon town centre at 2pm before heading off to the airport. We intend to keep things simple at the airport: there will be three speakers (Nuria Mustafa and speakers from both the IAWM and the Grassroots Network) and then the mike will be 'open' for a set period of time. We intend this rally to be as inclusive as possible and everybody will have an opportunity to say their piece. Following the 'open mike' there will be live music before the event finishes, perhaps about 6pm or thereabouts.

This is an important time for the Irish anti-war movement. For many people, the war on Iraq is over and appeared relatively bloodless - we hear little of the thousands of Iraqis who were killed and the occupation is portrayed widely in the mainstream media as an act of liberation. Not surprisingly, a recent opinion poll showed a shifting of attitudes regarding Shannon. We need to be ensure that our arguments are also heard, and we need to let the government know that we haven't forgotten about their hijacking of an Irish civilian airport for US military purposes. A march of a few hundred people at Shannon would be enough to make this point. Obviously, a return to Shannon, by itself, won't win this campaign but it would be hugely symbolic.

It is important that everybody gets to Shannon on Saturday, 21 June. Hire a bus, go by car, plane, or donkey, but get there! We need to make this demonstration as big as possible. We would also like it to have a 'festive' feel, so street theatre, jugglers, musicians, and so on, would be especially welcome. Care/act.