NO IRISH TROOPS TO IRAQ

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Tuesday September 23, 2003 10:37 by aoife Ni Fhearghail - Irish Anti-War Movement info at irishantiwar dot org PO Box 9260, D1 087 7955013

UN must not be used as cover for US occupation

Irish anti-war movement press release & details of Saturday's demo

IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

087 7955013 / 087 6329511 [email protected] www.irishantiwar.org

NO IRISH TROOPS TO IRAQ, UN MUST NOT BE USED AS COVER FOR US OCCUPATION

Press Release Tuesday 23rd September 09.00am

The Irish Anti-War Movement this morning condemned last night’s speech by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern which indicated that the Government is considering sending Irish troops to Iraq under a UN mandate.

The Taoiseach’s statement comes as the United States is today working on a new UN Resolution aimed at winning UN approval for its ongoing occupation of the Iraqi people. The Irish Anti-War Movement believes that the UN should not be used as a fig-leaf for the continued repression of the Iraqi people and the accelerated sell-off of the resources of Iraq.

Aoife Ní Fhearghail, Secretary of the Irish Anti-War Movement said:

“At every single juncture during the two years of the ‘war on terror’, the Irish Government has displayed nothing but moral cowardice, political duplicity and a disturbing lack of concern for the victims of war. Upwards of 10,000 Iraqi civilians are now known to have been killed. Thousands more have been injured, yet hospitals are starved of the medicines and equipment needed to treat these injuries. The $1 billion spent each week on this occupation is not being used for the benefit of the Iraqi people, but for the benefit of multinational corporations as the resources of Iraq are gradually stolen from its people.

Our airports are still being used almost every day to transport weapons of mass destruction* to Iraq, making a complete mockery of our supposed neutrality. Historically, Fianna Fáil arose out of a struggle against occupation. It is a tragedy that its leaders now see its priority as supporting US oil companies instead of using its international voice to call for justice for the people of Iraq. We are calling on everyone who is disgusted at the Government’s continued support for this war to come on the national anti-war demonstration this weekend and make our voices heard”.

The Irish Anti-War Movement, along with the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and the NGO Peace Alliance, has organised a major demonstration this Saturday (27th) against the Occupations of Iraq & Palestine. It begins at 2pm in the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin. Speakers will include Dr Nooh al-Kadoo, an Iraqi doctor and Director of the Islamic Centre of Ireland who has visited Iraq three times during the war to determine the truth behind the occupation, and Caoimhe Butterly, an Irish human right activist who has spent the last 4 months on the ground in Baghdad.

* Mark 77 Firebombs, a new equivalent of Napalm which combine polymer gel & jet fuel and have been used in Iraq, have been transported through Shannon Airport to be used against the Iraqi people.

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For further information contact Aoife Ní Fhearghail on 087 7955013 (before 12.30pm) or Richard Boyd Barrett on 087 6329511.