Galway Alliance Against War public meeting

galway | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Thursday February 19, 2004 23:55 by John Cunningham johnliamsheain at eircom dot net

Taibhdhearc, Middle-street, 8 pm

Denis Halliday and Stephen Cleghorn are the speakers at a major public meeting in An Taibhdhearc on Saturday night, 8 pm to 10 pm. The meeting is a joint initiative of the Galway Alliance Against War and of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign branch.

There is probably no need to introduce Denis Halliday --he spoke this time last year at a GAAW meeting-- but here goes anyway. Denis formerly held the rank of Asst Secretary General of the United Nations, when he was responsible for the 'Oil for Food' programme, but he resigned in protest at the effect of that programme on the Iraqi people. Since then, he has had a high profile as advocate for peace and justice in various international forums and in the media. On Saturday night, he will consider the decline of the UN and assess the prospects for its reform.

Dr. Stephen Cleghorn represents 'Speak Out', an organisation of US service families who oppose the war and the occupation of Iraq. He has been a peace activist throughout his life, beginning with organizing against the Vietnam war while in college in 1970, being drafted into the US Army in 1971 as a conscientious objector and later being court martialed for protesting the war while in ranks, organizing demonstrations to protest the United State’s nuclear weapons program, hosting the World Peace March in Alabama, and participating in numerous peace demonstrations including some that put him in jail for nonviolent civil disobedience, the latest being a protest at the White House against the US invasion of Iraq. He is currently active with Military Families Speak Out in opposing the US occupation of Iraq. Dr. Cleghorn’s father was a 20-year career Army officer, as is his stepson who is in the 17th year of an Army career and is currently deployed to Iraq.

Treasa Ni Cheannabhain will facilitate at the meeting and there will be plenty of opportunity for discussion.