After 3 years fighting the ESB down the usual dead end routes of the courts, the planners, the politicians, the County Councils etc, things finally came to a head for the Bantry Concerned Action Group (BCAG) over the last few days when an assault by the ESB Networks Crew and Officials on a number of local farmers resulted in an ESB blockade of farm entrances in attempting to access their lands for the purposes of erecting pylons, poles and an overhead 38kv power line, to connect the as yet unlicensed and unbuilt 'Murnane & O'Shea' development 'Ballybane Glanta Windfarm' in Dromourneen to the substation at Ballylickey 14km away.

ESB Networks have been granted high court injunctions / restraining orders against a number of the BCAG and are seeking more injunctions against more local residents at the high court in Dublin tomorrow Monday 3rd July (to be adjourned). The ESB are seeking to enter their lands on the back of these injunctions and their associated threats of jail, costs and/or fines. But the BCAG are not lying down and are committed to blocking all attempts to start work on their lands, until the ESB reverse their plans and agree to PUT THIS POWERLINE UNDERGROUND.

Main photo: Liam O'Sullivan, ESB Networks Manager, demonstrating his "determination to meet and surpass the expectations of our stakeholders - to whom we are accountable"- ESB Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

In a disgraceful display of true form, ignoring all ‘commitments’ to ‘social responsibility’, ‘codes of practice’ and ‘open communication in relation to the concerns of local communities’, ESB Networks Manager, Liam O’Sullivan (and his foot) accompanied by sidekick David Killian, blockaded their own contactors from pulling out of Joe Burke’s and other farms, after the contractors agreed to leave having been stopped in their tracks by the group.

Also from Niall: Rossport model of resistance applied with opening of a Solidarity Lodge in Bantry.

An Irish based Maoist and member of World Peoples Resistance Movement recently visited Nepal as part of an International Brigade to construct roads in the Rebel Maoist held areas of Nepal. As well as observing the protests in the cities and villages as he made his way to the Red areas he also worked alongside rebel soldiers, farmers and workers on the Martyrs Road.

During our time in Nepalgunj, we met a young man from Kathmandu who was working for a human rights group. One evening, this man who was unaware of our political affiliations, told us of the day that the PLA had attacked the town only several weeks previously. Greatly shaken by the experience, he was to tell us that together with the uniformed soldiers of the PLA, large numbers of local Maoists with guns also appeared, some firing from rooftops in support of the guerrilla fighters.

In the revolutionary strongholds people's courts have been established where along with other issues, cases against women's exploitation have been brought to book with the combined efforts of Village Defence Committees, women's mass organizations and the people. Many cases of land usurpation of widows or single women have been restored to the injured parties through such courts. Not only those guilty of sexually exploiting women, but also many defaulting husbands who have taken to drinking and beating their wives or practicing polygamy, have been disciplined through such courts.

The first report from Pride in Dublin this year came in from Madame K describing jubliantly how "despite the rain nothing could dampen the spirits of the 2,000 or so who took part. The diverse group was well catered for, with the event concluding in a free party held on public space...Dublin Pride has not yet become the commercial entity that has caused untold problems abroad, let`s hope it stays that way".

Just like last year Indymedia's home grown batch of photographers and contributers were on the ground for Dublin's Second, newly re-named, International Pride Festival. For a selection of our contributers work see Paula G's "Sing If You're Glad To Be Gay" series, R Whelan's Photo Story and Madame K's sequence of photos and commentary.

In Budapest, Redjade checked in with local events raising"recent reports about Poland and Russia's anti-gay policies and police repression against Gay Pride demos" and negative perceptions of Eastern Europe how "one might think such repression was universal on the Eastern Pale of the EU and in Eastern/Central Europe in general. But the Budapest Pride Parade went on, as planned, without much controversy or opposition and barely much notice in the media....." << continues here >>

Other Indy Coverage: Polish Equality Parade Attacked By Far Right | Cork's First Ever Pride Parade A Success | Dublin, June 2005 Gay Pride Parade | Gay Pride Weekend in Cork, 2004 | McDowell Attacked by Ancient Order of Hibernians and Mother and Child

Meanwhile our roving report Henry McWag reported from the dregs of his can on the Labour Party's bold new move in relation to public drinking.

Traveller organisations and community groups protested today (24th June 2006) outside Dail Eireann at the forced eviction of a lone parent family in Fermoy, North Cork.

The members of Traveller organisations from Mayo, Tullamore, Galway, LImerick, Clare, Kildare and Dublin were joined by community groups including OPEN, Residents Against Racism and the Children's Rights Alliance.

The Irish Traveller Movement called the protest at short notice to voice opposition to the use of the Trespass legislation. This Act criminalizes trespass on public and private land. Section 24 of the Public Order Act as amended by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2002, provides that:

"a person without the consent of the owner, shall not enter or occupy any land or bring on to that land any object which might either damage the land or effect any amenity attaching to the land or prevent other people using the land"

Past Indy Coverage: 2003 First Travellers Sentanced Under Tresspass Act | Go - Move – Shift: Anti-Traveller Racism in Ireland | A Very Irish Apartheid: Inequality In Education and Irish Travellers | Out Of Site Out Of Mind:Travellers In Ballymun | The Life Of Breda: Interview With A Traveller Woman | How The New Public Order Act Will Be Used Against Travellers | The Indy Search Engine On Travellers

While Driving through Ennis town yesterday afternoon a local anti-war activist put six young US service men under (citizens) arrest. On Thursday morning an US troop carrier landed at Shannon with technical problems. This is a common occurrence with the chartered troop carriers that come through Shannon Airport. With an average of 1100 hundred troops going through Irelands second international airport on a nightly basis these aircraft are flat out ferrying young men and women to Iraq. Many of these stranded soldiers were billeted at the West County Hotel in Ennis near where peace activist Conor Cregan encountered six young US servicemen on the main Ennis to Limerick road.

Cregan immediately called for the six to stop. “I am placing you all under citizen’s arrest. Do not move” he shouted as the stunned men came to a halt. After assuring the men that they were not in jeopardy the peace activist made an emergency call to Ennis Garda Station. Cregan called for the Member in charge to send a van to pick up these awol soldiers but Garda O'Sullivan’s response was less than helpful. The deskbound officer was more interested to know if they were armed or their commander in chief George W Bush was among them. Mind you he wasn’t so funny when reminded that that all emergency calls were recorded.