From The Newswire: The emergence of a number of independent republican candidates in this years northern council elections has highlighted a growing discontent within the traditional republican base vote which Sinn Fein could previously have taken for granted.

Although small in number, the fact that these independent candidates have emerged from within working class republican communities across the entire 6 counties, indicates that a growing number of republicans no longer feel that Sinn Fein articulate or represent their ideological beliefs, whether republican or socialist, and that this dissent exists across the entire occupied area.

It also appears that their decision to contest the elections and oppose Sinn Fein's stranglehold within the republican base has been spontaneous and not part of any organised electoral effort by any political grouping.

From the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Kurdish Human Rights Project, London:

Plans for large dams in southeast Turkey including the discredited Ilisu dam project may yet go ahead in spite of adverse impacts on cultural and environmental rights, according to a new report by the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Kurdish Human Rights Project.

The report provides new evidence from hydroelectric dam projects planned for the Munzur, Tigris and Greater Zap rivers.

The study, a report of a fact-finding mission to the region carried out by Maggie Ronayne, Lecturer in Archaeology at the National University of Ireland, Galway, demonstrates how archaeology in particular supports the case of thousands of villagers adversely affected by these projects, most of whom do not appear to have been consulted at all about the dams and many of whom want to return to reservoir areas, having already been displaced by the recent conflict in the region....

Indymedia Ireland/Convergence/Filmbase Present A Day of Film Screenings:
As part of the Convergence Festival, Indymedia & Sustainable Ireland have teamed up with the recently opened Filmbase on Curved Street (the old Arthouse, opposite the Temple Bar Music Centre) to bring you a day of free short films from around the World, plus screenings of three of the feature documentaries from last November's "Videoactive" Film Festival.

McDowell's Policy of Deporting Fathers of Irish Citizen Children: Is It Constitutional? Irish Constitution Article 41.1 1° The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law. 2° The State, therefore, guarantees to protect the Family in its constitution and authority, as the necessary basis of social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and the State. - Constitution of Ireland • US State Department February 28, 2005 Report on Nigeria • Human Rights Watch agrees with most of it. • Amnesty International's 2003 Report on Nigeria. • AI report 2004 report regarding Human Rights & Oil In Nigeria

Written 17 April 2005

On 13 April about 70 asylum seekers in a hostel on Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin went on hunger strike to protest their 'Fast Track' treatment by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). On 17 April two of the men collapsed and were sent to hospital.

All are Nigerian. Most are men. There are also 14 women, 6 of whom are pregnant. Some are in late pregnancy. The pregnant women are not currently on hunger strike.

Seeking Refuge from a 'Safe Country':
The Irish Government sees Nigeria as a 'Safe Country' and today there is an enforcement of a 'Fast Track' policy for arrivals for deportation within months. With Nigeria deemed 'safe' the new policy means an individual's claims of torture, death or fear for their safety at home are officially ignored.

This, in spite of the fact that the US State Department February 28, 2005 report says: 'The Nigerian government's 'human rights record remained poor, and the Government continued to commit serious abuse.' and that 'Security forces regularly beat protesters, criminal suspects, detainees, and convicted prisoners.'

One hunger striker, Idowu, said: 'The people of Ireland and the Government of Ireland should disregard the propaganda of our home country, Nigeria. My country is definitely not a safe place. How could you call a country where the chief law maker, the Attorney General, was murdered - how could you call such a country a safe place?'

One young single man asked a priest at St.Mary's Pro-Cathedral yesterday morning to reserve a grave for him. He says he knows his life is worthless if he is sent back.

Fathers Seeking Wives and Children:
Many of the men who are facing deportation are fathers of Irish citizen children and came here to be reunited with their wives and families. They thought Minister of Justice Michael McDowell's residency offer for non-EU parents of Irish Citizen children applied to them.

Ironically, it does not. McDowell's 14 January 2005 notice only applies to parents of Irish citizen children currently residing in Ireland - thus, a policy of preventing Irish children from being reunited with their fathers is in place.

While planespotting OUTSIDE Shannon Warport in broad daylight last Sunday, some planespotters found themselves on the receiving end of a fit of madness from one of the APOs who decided somehow that he had jurisdiction outside his patch.

Besides manhandling a young lady and her camera, Airport Police Inspector Mike Hogan tried to pass himself off as a member of An Garda Siochana, which is a criminal offence.

Following the EYFA Anti-War Conference in Co Clare last week, some of the participating peaceniks held a vigil in Ennis, where they distributed leaflets and food to the fine people of the banner county.

We informed the locals that there has been a huge increase in troop movements through Shannon. (95,584 in the first three months of 2005 alone. There has also been more frequent sightings of C-130s and US Navy logistic flights at Ireland's de facto warport.)

Over a hundred leaflets were handed out to the public, who also appreciated the free food.

Afterwards, 7 of us went to Shannon to check up on our local US military airstrip. As usual we went to the industrial estate bordering the airport, rather than into the airport itself.

We weren’t there very long when two members of the airport police turned up.

I looked down from my viewing point to see a uniformed Airport Police inspector in a tussle with a lady half his size who was trying to stand her ground and keep her video camera.

I strolled down to see what this guy was up to. The Airport Police vehicle had come to a halt in the middle of the road at a corner next to the PIE warehouse.

As I approached, I could hear the camera crew telling the tall man-in-black that they were in a public place, and acting within the law. The APO Inspector simply told us to get in our vehicles and clear out.