"George W Bush, fresh from flattening and abandoning Afghanistan in search of one elusive man, had his eye on a substantial prize in the Middle East. Everybody knew that this was a war for every reason except those that were publicly stated. It was a war for revenge, Saddam had tried to kill his Daddy, it was a war for economic resources, it was a war for oil, (he had to pay back his buddies who funded his election theft.) The loudspeakers were shouting that this was an invasion that was patently wrong. It was under these circumstances that I became engaged in the peace movement in Ireland. I started out small, going to advertised marches against the invasion of Afghanistan and I opened my eyes to the political activity that was ongoing all around me. I was a fresh face in the crowd, I had only recently become aware that this world even existed and I had few preconceived ideas about how the left really worked. I would like to chart the events that took place over the last 3 years from my perspective looking back."

Statement From an Internal Exile

From The Newswire: "Eoin Rice will have been on hunger strike for thirteen days when he appears in the High Court on a writ of Habeus Corpus seeking his release from Limerick Prison. He was jailed by Judge Mangan on 12 Feb for refusing to accept the Banner Judge's decision to ban Eoin from entering Co. Clare.

Eoin was initially arrested for alleged dangerous driving of a stationary car while asleep, and while the car was parked in a lay-by near Shannon airport on Dec 6th 2003, and other alleged offences. He has been before the courts for mention and remand in the meantime on 18 Dec, 8 Jan, 12 Feb and 18 Feb. On 12 Feb Judge Mangan on his own volition and without a request from the Gardai imposed the additional bail condition of banning Eoin Rice from entering Co Clare. This condition has already been imposed on most peace activists who come before Judge Mangan, and in addition, Aer Rianta have attempted to impose a similar ban on 22 of the original Shannon Peace Camp members, from entering Shannon airport.

While the Aer Rianta attempted ban is a civil matter, the Gardai have also attempted to intervene to enforce it and this matter is the subject of a separate complaint to the Garda Complaints Commission. We urge all peace activists to come to the High Court at 2 pm on Wed 25 Feb in solidarity with Eoin Rice.

By appalling coincidence on Sunday 22 Feb, Donald Rumsfeld appeared at Shannon addressing US on their way to Iraq. Some of these troops were believed to have been armed while in the terminal building, and all were believed to have been carrying weapons and munitions with them on the aircraft. At least one of the US troops may have been guilty of stealing a roll of Aer Rianta toilet paper, which act appears to have been caught on camera by a Reuters photographer. While this is not a serious crime, killing up to 30,000 innocent people in Iraq is a crime against humanity as well of course as a crime of murder against each of these victims. The crime of complicity for these crimes now rests with all Irish people because we failed to prevent our government for allowing these troops and munitions through Shannon airport.

Eoin Rice, and other peace activists at least tried in their own small but significant ways to bring these crimes to the attention of the proper authorities. Like many just whistle-blowers, he was victimised and jailed. Ireland's neutrality and sovereignty has been violated and abused by the passage of a massive US army through our airport and territory. Of more importance of course is the violation of the lives and limbs of all those innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan. There has been no protest by the Irish Government about Rumsfeld's abuse of Shannon Airport on Sunday last. Even the opposition have been silent. They are more concerned with agreeing with McDowell on preventing new members of the EU from coming to Ireland. Shame on all who have remained silent for whatever reason and who continue to remain silent.

Eoin Rice, Fintan Lane, Mary Kelly, Nuria Dunne, the Catholic Workers, The Shannon Peace Camp activists, and a few others, too few, will continue to speak out regardless of threats and difficulties imposed on us. Shame on those in the media who fail to provide balanced reporting on Ireland's complicity in the Iraq war. Please make your voice heard in the cause of peace and justice, tomorrow and always."

Edward Horgan

Background:
Statement from Eoin in Limerick Prison:
Shannon Warport Update:

A Debate on Punishment Beatings has broken out on the Indymedia Ireland Newswire as a result of a contribution from an INLA supporter rubbishing the connetion made in the media between INLA punishment beatings and suicides. This is one contribution to the ongoing debate from 'Aine' in Belfast.

"The young people involved in anti-social (not always criminal) behaviour are victims as well as the people affected by their behaviour. All are victims but surely the question is not who is the most worthy victim but how to stop young people engaging in this kind of unacceptable behaviour? Contrary to what has been said on this thread, there is NO evidence (apart from what we hear from apologists for punishment beatings) that working class communities WANT such attacks on their young people. I work with young people through a community group in a working class part of Catholic West Belfast and, honestly, people do want something done but ALL of them want something positive that will stop the young people getting in trouble in the first place.

Why is it that all the punishment attacks are in working class areas? Are better off kids better behaved? Of course not, but they are less likely to be on the streets, more likely to have their own rooms with computers etc and have the money to go to the cinema, leisure centres etc.

Something has to be done is the response from Tony Blair, David Blunkett and INLA apologists - especially the IRSP. So, they bring in Anti Social Behaviour Orders that can include Housing Benefit being cut if a family member is involved in anti-social behaviour - so leading to more poverty and more pressure on the youngster to steal to put food on the table if his mother is a lone parent. If people in the IRSP used as much energy seeking funding for youth projects or objecting to the fact that 16-17 year olds around here have NO income - their parents do not get a brass farthing towards their upkeep if they are not in full-time education or training - there would be a lot less crime and anti-social behaviour.

Of course, in spite of all the talk of people like me being middle-class for defending these young people's right not to be brutalised [I earn £13,500 a year and live in that middle-class paradise called Poleglass] the reality is that the so-called 'leaders' of the IRSP would not know what it means to be poor. Some of them have VERY middle class jobs and incomes and probably cannot imagine the stress faced by the families these young people come from."

Other Relevant Links
Slugger O'Toole Debate on Same Subject
Article on Ardoyne Suicides from An Phoblacht/Republican News

From the Newswire: 'This Friday a little-known body of the European Union will make a low-profile visit to Dublin Castle. There will be no media spotlight, no fanfare, and the anonymous civil servants who work in it will come and go unnoticed. Their work however, could have profound implications for the lives of millions of people – both within the EU and beyond. The name of this secretive body is the Article 133 Committee.

The Article 133 Committee is the body of the EU where member states discuss trade deals. The 133 Committee is currently formulating the EU’s policy for the controversial GATS negotiations at the WTO. These negotiations aim to bring about the “liberalisation” of trade in all services, including health and education services.

Ireland and other EU states are deciding what services they want to see “liberalised” and open to commercial competition - both within Europe and in the developing world. But neither the Irish Government nor the EU will tell us what they are planning to do – information on trade deals is not published until after the deals are concluded.

This is why a cross-party group of twenty one TDs have called on the Government for full transparency in the operation of the Article 133 Committee. In a letter delivered to Minister Mary Harney on Wednesday 19th February, the TDs stated:

“We, as concerned citizens and elected public representatives are disturbed that matters of public interest – including the EU and Irish government’s proposals on the opening of international trade in public services like health and education, and on trade in goods and services with developing countries – are being discussed in secret at the EU Article 133 Committee meeting in Dublin on Feb 20”

They went on to make the following request:

“In the spirit of openness, transparency and accountability, we request the right to observe at this Article 133 Committee meeting; and to have access to documents being presented by the Irish government to the meeting.”

So far, there has been no information forthcoming in response to this request.'

Further Information and Background
Details of 'Another Europe' Dublin Castle Protest - 20th Feb - 1pm
'Of particular concern is that the deliberations of the Article 133 Committee are not made public.'
Why Does Article 133 Matter?
Health and Education as a Business Opportunity: DAPSE Information
The EU Constitution, Gats and Education
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the GATS
Background From Article 133 Info Group