Ahern urged to reverse Shannon offer

The NGO Peace Alliance, a wide group of non-governmental organisations in Ireland, including AfRI, the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign, Pax Christi, the Irish Missionary Union, the Cuba Support Group, the Anti Racism Campaign, the One World Centres in Belfast and Galway, among others, held a vigil at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin on Tuesday 25 September to protest the commitment of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern that US military planes could use Irish airports for their war effort in the Middle East.

Brian Cowen is proposing to formally offer the use of airports and air space over Ireland to the US administration today.

Tom Hyland from the East Timor Solidarity Campaign and several speakers from AfRI pointed, out that ``this undertaking was in breach of Irish neutrality and had been made without any democratic consultation''.

It is widely recognised that Irish neutrality was an important reason why the state was elected by UN member states to the Security Council and that this independence from military alliances allows the Irish to play a unique role in upholding the UN Charter and preserving peace in the world today.

A Rally for Peace will be held on Saturday 29 September at the Central Bank in Dame Street, Dublin.

No Shannon facilities call

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has said that the Dublin government should not proceed with its offer of facilities at Shannon to US military aircraft. He said:

``When he visits Washington, Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen should not proceed with his formal offer of facilities to US military aircraft. This offer was made unconditionally and without any question about what operations the aircraft may be involved in. There is a growing feeling in Ireland, in the US and worldwide that a retaliatory war which will kill innocent civilians in Afghanistan is totally unacceptable. It will only compound the misery of millions in that country.

``The best way to express our solidarity with the victims of the attacks on the US is for the Irish government to play a positive role when its takes over the presidency of the UN Security Council. The government should urge a new international drive to resolve by peaceful means and by negotiation the complex regional and national problems which give rise to fundamentalism.''