NINE US MILITARY landings took place at Shannon Airport in a three week period last month according to the Shannon Watch organisation who plan a protest at the site today.
The landings took place in the first three weeks of January and included the US Military’s KC-10 and C-130 ‘Hercules’ aircraft according to the group.
The protest planed by the group today is primarily in support of Margaretta D’Arcy, the 79-year-old anti-war activist and a well-known writer who was arrested and sentenced to jail for three months for trespassing on the runway at Shannon Airport.
The state’s heavy handed treatment of Margaretta was an attempt to silence opposition to the routine presence of these war machines,”say Shannon Watch.
“Instead it has made Irish people more aware of their complicity in the human suffering that comes with war,” they add.
With the protest planned for this afternoon, peace organisation Afri have launched a new petition calling on Minster for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore to end the US Military’s use of Shannon airport.
“Successive opinion polls show the vast majority of people want Ireland to remain neutral and that we don’t support economic development based on the slaughter of innocent people abroad,” said Afri coordinator Joe Murray.
Murray cites reports from Amnesty International which he say shows how Shannon has been used illegally by the US Military:
Shannon’s use as vital cog in the illegal US renditions programme has been highlighted by Amnesty International, the Council of Europe, the UN Committee Against Torture and others. It’s time to show the world that we don’t support the bombing, killing and torture of innocent people.
Today’s demonstration will take place at Shannon Airport from 2pm to 3pm.
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