Press Release – Feb 22nd 2010

-IAWM SAYS ASSASINATION PASSPORT OUTRAGE FURTHER PROOF THAT ISRAEL IS A ROGUE STATE AND QUESTIONS WHY ISRAEL IS BEING TRETED WITH KID GLOVES.

In a statement, the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) has said that the almost certain responsibility of Israel for the outrage where seven falsified Irish passports were used to facilitate the assassins of senior Hamas figure, Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, in Dubai, was further proof that Israel is a rogue state that has no respect for international law, human rights or the sovereignity of Ireland and other states.

The IAWM further questioned why Israel was being treated with kid gloves by the international community and the Irish government. The IAWM pointed out that if Iran were implicated in such outrages it might well be used as a pretext for military attacks and certainly tougher sanctions, while no action whatsoever was even being discussed in relation to Israel.  

There will be a Gathering of Women At Shannon Airport For the sixth year of the Women’s peace camp.

This year the camp will be part of the international women's day celebrations and will be held from 2 pm on SAturday MARCH 6th, ending with an action-rally at 2pm Sunday March 7th.

(Children & Men are Welcome. Sorry, No Dogs.)

The camp will be set up adjacent to the small roundabout just before the airport entrance (gantry).

• Drumming, Knitting, Storytelling, Patchwork-quilting.
• A Spring Cleanout to use up all our Bits & Pieces, Shreds & Patches.

End Ireland’s complicity in the oppression of Afghan Women.

Press Release – Feb 18^th 2010

-IAWM SAYS ISRAEL SHOULD BE ISOLATED LIKE APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA

In a statement, the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) has said that the almost certain responsibility of Israel for the outrage where falsified Irish and other passports were used to facilitate the assassins of senior Hamas figure, Mahmoud Al Mabhouh, in Dubai, were further proof that Israel is a rogue state that has no respect for international law or human rights.

The IAWM said that, following the horrors inflicted by Israel on the people of Gaza last year and decades where Israel had denied Palestinians the most basic human rights, this latest Israeli action was proof of the need for the international community to isolate and boycott Israel economically and diplomatically.

12 People

On Monday (Feb 15 2009) I listened in a mixture of disbelief & disgust to the morning radio news which mentioned that 12 civilians died in Afghanistan after NATO rockets struck their house in Marjah in the Helmand province. A brief, clinical, apology for “the loss of life” followed by the NATO commander and then focus of the news item quickly returned to “the military offensive”.  The morning news then continued & I sat there wondering about humanity, journalism, governance, democracy, life. There were so many unanswered questions.

By monday evening the story was even further down the playlist. Whilst the duration of the story was unchanged, the apology had been replaced by regrets over the incident due to the damage it would undoubtably do to the image of the offensive. Further comment informed the listening public that the use of rockets was being suspended & that this would also hinder the progress of offensive. This only served to add to the list of unanswered questions that were spilling over in my head….

Why was this not reported as murder? Why were we not advised that 12 people were killed? Why was the passive (“died”) used? Why the abstract “loss of life”? Who has “lost” here? Will anyone gain? Humanity? Will anyone every be held accountable for this? What would happen if 12 innocent people were killed by rocket attack on a house in Europe? In USA? In Ireland ? Are the forces responsible acting on my behalf? Am I somehow consciously/unconsciously supporting this ‘offensive’ ? Who were the slain family? What were their names? What were their plans for their futures? How will this affect their community? Did they die instantly? Did they suffer? Could anything have been done to save them? To ease their suffering? What exactly was the cause of the rocket hitting the house? Was it definitely an accident? Will anything change in the military as a result? Why are they (NATO forces) there in the first place? How much was done to help the affected civilians? To help the PR efforts of those responsible? Are there women, children, family, remaining without anyone to care for them? Why were they referred to as ‘people’ in one report and ‘taliban’ in another? Is it ok to kill Taliban? Who dictates how news events are reported? Do the public not want to hear the human side of the story? Why not, surely this is “reality  tv” at its most real? When did this sanitisation of news reporting commence? Has it crept up on us? Do people prefer this approach? Who is behind it? Surely a state broadcaster has a duty of balanced, humanitarian reporting? Is war propaganda reporting something that only happened in other countries? Or in the past? Why is there national uproar over a sporting injustice but barely a whisper over loss of life? Do others feel as I do? Are they also somewhat confused? Where are they? Where is their voice? Will anything change? How does it start? Who will lead it? Do we really live in a democracy? Is what living in a civilised democracy means?

Noel Guinan - Dublin

Five civilians killed in Nato rocket attack in Afghanistan

Incident follows death of 12 civilians after stray Nato rockets were fired in Helmand yesterday

James Meikle, Declan Walsh in Islamabad, and Stephen Bates guardian.co.uk, Monday 15 February 2010 20.00 GMT

A Nato airstrike against suspected insurgents has killed five civilians in Kandahar province in southern Afghanistan today.

A Nato statement said a joint patrol of Nato and Afghan troops saw individuals digging along a path in the Zhari district of Kandahar province today and mistakenly concluded that they were planting an improvised explosive device. Two civilians were also wounded in the strike.

The incident follows the deaths yesterday of 12 Afghan civilians, who were killed by two stray Nato rockets in neighbouring Helmand province.

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