The Irish Anti-War Movement, The People’s Movement and PANA commit themselves to campaign for the State to immediately formally withdraw from all military an financial commitments under PESCO.
Press-Release
IAWM PRESS RELEASE – 22 May 2013
- Guantanamo Bay – Protest at Dáil, Thursday 1.00pm, 23 May The Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) announced that it is holding a protest at Dáil Eireann at 1.00pm on Thursday 23 May 2013 regarding the continued incarceration and torture of inmates at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. The protest has been called to coincide with a speech that Barack Obama is due to make on the issue on 23 May. See attached leaflet. The IAWM statement noted that this will be a colourful protest that will highlight the conditions that the prisoners are forced to endure. Several supportive TDs and Senators have been invited to attend. The statement quoted the following information from www.avaaz.org, which has organised an online petition to Barack Obama:
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IAWM PRESS RELEASE – 14 May 2013
IAWM PUBLIC DEBATE – NATO or Neutrality? Today at 7,30pm in Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin 1. When: Tues 14th May 2013 7:30PM, Speakers will include:
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, PBPA Declan Power, Defence Analyst utube clips of Minister Alan Shatter speaking on this issue will also be screened at the meeting. Come along to hear different opinions and to participate in discussion about this important issue. Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM said: “There are clearly some moves in hand to bring Ireland closer to NATO if not actually join the organisation. This is happening without any public debate whatsoever. Irish people are already implicated in horrific killings in Afghanistan through the links with ISAF, which is under NATO command. This is the reason why we have organised this event – to allow a degree of public discussion on this important issue. People should come along to hear the alternative views.” END For more information: Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737 Website - www.irishantiwar.org <http://www.irishantiwar.org>
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IAWM PRESS RELEASE – 08 April 2013 • IAWM CONDEMNS LATEST KILLING OF CIVILIANS BY NATO • CALLS FOR IRISH TROOPS TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM ISAF The Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) issued a statement today condemning the latest attack by NATO on civilian targets in Eastern Afghanistan that has left as many as 20 dead civilians (according to some media reports) including 11 children aged 1 to 12 and one woman. The statement noted that the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in which Irish troops are serving had carried out the attack. The statement called for the immediate withdrawal of Irish troops from ISAF. Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM said: “This latest attack by NATO against innocent civilians is an outrage. It comes on the same day that a number of US troops and a US diplomat were killed in Afghanistan and one has to worry about a possible connection. It is also shocking given that President Hamid Karszai had banned attacks on civilian targets following similar attacks last year. It exposes the claimed cooperation between NATO and local Afghan forces as a sham. “It shows the total futility of this war which should never have occurred in the first place. It is equally shocking that the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in which Irish troops are serving, has carried out the attack. The Irish people are now implicated in the deaths of these 12 children. We call on Minister Eamon Gilmore to make a statement condemning this latest NATO attack and to announce the withdrawal of the Irish troops serving in ISAF.” END For more information:
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IAWM PRESS RELEASE – 07 APRIL 2013 In a statement released today the Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) welcomed the Boycott Divestment Sanctions motion against the Israeli State that was unanimously passed last Thursday, 4th April by the Teacher’s Union of Ireland (TUI) at its 2013 Annual Congress. The TUI motion reads in full: Motion 241. Executive Committee/Dublin Colleges TUI demand that ICTU step up its campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against the apartheid state of Israel until it lifts its illegal siege of Gaza and its illegal occupation of the West Bank, and agrees to abide by International law and all UN Resolutions against it. Congress instructs the Executive Committee to: (a) Conduct an awareness campaign amongst TUI members on the need for BDS (b) Request all members to cease all cultural and academic collaboration with Israel, including the exchange of scientists, students and academic personalities, as well as all cooperation in research programmes. The IAWM statement noted that this is a very progressive move by the TUI and that it is heartening to see that teachers and lecturers saw fit to express solidarity with their Palestinian colleagues, students and pupils who suffer so much under a brutal occupation.
IAWM PRO Jim Roche, who lectures in the School of Architecture at DIT and is a member of the Dublin Colleges branch of the TUI, proposed the motion and it was seconded by Gerry Quinn, Vice-President of the TUI Executive Committee.
In the IAWM statement Jim Roche said:
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Press Release from Shannonwatch
Shannonwatch, 6 March 2013 Representatives of Veterans for Peace from USA, UK and Ireland will attend a Peace Vigil at Shannon Airport on Sunday next 10 March from 2pm to 3pm. The vigil marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the US-led war of aggression against Iraq, which was in contravention of the UN Charter. Veterans for Peace was founded in the USA in 1985, in opposition to US military intervention in Central America, and now has over 8000 members. Its objectives include bringing about a clearer understanding of the cost of war, in particular the US-led occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, to close the School of the Americas and to counter military recruitment efforts in schools. They have also undertaken significant humanitarian projects in war zones such as Iraq and campaigns against torture. In 2011 a chapter of Veterans for Peace was formed in the UK, on the initiative of Ben Griffin, and in 2012 Veterans for Peace Ireland was initiated. Last month Colonel Ann Wright, a high profile member of Veterans for Peace who resigned her post as a senior US diplomat in protest against the Iraq War, visited Ireland, and included Shannon airport in her itinerary, as well as attending meetings in Dublin, Belfast and Galway. Her visit was virtually boycotted by most of the mainstream Irish media, presumably for fear of offending our US Government masters.
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- Former US diplomat and highest ranking member of US Military to resign over Iraq war visits Ireland this week - A joint IAWM / PANA Press Conference will be held at 11.00am in Buswell's Hotel tomorrow Thursday February 14. Attendees: Col. Ann Wright, Richard Boyd Barrett TD and Roger Cole, PANA - Col. Ann Wright will speak at a Public Meeting this Thursday 14 February, 8.00pm, Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin, chaired by former MEP Patricia Mc Kenna The Irish Anti-war Movement (IAWM) announced today that renowned American Peace Activist, former diplomat and soldier, Col. Ann Wright has arrived in Ireland and will be speaking at a Press Conference in Buswell’s Hotel, Marlborough Street in Dublin at 11.00am on Thursday 14 February. After the Press Conference, at 12.00pm, she will visit Dáil Eireann and meet with TDs and Senators who are opposed to the US and British wars and the use of Shannon as a military warport. She will later speak at a public meeting in the Teachers' Club, Parnell Sq, Dublin at 8.00pm. The visit by Ann Wright is jointly organised by the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) and the Irish anti-War Movement (IAWM). The statement noted that Col. Ann Wright resigned from the US administration in March 2003 in protest against the invasion of Iraq. She has been an active peace activist ever since and helped Cindy Sheehan set up Camp Casey outside George Bush’s ranch. She was also on board the ship Challenger 1 as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in May 2010 when Israel killed nine activists on board the Mavi Marmara.
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