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The Irish Anti-War Movement

IAWM – BLACK BALOON PROTEST AGAINST WAR DURING THE QUEEN’S VISIT

IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT
PRESS RELEASE 11 APRIL 2011
– BLACK BALOON PROTEST AGAINST WAR DURING THE QUEEN’S VISIT
– REMEMBER THE MULTITUDE OF DEAD VICTIMS OF HER MAJESTY’S WARS
The Irish Anti-war Movement announced today that, to coincide with the Queen’s visit to Ireland, it be will be holding a black balloon protest as a reminder of the thousands killed in Afghanistan and Iraq at the hands of western troops. This includes the deaths of young British troops, many of who joined the army purely to improve their economic circumstances – only to be killed or maimed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The statement noted that her Majesty’s Armed Forces, as one of the major contingents of foreign troops, has been directly responsible for appalling human suffering in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Afghan occupation is now entering its tenth year, and in recent weeks has seen further escalation of violence.

IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT
PRESS RELEASE 11 APRIL 2011
– BLACK BALOON PROTEST AGAINST WAR DURING THE QUEEN’S VISIT
– REMEMBER THE MULTITUDE OF DEAD VICTIMS OF HER MAJESTY’S WARS
The Irish Anti-war Movement announced today that, to coincide with the Queen’s visit to Ireland, it be will be holding a black balloon protest as a reminder of the thousands killed in Afghanistan and Iraq at the hands of western troops. This includes the deaths of young British troops, many of who joined the army purely to improve their economic circumstances – only to be killed or maimed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The statement noted that her Majesty’s Armed Forces, as one of the major contingents of foreign troops, has been directly responsible for appalling human suffering in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Afghan occupation is now entering its tenth year, and in recent weeks has seen further escalation of violence.
Marnie Holborow of the IAWM Steering Committee noted that “occupation by Western troops, including British troops, is motivated by geopolitical interests and the military campaigns continue to ignore the right to self-determination of the Afghani or Iraqi people. That is why we are holding a protest at the time of the Queen’s visit. As head of the British armed forces she is a symbol of occupation, and the purpose of our protest is to ensure that the deaths of Iraqis and Afghanis are not forgotten.”
The British royal visit is being portrayed as a sign of the maturity of the British-Irish relationship, whilst myopically surpassing the wider ethical and economic grounds for which this visit should be opposed.
Although the impression is given that the Queen is just a representative figure she is actually the official head of the British armed forces and meets regularly with the Prime Minister and certainly influences some of Britain’s political strategies and interests. These interests include the purchase of cheap oil and the selling of armaments by major British Corporations, interests that are behind the war-mongering policies of the British Government, which over the last decade has been embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and now in Libya.
The UK has been selling weaponry to dictatorial regimes without any regard for their end uses, a policy that has caused untold human suffering.
Jim Roche, PRO of the Steering Committee, concluded the statement by noting:
“Various polls conducted in Britain in recent years have shown the unpopularity of the war in Afghanistan and have supported the call for troops to come home. Almost 700 British troops have been killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and tens of thousands physically injured, many horrifically. Many more will suffer mental trauma. The scale of the victims of the military aggression by the British army is unknown but is in the multitudes of thousands.
The continued economic cost of the Afghanistan war is also unjustifiable, particularly at a time when the British Government is introducing stringent cuts in social provision, which will effect the poorest in society.
The Queen, as the head of the British armed forces, must be held to account for this wanton waste of human life and resources. That is why the Irish Anti-war Movement will hold a dignified black balloon protest during her visit to Ireland to remember the dead victims of her futile wars.”
For further info contact:
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, Chair IAWM, Tel. 086 781 4520
Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737
Marnie Holborow, Steering Committee IAWM, 087 988 9244
www.irishantiwar.org

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