Members of the U.S. organization Veterans For Peace will take part in a vigil at Shannon Airport action on Sunday next, November 13th, at 2 pm. The vigil is organised by Shannonwatch to demand an end to the ongoing US military use of the airport, and to express opposition to the ongoing US occupation of Afghanistan. It will also call for action to be taken against landing US aircraft that are involved in renditions, illegal assassinations and other human rights abuse.

"Two-thirds of Iraq and Aftghanistan veterans do not believe these wars and occupations have done any good," says Gerry Condon, one of the representatives of Veterans For Peace who will be at Shannon.  "We want all the troops to come home now and we want an end to drone bombings and torture too".

"As an Irish American, I am really upset to see Irish neutrality being trampled upon by the US military. Shannon Airport should not be used to ferry troops and weapons to war, or for CIA torture flights. I hope the Irish people are as outraged as I am, and will join our protest at Shannon this Sunday afternoon at 2 pm."

Veterns for Peace is a 21-year-old organization of thousands of veterans from several wars who now devote themselves to campaigning for peace.  It is currently occupying “Freedom Plaza” in Washington, DC as part of the “Occupy Wall St.” movement.

"The ongoing US military use of Shannon is a feature of Ireland’s failure to take a stand against the destructive policies of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan" said John Lannon of Shannonwatch. "Our neutrality has been abandoned, and we have become complicit in endless cycles of suffering and death".

"Furthermore the CIA use of the airport as a staging post for torture flights has not been acknowledged or addressed by the Irish government".

Shannonwatch facilitates vigils at Shannon Airport on the second Sunday of every month. It will continue to organise these vigils until the Irish government brings the use of Irish airspace and airports in line with international law, and Irish neutrality is restored. "When this happens there will be no more foreign troops, military cargo or illegal CIA flights passing through Shannon" said the Shannonwatch spokesperson. "And Ireland will have taken an important stand to end suffering and human rights abuse".

The November vigil in Shannon takes place from 14:00 – 15:00 on Sunday November 13th.

For interviews with Gerry Condon, Veterans for Peace, phone 086 7207475.
For further information see www.shannonwatch.org or email shannonwatch@gmail.com.