Press Statement 4/9/09
Irish Anti-War Movement / Peace & Neutrality Alliance
VOTE NO TO WAR, NATO and the LISBON TREATY
The Irish Anti War Movement and the Peace & Neutrality Alliance have worked closely together since 2003 when we helped organise the massive demonstration against the Iraq war and Ireland’s participation in that war that destroyed Irish Neutrality by allowing over one million US troops land in Shannon Airport on their way to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
We have consistenly opposed the process by which Ireland is being integrated into the EU/US/NATO military structures. It is our contention that the Lisbon Treaty and the acceleration of the process of the militarisation of the EU that is central to the treaty can only be understood in the wider context of the EU/US/NATO axis. This is why both PANA and the IAWM are affiliated to the No to Lisbon (CAEUC) Campaign (http://www.sayno.ie).
Press Statement 4/9/09
Irish Anti-War Movement / Peace & Neutrality Alliance
VOTE NO TO WAR, NATO and the LISBON TREATY
The Irish Anti War Movement and the Peace & Neutrality Alliance have worked closely together since 2003 when we helped organise the massive demonstration against the Iraq war and Ireland’s participation in that war that destroyed Irish Neutrality by allowing over one million US troops land in Shannon Airport on their way to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
We have consistenly opposed the process by which Ireland is being integrated into the EU/US/NATO military structures. It is our contention that the Lisbon Treaty and the acceleration of the process of the militarisation of the EU that is central to the treaty can only be understood in the wider context of the EU/US/NATO axis. This is why both PANA and the IAWM are affiliated to the No to Lisbon (CAEUC) Campaign (http://www.sayno.ie).
The people who suffer most from these wars are the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Pakistan. The consequence for the people of the states of the EU, the US and Canada has also been a disaster. These wars have been and continue to be a massive drain on basic social provision in areas such as health and education as financial resources are transferred to the major corporations in the EU/US/NATO military industrial structures. This situation has worsened as the neo-liberal economic values that underpin these wars have caused a massive economic crisis. In Ireland, where these values have totally dominated virtually the entire political/media elite the crisis is even worse. Despite that Ireland has not withdrawn its troops from Afghanistan, let alone terminate the use of Shannon by the US military.
The IAWM and PANA have therefore organised an International Peace Conference in the Park Hotel, Shannon, Co. Clare with peace activists from Europe and the US on the 5th of September on the theme of War, NATO and the Lisbon Treaty. Further details from the IAWM and PANA web sites :
Press Inquiries:
Roger Cole, PANA 01 2351512
Michael Youlton, (IAWM) 086 81 59 487
Richard Boyd Barrett, (IAWM) 087 63 29 511
