Morale is high at the Shannon Peace Camp

national | miscellaneous | news report

Tuesday January 07, 2003 16:55

by katherine harford - shannon peace camp

shannonpeacecamp at hotmail dot com

Entrance to Shannon Warport

061 365871

...While the Gardai and Aer Rianta fumble for tactics

Local support, media coverage, Aer Rianta and Gardaí management of the stand off, have all helped to raise the profile and the morale at the peace camp during the cold days and colder nights.

Since Saturday lunch time there has been a round the clock presence by people maintaining the Peace Camp at the entrance to Shannon Warport. Due to local support, media coverage and more people getting involved, the protest and morale has definatly moved up a gear. Today a local man brought a bottle wiskey to keep away the cold and even Aer Lingus staff have been beeping car horns in support!

It is a stark reminder of why the protest has remained, when in full view of the camp two World Com cargo planes were refreshing and refuelling, the World "lingus" plane has also paid a visit over the last couple of days.

The Peace Camp has also been given a bit of breathing space, because Aer Rianta (who have now incidently denied asking the peace camp to move, despite Peace Camp visits from Aer Rianta management!?)have been asked to produce deeds of ownership of the land where the caravan is now stationed. The Gardaí in an interesting turn of action have informed the camp that they will wait for this documentation before taking action and will then issue a 24 hour notice. This does not mean that we can relax, if the camp is forced to move on, the sentiment will not. While the US build up to war continues with the blatent use of Shannon, bringing Ireland into a war that is sure to kill innocent Iraqi civilians, the protest will continue. Your help is vital, if you can make it down to Shannon, great, don't forget to wrap up warm. Food, firewood and funds are a constant need.

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Comments (8 of 8)

think Globally = Act Locally.

by iosaf

Tue Jan 07, 2003 18:02

wrap up warm!! bring them blankets and music and batteries.
(after a while the live music sets get a bit boring and stereos need batteries).
biscuits and flasks of soup.
and smiles. and conversation.
in an ideal world what we wish to see transported through Shannon?
When Air Rianta opened the first "duty free" shop with those sentiments of international co-operation and development and neutrality and friendship with Stalin´s moscow airport didn´t we all or at least the older one´s amongst us think.... oh great man Sean Mac Bride and the Lenin prize for peace and all that, Ireland is as near to non-aligned as we can be, and we´ll help the world be a better place, lovely.

Bring these wonderful people food smiles party attitude and support.
and talk about what Ireland may possible be able to give to the world.
If I were in Eire, I´d be permenantly hitchhiking with sandwiches between Cavan-Castlemines-Shannon.
oh yes i would.
:-) beirbua!

Deeds and stuff

by Chung

Tue Jan 07, 2003 18:35

Isn't there some kind of religous building/chapel with some grass around it just on the left before the roundabout by the arch? Do they own the surrounding land and if so, would they give permission for the camp?

Indo article: Dublin hillwalkers spot 5 US military jets

by Phuq Hedd

Tue Jan 07, 2003 19:14

The Independent (Anita Guerdo). No other verifiable source cites un-named hillwalkers on Ben Bulben last weekend who (between 2:30-3pm) saw "what they believed were US military jets flying in a northerly direction off the west coast."

"The visibility was perfect and we could definitely see five aircraft flying in formation in Irish airspace and off the main international flight path. One of the group could identify US military aircraft markings through binoculars,"

The government can see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil according to its representatives.

Any other data on this?

Sorry, that's Anita GUIDERA (apologies Anita)

Tue Jan 07, 2003 19:15

some thoughts from Cathi Davis in Palestine

by mapengu

Tue Jan 07, 2003 19:35

Best wishes to all at the peace camp

This seems an appropriate place to post a message I received today from Cathi in Palestine. Cathi speaks and writes Arabic and is in Palestine with the International Women's Peace Campaign to offer support to Palestinian women and to document the stories of individuals, families and communities.

Sunshine

Today it was OK, and I was absolutely meant to be here, rocking and rolling down the red dirt tracks between hills of olives and swaying to Arabic music. Slipped into another time, another dimension, where magically everything is late but also on time as long as you take time, drink “shayy”. How does that happen? Despite the terrors of occupation the sudden beam lighting up Mayor Abdul Latif’s face, the utter childishness of his wonderful laughter just because the old Beetle had started and we were on our way to Aqraba.

I love the synchronicity of meetings here, like Ireland – where you go out to do one thing and end up having done something else, having met someone else. The rawness of happiness under occupation is explosive, it is direct and now, you live entirely in the moment and express it completely. There isn’t much time for depression because everything changes always. That’s a blessing and a curse.

The realness of contact with those who live in the West Bank breaks me open, the contact often fleeting but in those moments the stories, the faces, flow like a torrent into my being, through my skin, my ears, my eyes, and as I watch the terrible indignities forced upon old men, women with babies, ordinary people, by young, terrified and indoctrinated soldiers, the tides of these stories rise again in my tears, in my writing, in my sitting with the land, on the land, melting into its past and present, but not daring to look into its future.

Love
Cathi
x

Best wishes to everyone at the peacecamp!!!

by Eoin Dubsky - Refueling Peace

Tue Jan 07, 2003 20:21

I was F-F-FREEZING in my bedroom last night, so I bet it was damn cold out at Shannon. If my bail conditions are changed, or my trial ends soon, I'll come and join you (asap basically!!).

Re titles, deeds etc... I went to the Land Registry and to the Office of Titles and Deeds (something like that) about SNN Airport a few months ago. They're not marked properly on the map, and the people in the deeds office couldn't find the file. They said though that they wouldn't expect it to be exact to the metre anyway.

Make a well and stick a lid on it with your name... After a few years you could sell the land to Ryanair for a new terminal!! :)

Ownership of the Land

by Joe Sheehan - Shannon Peace Camp

Wed Jan 08, 2003 10:28

Aer Rianta claimed to own the land when they came to try move on the peacecamp but we have asked them to prove their ownership with the title deeds to the land, a move agreed with by the Gardai. The Gardai have also said that until they receive proof of ownership of the land, from Aer Rianta, we can stay where we are and then they will give us 24 hours notice before we have to move on.

I was just over talking to the lads this morning, they are still in good spirits a bit cold but happy. The local people are on he whole very positive and lots of cheerful waves and smiles, even the occasional donation.

Wasters

by Hope you all get the Flu!

Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:25

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Morale is high at the Shannon Peace Camp

Comments (8 of 8)