Greens Under Fire from Anti-War activists

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday March 21, 2003 15:03 by Kenneth Owende lionheart at africa dot com

TD Gogarty runs gauntlet

On Day X the Green Party came under fire from Anti-War campaigners for the actions of their TD inside and outside Leinster House

The Green Party voted against the Government motion supporting the US refeuling in shannon. But despite this the Greens were attacked for thier support of Garda action outside the Dáil and for their non-support of Kurdish self-determination.

Outside the Dáil yesterday about 100 protesters blockaded Leinster House after the vote in favour of US refeulling in Shannon. When the Gardaí wished to move the protesters after about 1 hour Paul Gogarty, Green TD for Dublin Mid West, came to their assistance. Gogarty claimed that those who voted against the motion should be allowed out. He said that he had his own car in their and wanted to drive home. Deputy Gogarty had no reply to protesters when they asked the Green TD to get the bus or to cycle.

Inside the Dáil chamber the Greens abstained on an amendment to the governments motion that would have supported Kurdish Self determination. The Greens wished to uphold the 'territorial integraty' of Iraq. This is a country that was draw on a map by imperialists in the 19th century!

This is not the first time the Greens came under criticism for their War/Iraq related positions. On March 1st they told people not to go to shannon because of 'violence', when doing this they played into the hands of the pro-war media and played their part in attempting to split the IAWM, GNAW, NGO, PANA etc.