Mandela Text -NUI Galway 20/06/03

galway | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday June 23, 2003 11:11

by James McKenna

jimmymac61 at hotmail dot com

Condemns US as "danger to world peace"

Former South African Prime Minister Nelson Mandela departed from his prepared text at NUI Galway on Friday 20th June to deliver a strong condemnation of the US invasion of Iraq and their sidelining of the United Nations. He urges us all to speak out against ,"what is wrong", even if we are afraid of the US

"What I condemn is a single nation that can dictate to others, "go to war, destroy the buildings and the innocent human beings - the women , children, the aged and the disabled".

And still we thank them as leaders of the world?

We must condemn them in the strongest terms. If you don't stand up and condemn what is wrong, there are many people who are listening and watching what is happening today and they're going to do the same thing.

Organisations like the United Nations which were formed to promote peace are going to be irrelevant. As you know the first world war broke out in 1914 and ended in 1918. The second world war started in 1939 and ended in 1945. We know who caused these two wars, but since 1945 there has been no world war. Indeed there has been civil strife and conflict between two countries but there has been no world war, because of the United Nations.

Any organisation, any country, any leader that now decides to sideline the United Nations, that country and it's leader are a danger to the world.

(applause)

And they do so because you are keeping quiet. You are afraid of this country and it's leader. You say if you take an independent stand you will not be able to get support from it. Many of us have got support from it, from the leader of that country, but when he made a mistake and sidelined the United Nations we could not be silenced by the help that he gave us. We immediately stood up and condemned him.

All of us must have the courage to stand up and condemn what is wrong."

- Nelson Mandela NUI Galway 20/06/03

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Comments (3 of 3)

No letting them off the hook

by Tim

Mon Jun 23, 2003 21:34

I was sitting in the audience back in January when Pat Kenny said to Aoife Ni Fheargail (IAWM - best attempt at your surname)
"and this is a sort of I told you so question. but what if, after any war with Iraq, a relatively bloodless one, they find these weapons and say they were right after all?"

Aoife replied that if they found weapons they'd probably have invoices for them at the US State Dept. nice comeback. Pat of course would not address the alternative scenario of no WMD.
Wonder what patronising question Pat would have now.

"But Aoife, do you not accept that the reason we have to support the US war on Iran is simple. All the WMD that Saddam had, was secretly smuggled to the Iranians just before the fall of Saddam?"

We need to turn up the heat on all the cheerleading politicians who encouraged us to support the slaughter. No doubt they will exhibit no sense of memory about the 'motives' for attacking Iraq when it comes to attacking Iran.
Unlike breaking election promises - which is a tradition in politics- this time the lies led to complicity in mass murder.

Lets hope

by Salah

Mon Jun 23, 2003 14:12

Also, that people don’t forget the TD's who supported the genocide in Iraq when next we vote, or mayb when the time comes to put them trial.

Well said

by Justin Morahan - Peace People

Mon Jun 23, 2003 11:44

I'm standing up now and condemning him (George W Bush). And with him our own leader (Bertie Ahern)who supported him. And all the T.Ds who meekly voted wtih the Government.
And I will never forget the TDs who were brave enough to stand against him.

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Mandela Text -NUI Galway 20/06/03

Comments (3 of 3)