Limerick Protest Against the Murder of Humanitarian Aid Activists

limerick | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Tuesday June 01, 2010 17:03

by Zoe Lawlor - Limerick branch Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Solidarity with the Flotilla and with the people of Gaza

Over 100 people came out at short notice in Limerick today to protest against the murder of humanitarian aid activists on their way to Gaza by Israel.

Demonstrators chanted Free Palestine and Free Gaza at the protest today and expressed their solidarity with the Flotilla and the people of Gaza. People donned white sheets and laid on the ground to symbolise the activists executed in cold blood by the Israeli navy late Sunday night.

Zoe Lawlor, secretary of the Limerick branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, called for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador, the withdrawal of the Irish Ambassador to Israel as well as the suspension of all trade with Israel and the revocation of its recent OECD accession. She also called for an end to the siege of Gaza and the illegal occupation of Palestine and a total boycott of Israeli goods. The activists on the MV Rachel Corrie were remembered as were our other comrades who are currently in Israeli detention including University of Limerick graduate Fiachra Ó' Luain and IPSC National Committee member Fintan Lane. Limerick IPSC calls for their safe passage and demands the safety of all other activists from the Flotilla.

The demonstration was attended by local councillors Tom Shortt (Labour Party) and Maurice Quinlivan (Sinn Féin)

save preference

Comments (3 of 3)

ISM Press release: Concern grows over flotilla missing and prisoners

by TD - FPC

Tue Jun 01, 2010 17:39

Well done Zoe and Limerick IPSC. Worries grow about the safety of Caoimhe, Ewa and other ISM activists.

Free Gaza Movement & ISM London

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UK, 2pm, Tuesday 1st June

International Solidarity Movement volunteers today expressed grave concern over the fate of wounded, imprisoned and missing flotilla activists.

The group said, with an information blackout from Israel preventing news of their plight reaching the media, speculation is mounting about the Internationals’ safety.

Theresa MacDermott (Scotland) Ewa Jasiewicz (Britain/Poland) and Caoimhe Butterly (Ireland) along with hundreds of other civilian passengers have not been heard from since before the Israeli attack on Monday morning.[1]

Israel has today refused Free Gaza lawyers permission to make contact with the human Rights defenders.

Sharyn Lock (England), founding member of The FreeGaza Movement and author of Gaza: Beneath the Bombs, said today:

“Through my experience volunteering with ambulances in Palestine, I know Israel regularly lets civilians die without allowing medical aid reach them.”[2]

She went on to say:

“It is deplorable that family and friends are being refused contact or information and we can only speculate as to their whereabouts and injuries.”

“We call on the EU member States to fulfil their obligation to protect the safety of human rights defenders.[3] We demand that Israel allows access to the injured and imprisoned immediately.” added Vittorio Arrigoni (Italy) who was himself injured by Israeli gunboats in 2008.

ISMers and former flotilla passengers Eva Bartlett (Canada) and Alberto Arce (Spain) are also waiting to hear from their missing colleagues.

“All of us are nonviolent activists who have personally come under fire from Israeli forces, and several of us have been wounded or detained. It is common for Israeli forces to open fire with live rounds on unarmed civilians, both Palestinian and Internationals.” said Eva, from Gaza.[4]

Human rights defenders in Gaza are attacked on a daily basis. Amongst them are Bianca Zammit (Malta), who was shot while accompanying farming families in Gaza on April 25th, 2010[5] and Adie Mormech (England),who was kidnapped and imprisoned after the FreeGaza boat The Spirit of Humanity was forcibly boarded by Israel on June 30, 2009.