Ó Snodaigh calls for an end to the use of Shannon by US military
Sinn Féin spokesperson on International Affairs Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD said' there are at least 34,452 reasons to withdraw the use of Shannon Airport. That is the number of civilians killed in Iraq during 2006 according to UN figures.'
I am proposing motions 13 and 19 to the House.
Why end the use of
Shannon Airport by the US military? Well there are at least 34,452 reasons
to withdraw the use of Shannon Airport. That is the number of civilians
killed in Iraq during 2006 according to UN figures.
Speaking in
Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia in January the Taoiseach referred to 'catastrophic
failures in policy towards Iraq', to the suffering of it's people, and to
the increased divisions among the Iraqi people since the US invasion. What
was missing was any acknowledgement of the role that he personally, and his
government, played in the creation of the chaotic slaughter in Iraq through
it's support for the US invasion, and it's continued provision of Shannon
Airport as a staging area for US troops deploying to Iraq.
This
Ard Fheis will not mirror the Taoiseach's denial. With motion 13 we
highlight the government's own complicity.
The United States
should be denied the use of any and all Irish airports for their so-called
ŒWar-on-Terror'. US military and intelligence agencies have been using
Shannon airport as part of the infrastructure for their illegal programme of
extraordinary rendition. The blind eyes turned by many European governments,
including our own, has allowed the United States to kidnap individuals and
transport them to locations where they may be subjected to torture, inhumane
and degrading treatment in direct contravention of the most basic
international human rights laws.
Just because there may not have
been prisoners on board the planes at the time of their stop-overs in
Ireland does not mean we are guilt-free. There was undoubtedly evidence on
board and fugitive agents returning to the US having just dropped their
kidnap victim in some third country to be tortured and detained. The Italian
and German authorities have since issued warrants for the arrest of some of
the CIA agents involved. This government has been aiding and abetting the
escape of international criminals.
An unambiguous message must be
sent to the United States Administration that their activities are
unacceptable. Seeking blinkers from your partner in crime in the form of
assurances is simply not good enough. All associated planes must be barred
from Irish airports and airspace.
I am also urging delegates to
support motion 19 in support of the fundamental human rights of the Kurds.
Developments are at a critical stage there and it is crucial that EU member
states maximise their influence on Turkey to ensure that the rights of Kurds
are protected and promoted.