Christian peace activists go on trial over Iraq action
-04/03/05
Christian peace activists who disarmed a US Military aircraft re-fuelling at Shannon Airport in Ireland during the invasion of Iraq go on trial in Dublin on 7th March (Monday).
The trial is expected to last for two weeks.
They have the support of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and US actor Martin Sheen who proclaimed that “the prevention of war should not be a crime”.
The disarmament action took place in February 2003 on a U.S. Navy War Plane at Shannon Airport, Co. Clare, Ireland
Within the month, three of the four companies contracted to ferry US troops and weapons had left Ireland.
The ‘Pitstop Ploughshares’ as they have come to be known, are currently out on bail but face imprisonment.
Ireland is said to be a neutral country. It is not a member of NATO, nor was its inclusion in the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ ever frankly admitted either by US or Irish government officials.
However, its facilities have played a considerable and growing role in the US war and occupation. Last year, 158,549 US troops passed through the airport on 1,502 flights . Those troop numbers were 26 per cent higher than in 2003. In addition, Irish officials granted permission for 753 military aircraft to land, and 816 aircraft carrying munitions.
In a statement, the Christians said; “It has been a long two years for our ploughshares community, but a much longer two years for the people of Iraq suffering an invasion, occupation and plunder of their homeland.”
“The Irish State’s attempt to criminalise our non-violent act of peacemaking complements their militarisation of the civilian Shannon Airport to service the U.S. war machine.”
“We are not alone, as other peace activists, and also resisters within the British and U.S. military are being dragged before
courts & court martials, imprisoned in jails & stockades for their non-violent resistance to this war.”
“In war, authentic peacemaking is criminalized, as killing, theft, torture, incineration, internment, rape and sexual abuse are legitimised.”
The activists point to the fact that no Weapons of Mass Destruction has been found during the two years of U.S./U.K. military occupation of Iraq.
They also point to U.S. destruction of Iraqi civil society through its 1980’s support for Saddam Hussein, 1990’s imposition
of a ‘genocidal’ sanctions regime and now “a brutal bombardment and military occupation” which they say has transformed
Iraq into a “swamp of vengeance and a breeding ground for terrorism.”
Over the past two years, reports suggest that 100,000 Iraqis mostly women and children have been killed. Over the last two years, over 1,000 U.S. soldiers, many who passed through Shannon Airport, have returned in body bags.
“We are on a journey inspired by the ancient prophecy of Micah and Isaiah to ‘beat swords into ploughshares and study war no more’.” they said.
“We see our act of ‘beating swords into ploughshares’ at Shannon Airport as a non-violent gift of faith enfleshed, hope enacted and freedom offered at a time when the war machine is deployed at full throttle to invade, occupy and plunder.”
The activists say they hope the trial will be a time of celebration and non-violent opposition to the war.
“We hope other acts of nonviolent resistance and solidarity will grow out of the trial and our time together – whether we are
acquitted or imprisoned” they said.