Derry Solidarity Shell To Sea Protest

derry | anti-capitalism | news report

Thursday September 11, 2008 22:12

by MAOR Derry

maorderry at gmail dot com

086 1722953

This afternoon in Derry City over thirty people held a solidarity protest with Hunger Striker Maura Harrington and the Shell To Sea Campaign at Guildhall Square.

During the protest, several hundred leaflets were distributed urging people to show their support and solidarity. As the protest got under way, activists telephoned Maura to wish her solidarity and strength in her actions.

In a statement following todays action, organisers of the event, MAOR Derry commented:

Hunger Strike in Mayo sparks wave of solidarity throughout Derry and Donegal

News of the radical step taken by a Shell to Sea campaigner spread throughout Donegal and Derry yesterday, as Maura Harrington commenced a hunger strike, pledging that her action would end only with the Solitare leaving Irish territorial waters or with her death.

The arrival of the world’s largest pipelaying vessel, the Solitare, in Killybegs a number of weeks ago, led to a small number of protest actions at sea. On two occasions, campaigners took to the water to paddle out to the Solitare to deliver letters calling on the Master of the Ship to leave Irish waters. Today, the Solitare has returned to Killybegs for repairs while Maura Harrington continues her hunger strike in Mayo.

A groundswell of support for Maura has seen a rally being organised in Derry this evening where people from Donegal and Derry will gather to show their support and call on the Solitare to leave Irish waters. Actions will commence this evening with a rally at Guildhall square. Over the coming days, letter writing campaigns, petitions and media campaigns will continue; while supporters from Donegal and Derry will also make their way to Mayo. Campaigners are also calling on politicians in Donegal to show their support and demand that Government reopen negotiations with Shell to Sea immediately. Speaking earlier today, Paula Leonard from MAOR stated :

‘Since yesterday, we have been contacting all of our local and national political representatives requesting that they call on our Government to intervene in this matter. County Councillors in Donegal have previously shown their understanding of the issues involved when they passed a motion in May calling on central government to suspend exploration off the Donegal Coastline and renegotiate the terms of the licenses. They need to stand up now and demand an end to the situation in Mayo’.

MAOR representatives were anxious to highlight the link between what is happening in Mayo and the situation in Donegal :

‘The people of Donegal can not stand idly by while Maura Harrington continues her hunger strike. The Solitare was moored here. The Solitare is back in Killybegs this morning. The same multi-national companies which are involved in Mayo are involved in exploring off Donegal at this minute. These are the companies that forced compulsory purchase orders on farmers who did not want to sell their land. These are the same companies whose actions led to the jailing of five men for almost 100 days. These are the same companies who are forcing an experimental gas project through an area where the community have campaigned for six years to have it stopped because of the health and safety risks. These are the companies that are now involved off Donegal and we can not think for one minute that things will be any different in Donegal’.

This evening’s rally is scheduled to coincide with other actions in Mayo, Dublin and Belfast. In Dublin this evening, there will be a protest at Shell HQ at 5.30, and later there will be a vigil to show support for Maura Harrington outside the GPO. Many supporters in Donegal and Derry will be travelling to Mayo over the coming days. Actions will continue while Maura continues her hunger strike and while the Solitare remains in Irish territorial waters.

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Comments (3 of 3)

Derry Solidarity

by MAOR

Thu Sep 11, 2008 22:25

More photographs

Update from Erris as of 11pm tonight

by Starstruck - Rossport Solidarity Camp and WSM (pers cap)

Thu Sep 11, 2008 23:31

Firstly , thanks to everyone who turned out at the solidarity demo.
The news has been relayed to Maura, the locals and the camp activists and was received with great warmth and appreciation.
The energy levels down here are remarkably high,despite many people only having got 3-4 hours sleep for the past few nights.
Solidarity demos are helping keep us going,as is the knowledge that Shell and the state have been wounded by recent events.
Keep it up!!

UPDATE

MAURA AND THE SOLITAIRE

As I write I have just came from the gates of the compound where Maura continues her incredibly courageous and selfless action.
The numbers have swelled in the past hour,as the camp meeting finished and the 20 locals present were swelled by about 20-30 campers.
As Maura continues into Day 3 of her strike,the Solitaire has been confirmed to have moved slightly off the Donegal coast,but unfortunately is stationery,still visible through the fog from the shoreline.
We hope that it will move out of Irish territorial waters soon as Maura has become slightly disoriented as dehydration (although she is drinking water) is setting in.
She has vowed to abide by her original statement (which should be read at the other thread) and continue until the Solitaire has left Irish territorial waters.

POLICE
The police presence in the area has stabilised at the levels it was at this morningthat is quite heavy but not as bad as Tuesday night and Wednesday morning when the area was crammed with up to 100 members of arious units,some unmarked and unnumbered.
Special branch cars are still floating around the area,more obvious at this stage than the marked Garda cars (!)
The police appeared agitated about 20 minutes ago when the large crowd at the gate vigil swelled.
We will maintian the presence 24 hours and will not abandon Maura for a second in her hour of need.

FRIDAY
Action will continue tomorrow.
The media are finally watching and this is only as a result of massive effort and sacrifice over the past month.
We will not take our foot off the accelerator for one second.
This project must be scuppered at every available opportunity.

Shell to Sea!

Solidarity!

good turnout

by cable - Shell to Sea Cambridge

Fri Sep 12, 2008 22:12

Terrific - keep your voices loud for Erris people & environment, for Maura, & for all those who've suffered at Shell's hands. Solidarity to all.

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Derry Solidarity Shell To Sea Protest

Comments (3 of 3)