The People, United

The long running struggle in Erris (Rossport) against Shell's attempt to impose an experimental gas pipeline on the local community has erupted in recent days with repeated local direct actions against the compound Shell are trying to construct. Meanwhile the state, at the behest of Shell, continues to press vindictive prosecutions against local activists. Back in March retired school teacher Maura Harrington for jailed for 30 days, today the state returned for another pound of flesh and she was sentenced to another 7-10 days in Mountjoy prison. At very short notice over 20 activists from Dublin Shell to Sea gathered at the prison gates and showed their outrage by blocking the entrance of the prison van containing Maura in to Mountjoy for about twenty minutes.

Related Links from Indymedia.ie:
Previous Indymedia Features: Tripod Action at Glengad United Community of Erris Remove Shell Nets.
Shell security attack Willie Corduff after illegal Glengad compound dismantled
Scuffles At Mountjoy As Maura Harrington Is Jailed
Indymedia.ie stories about Shell in Mayo from the Indymedia.ie Archives

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Keep the pressure up: Contact ALL TDs, Senators, and MEPs in Ireland and let them know how you feel about Shell in Rossport - Contact.ie

Everyday Politics

Tescos are just putting the finishing touches to a shiny new store complete with multi storey carpark that puts another nail in the coffin of any character that the centre of Douglas had left. (Two shopping centres, A Topaz garage, lots of carparking space , a McDonald’s…. you get the picture. There is a nice Farmer’s market in the park on Saturday though). Anyway, that aside, Tesco is trying to lay off all it’s workers and then rehire them under tighter contracts. The first lay offs are meant to begin tomorrow (30th April). The workers, supported by Mandate, their union, are out on strike until this is sorted out.

I went along to support them (Apr 29th) because I think Tesco is a huge monster seeking an inordinate amount of control over our lives including the foodchain and the economy and they need to be stopped. Any action that breaks the routine of the working day is to be applauded, especially if the aim is to improve one’s lot and that of others. Make no mistake - the struggle of these workers is the struggle of us all because in these recessionary times - any chance that capitalism gets to take up the slack and tighten the rope on us - it will take.

Entrance to Glengad compound Thursday morning

Shell's illegal Glengad compound was dismantled last night and Goldman winner, Willie Corduff was assaulted by masked Shell security during truck protest.
Yesterday Shell’s attempts to restart their works on the Corrib Gas project were ground to a halt after only eight hours. At 6-30 a workforce of about 20, backed up by around 50 private security guards erected fences to re-establish a compound. This compound is the would-be on-shore pipe installation base. Works were seriously hampered when local people and solidarity camp activists occupied machinery.

By 4 o clock Rossport Five member Willie Corduff was still refusing to leave the from under the truck, which he had occupied in the compound and all work had ground to a halt. Shell were unable to continue as Willie was preventing necessary equipment being used.
As the evening drew to a close Willie was resolute that he would stay and the community rallied around in support. Throughout the evening supporters gathered at the compound to show support for the campaign and Willie Corduff’s stand bringing blankets and hot water bottles.

Related Links:
Shell to Sea website l Shell return to Glengad in force

Hort Comunitari

Springtime in Europe and the Earth's life cycle is in bloom again. The 3 parts of the radio documentary capture magical moments in the recent history of one of the most exciting projects in Barcelona at present, our community garden in Gracia. This article was written after a lovely Valentine's weekend of much open, shared and participative activity; the highlight of which was our collective mural day in the garden. It is hoped that some of the life, current ideas, projects, tools, spaces, bargains, oddities, dreams, passions and goings on of the city and her peoples are communicated here-in.

Friday… Thinking about winning
Saturday… Painting pictures and feeling like we are winning
Sunday… Sharing passions, playing and doing, remembering the South

Related Links:
• The ongoing "war" against Barcelona's okupas and its social movement(s) - IMC-IE feature (October 17, 2007)
• We are thousands : Barcelona and the ongoing attack against its squatted social centres - IMC-ORG feature (29 May 2007)
• Barcelona: 3 early morning raids on 3 squats, including MAKABRA - IMC-IE article (November 20, 2006)
• Dunk's past indymedia articles

It's time to fight back, not cut back.

There is no money left in Ireland. At least that’s what you might think after listening to Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny, IBEC and the parade of capitalist economists and pundits who parrot this nonsense. Yes, we are heading into a deep recession but guess who is expected to pay the cost?

Related Links:
• Workers Solidarity Movement Website - www.wsm.ie
• Irish Congress of Trade Unions - www.ictu.ie
• Workers Issues on Indymedia.ie.
• Workers Solidarity Movement articles on Indymedia.ie
• Michael Taft's, from Notes on the Front - The Recession Diaries, proposal Towards a New Economic Narrative

Indymedia Reporters Group:
Mick Burke and the Indymedia Collective are trying to set up a dedicated reporters group to report on the (potential) strike on March 30th. Read about it here.

Don't just sit there, contact someone:
If you feel strongly about this, why not contact some/all politicians - Contact.ie

The Government has no problem finding money to bail out bankers and speculators, it’s only when cash is needed for special-needs teachers, the sick, or to improve run-down schools and hospitals that nothing can be found. The attack on pay and pensions is a class struggle by employers and the government against working people.

It may sound old-fashioned to talk of class struggle, but what else do you call it when one class wants to preserve its wealth at the expense of the other class? When private sector workers see 90% of pension funds they paid into for years going down the tube, Brian Goggin of Bank of Ireland thinks he is hard done by because he will “take home less than €2 million” this year.