Bellenaboy SOS - Mobilise To Mayo
The people of Rossport and the surrounding areas are once again asking people from across Ireland to stand with them by taking part in a ‘Solidarity Day’ this Saturday (July 21). This latest plea for help from the besieged community comes only days after the jailing of three local men on trumped up charges arising from a protest at the site of Shell’s controversial refinery at Bellanboy, County Mayo.
Friends and supporters of the ‘Shell to Sea’ campaign are being asked to assemble outside of the refinery site at 8am on Saturday morning, with the protest expected to last until ‘late’. There have been daily protests at this location since Shell recommenced work there in autumn of last year.
It was during one such protest on 12 October 2006 that local men Patrick O'Donnell aged 49, his 21-year-old son Johnathan and 21-year-old Enda Carey were alleged to have formed a ‘scrum’ which resulted in a Garda being pushed into a ditch and breaking his thumb. Last week all three were sentenced in Bellmullet district court to three months in jail and a €500 fine for this ‘assault’. The men have subsequently been released on bail pending an appeal.
The men were convicted on the statements of Garda witnesses alone with no other witnesses or photographic evidence produced. This stands in stark contrast to the state’s attitude to the use of violence by the Gardai, which has been regularly captured on camera, most dramatically by the state broadcaster RTE during a Garda baton charge on the 10th of November of last year.
Speaking in relation to the men’s jailing, Éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson said ‘It now appears that the state are willing to corrupt yet another institute of state in their desire to ensure that Shell and the other transnational energy companies have a free-run at the Irish peoples gas and oil reserves.
‘First we had the corrupt Ray Burke legislation facilitating the giveaway of Ireland’s hydro-carbons, followed by corruption of planning regulations to facilitate Shell. Then we had the ‘guardians of the peace’ beating and intimidating peaceful protesters and now the courts are being used to jail protesters on spurious charges.
‘It appears that nowhere is safe, not even the justice system, from the corrupting influence of Shell and the other big energy companies. I would hope that anyone who can make it to Mayo on Saturday would do so, and once again stand with the people of Rossport as they attempt to halt the giveaway of the Corrib gas reserve.’