by Alan Jacques
A TOTAL of 116 candidates in Friday’s General Election have committed to ending the US military use of Shannon Airport.
They signed up to the campaign in response to a Peace Pledge drafted by the main peace and anti-war groups in Ireland.
However, the organisations’ behind the initiative, point out that there is not a single Fine Gael, Labour Party, Fianna Fail or Renua candidate among the 116 to have signed the pledge.
All 50 Sinn Fein candidates were committed to supporting the Peace Pledge as were the Anti Austerity Alliance / People before Profit and the Workers Party. A number of candidates from the Green Party, Social Democrats and other parties, as well as Independents also signed up.
“This is a very important commitment in terms of Ireland’s foreign policy,” said John Lannon of Shannonwatch.
“It is also in line with the wishes of the Irish people. By allowing Shannon Airport to be used as a US military base we are contributing to war and human rights abuse. The next government must end this practice and restore Irish neutrality.”
One of the first to sign the Peace Pledge was Richard Boyd Barrett TD who is also chairperson of the Irish Anti War Movement.
“The fact that not a single candidate from Fine Gael, Labour, Fianna Fail or Renua has signed the Peace Pledge is telling,” said Edward Horgan of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA).
“These parties may well have instructed their candidates to refuse to sign anything that helps protect our neutrality or diminish our role in military alliances. In doing so they are contributing to the death and suffering of millions of people, and to the refugee crises we have today,” Mr Horgan added.
