Work continues at Corrib gas terminal site

**pete** · 03/10/2006, 3:50 PM

Gardaí in north Co Mayo have moved to break up the blockade mounted by local residents at the entrance to the Corrib gas terminal site in Bellanaboy.

The protestors have been blocking the site around the clock ever since Shell tried to resume construction work at the terminal last week.

However, they say hundreds of gardaí moved in this morning and carried them away from their positions.

Spokesperson Maura Harrington has accused the authorities of doing Shell's dirty work by clearing a path for construction workers to return to the site.

Breakingnews

This has slipped back into the news. I know the protestors will complain but can't see how the gardai could allow them illegally block access to private land.

**dahamsta** · 03/10/2006, 7:31 PM

I have to confess, I broke my hole laughing when I heard they were protesting by reciting the rosary.

**Strabane_Harp** · 03/10/2006, 7:49 PM

This kind of thing could turn into a major issue if an election comes around

**BohsPartisan** · 04/10/2006, 8:04 AM

Originally Posted by pete

I know the protestors will complain but can't see how the gardai could allow them illegally block access to private land.

The Gardaí will do their job. That job is to protect the interests of multinational corporations against the interests of ordinary people. There should be no surprise at the actions of the gardaí. There should be no surprise at the hypocricy of an organisation that is up to its eyes in corruption (Morris Tribunal).
"The state is the management committee for the affairs of the ruling class" - Marx
Lenin - The State and Revolution - Section on the police, courts etc

Indymedia report with photos

**liam88** · 04/10/2006, 11:11 AM

Disgusting really -the Gardai doing the dirty work of one of the biggest human rights abusers in the world. At least the Irish government haven't let Shell break up the protests using their own police force (as in Nigeria) but hey it's one step closer!

It's sad that the government is letting any multinational rape Ireland but especially Shell -and having raised nothing about past human rights issues. The Dail was one of the first parliaments to hear speeches from the Ogoni over Hell's actions in Nigeria and to pressure Shell over it.....how things have changed

By the way Adam what is so funny about protestors reciting the Rosary? Fair play to them I say.

It's a state when countries go letting in multinationals to do what they want and even worse when they put their police force at the disposal of said multinational. Like I said it's a small step away from the Shell police and Nigerian army who have, and continue to break up the protests in Nigeria. So what if a few people get shot -they are only Ogoni farmers, so what if a few people get their land and livelyhood destroyed, they're only Irish farmers..........

Great to see so many protestors though -fair play ot all of them!

**Lim till i die** · 04/10/2006, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

The Gardaí will do their job. That job is to protect the interests of multinational corporations against the interests of ordinary people. There should be no surprise at the actions of the gardaí.

Don't try and turn this into some kind of class struggle. What about all the workers on the site being prevented from earning a wage by these small minded me-feiner gombeens?? They're hardly the ruling class

The fact that they were saying the rosary just about says it all about these protesters

**BohsPartisan** · 04/10/2006, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Don't try and turn this into some kind of class struggle. What about all the workers on the site being prevented from earning a wage by these small minded me-feiner gombeens?? They're hardly the ruling class

The fact that they were saying the rosary just about says it all about these protesters

This is typical bull from apologists for $hell. (Why is there no giving the finger smilie?)

The Corrib Gas field is a natural resource that belonged to the people of Ireland. The government handed it over for a fraction of its value to a multinational corporation with a track record for murder in Nigeria.
Then $hell will in turn charge working people through the nose for the "privelege" of buying back the gas. This at a time when fuel prices are going through the roof and the burden of that is falling on us, the workers, the consumers, the taxpayers who should be seeing the benefit of this resourse. Then to add insult to injury $hell put the lives of the locals in danger to save a few bob.
The real mé féiner gombeens are $hell and their cronies in the government who have stolen the property of all the people of Ireland for their own selfish gain.
Shame on you lim for defending the indefensible!

**pete** · 04/10/2006, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Don't try and turn this into some kind of class struggle. What about all the workers on the site being prevented from earning a wage by these small minded me-feiner gombeens?? They're hardly the ruling class.

The construction work by Shell is fully legal based on the current laws of the state. The gardai are entrusted to enforce the law of the state - not to decide what they feel good or bad laws. If the protestors do not agree with the laws of this state they should campaign to change those laws.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 04/10/2006, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

The Corrib Gas field is a natural resource that belonged to the people of Ireland. The government handed it over for a fraction of its value to a multinational corporation with a track record for murder in Nigeria.
Then $hell will in turn charge working people through the nose for the "privelege" of buying back the gas. This at a time when fuel prices are going through the roof and the burden of that is falling on us, the workers, the consumers, the taxpayers who should be seeing the benefit of this resourse. Then to add insult to injury $hell put the lives of the locals in danger to save a few bob.
The real mé féiner gombeens are $hell and their cronies in the government who have stolen the property of all the people of Ireland for their own selfish gain.
Shame on you lim for defending the indefensible!

While I agree that this gas might as well be left beneath the atlantic for all the "value" the Irish people will get from it i.e. it might as well be coming from China as we'll still pay market value for it ...I don't think the Gardaí can be blamed for doing their job -which is actually to maintain law and order.

Protesters are entitled to protest, not obstruct.
I empathise with their desire to have the line go offshore though -notwithstanding the fact that the pipes pressure is well within safety limits.
That which is within safety limits is still not best practice. Put the thing offshore.

While I'm naming the evil that is Shell and our governments desire to do this the cheap way rather than the right way -I'll also name the evil that is the reported local intimidation of people involved or percieved to be involved in construction or facilitation of the works. It's not on.

**Lim till i die** · 04/10/2006, 1:10 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Shame on you lim for defending the indefensible!

I'll say it once again..... What about the construction workers being prevented from earning a wage??

As Mr. Ritchie said protesters are entitled to protest not obstruct

What would you have the gardai do btw?? Allow mob rule just because Shell are evil?

**pete** · 04/10/2006, 1:21 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

As Mr. Ritchie said protesters are entitled to protest not obstruct

I think thats an important point. It is illegal to obstruct but lawful to protest.

**BohsPartisan** · 04/10/2006, 1:34 PM

As I already pointed out I do not expect an sympathy from the Gardaí or the state and I don't give a flyin f'ck what is lawfull and what isn't when it comes to defending the lives of working class people. Whats more important? Adherannce to the law or the safety of a community? The law does not necessarily = justice. The theft of the gasfield by the government from the Irish people, its presentation on a plate to $hell and the endangering the lives of the community are all legal. Does that make it right?
The laws of the land are balanced in the favour of the capitalist class. Saying that if both sides adhere by the law then its an even playing field is like saying that a Bohs V Shels match refereed by Alan Kelly is fair.

As for the construction workers, they should be employed by the state to build an offshore facility that will be used for the benefit of the people of Ireland and not for the profit of a multinational corporation.

Lim your continous use of the rollyeye smiley is getting annoying.

**Lim till i die** · 04/10/2006, 1:39 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

As I already pointed out I do not expect an sympathy from the Gardaí or the state and I don't give a flyin f'ck what is lawfull and what isn't when it comes to defending the lives of working class people. Whats more important?

As for the construction workers, they should be employed by the state to build an offshore facility that will be used for the benefit of the people of Ireland and not for the profit of a multinational corporation.

Indeed they should in a perfect world but they're not.

Now what about their right to earn a wage being blocked by the protesters??

Are the construction workers not working class?? Should they not be defended??

If your claiming the farmers of the area are "more working class" than the construction workers or some such nonsense you really haven't a leg to stand on

Oh and BTW

**BohsPartisan** · 04/10/2006, 1:42 PM

Are Shell not paying them while the protest goes on? Thats a very flimsy arguement.
It is the interest of the working class of Ireland (The PAYE worker) as a whole that this resource stays in state hands and is used to provide cheap fuel to housholds.

**Lim till i die** · 04/10/2006, 1:46 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Are Shell not paying them while the protest goes on? Thats a very flimsy arguement.
It is the interest of the working class of Ireland (The PAYE worker) as a whole that this resource stays in state hands and is used to provide cheap fuel to housholds.

Was in the interest you mean. Shell own it now, nothing a bunch of people saying the rosary can do about it.

I hope to god Shell are paying them. Poor men having to put up with all that nonsense when all they want to do is a decent days work

**Lionel Ritchie** · 04/10/2006, 1:54 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

As I already pointed out I do not expect an sympathy from the Gardaí or the state and I don't give a flyin f'ck what is lawfull and what isn't when it comes to defending the lives of working class people. Whats more important? Adherannce to the law or the safety of a community? The law does not necessarily = justice.

Probably not -but I suspect it'll result in Justice a lot more often than the logical follow on from your theory ...which is very similar to the one murdering scumbags of every hue have used to justify butchery not a million miles away from here.

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

The laws of the land are balanced in the favour of the capatilist class.

That'll p1ss the capitalist class off no end. They thought they'd that fcuker in the bag.

**BohsPartisan** · 04/10/2006, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

the logical follow on from your theory ...which is very similar to the one murdering scumbags of every hue have used to justify butchery not a million miles away from here.

Your grasp of logic is pretty flimsy.
Not to mention that this could be considered flaming.

LTID. I agree with you on one thing - saying the Rosary is a joke, though not ALL the protesters are doing that and I'm sure the media latched onto that to make them look stupid.

**liam88** · 04/10/2006, 2:27 PM

1. The 'laws of the land' argument doesn't hold weight. Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed under Nigerian law; it still wasn't justice. That was the hand of Shell in collusion with the Nigerian military junta to murder an innocent protestor for bringing Shells human rights and environmental abuses to the fore. Just because a multinational is commiting apalling actions 'within the laws of the land' it doesn't make it any better.

2. The 'what about the construction workers' argument has been done to death. On this logic what the Nazi's did was alright because they employed a lot of people in the army. It's true that under Weimar people couldn't affod to buy food for their families but under Hitler they were given a uniform, food, and a roof. If Hitler hadn't tried to take over Europe thousands of Germans would have been unemployed- fact. That doesn't make what they did any better.

To clarify -before I am accused of comparing the Irish government to either the Nazi's or the Nigerian military junta of the 90's I am purely pointing out the flaws in the logic of the Royal Dutch Hell apologists on here. Having said that I believe Shell's moral standards are on about the same level as both.

It's not about class it's about multinationals exploiting people.

And what on earth is wrong with praying the rosary?

**corbyeire** · 04/10/2006, 2:28 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

Was in the interest you mean. Shell own it now, nothing a bunch of people saying the rosary can do about it.

I hope to god Shell are paying them. Poor men having to put up with all that nonsense when all they want to do is a decent days work

they dont want to do a decent days work - they are rolling in it at the moment - long may the stand off continue

for me people dont want a decent days work - they want as much money for as little as possible - decent doesnt come into it