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The Irish Republican Socialist Party demand the 26 county administration immediately release from Cloverhill Prison the five Mayo men who have become known as the "Rossport Five," Michael O'Seighin, Vincent McGrath, Philip McGrath, Willie Corduff, and Brendan Philbin.
Dublin IRSP representative Kevin Morley today said: "These men are prisoners of the state for opposing the installation of the Corrib gas pipeline with much justification. According to Councillor Willie Clarke MLA, in the Daily Ireland (July 12, 2005) 'these men, their families and neighbours, are protesting because they believe that the pipeline is unsafe as the pressure of gas is far too high for its proximity to homes.' This argument is, of course, absolutely correct but in itself too shallow. "The fact of the matter is that Shell, and companies like them, are transnational organisations and use countries like Ireland where the government is too weak to resist in order to maximise profits. The economy of Shell is likely to be larger than that of the 26 county administration in much the same way as that of Union Carbide was to the Indian government when the Bhopal disaster occurred back in the early 1980s. The truth of the matter is that these companies couldn't care less about 'national governments' like that of the Free State as their only objective is to maximise profits." He said: "The 26 county government would have us believe that such companies as Shell create jobs and encourage economic growth. As far as it goes this argument may hold water but economic growth and employment under the capitalist system are dependent on the benevolent transnational making huge profits, and once this is accomplished and a cheaper source of profit can be found elsewhere then the workforce can go to hell. In the meantime if an accident occurs on the Corrib gas pipeline and hundreds of homes are wiped out, to say nothing of the loss of life to working class people, Shell just shut up shop and relocate elsewhere leaving people who live in Ireland to pick up the pieces. "Councillor Clarke's arguments are very well founded and his concerns equally so and as he says, 'the Rossport Five languish in a Dublin jail for carrying out a legitimate protest.' However, where the argument falls short from a socialist/communist point of view is there is no direct attack on the capitalist system which allows such activities, in fact encourages these same antics of the transnational companies, to continue. Until such an imbecilic system is brought to its knees such miscarriages of justice, which has occurred to the Rossport Five, will happen again and again. Councilor Clarke is correct to point out that 'the drive for profit in the name of progress seems to take precedent' over people's health and well-being but at the end of the day it's just another symptom of the overall capitalist system where profit is the only word that counts." In conclusion, Kevin Morley said: "If the 26 county government had an ounce of respect for their forebears, it is not the Rossport Five who should be languishing in Cloverhill but the profiteering exploiting directors of Shell who are quite evidently, according to reports, putting peoples lives at risk." ###
Irish Republican Socialist Party, Dublin |