Shell To Sea swimmers arrested

 Shell to Sea swimmers detained at Shell's compound at Glengad

Warship LE Emer in Broadhaven Bay 24th June 2009

Erris Fishermen granted Garda protection after boat sinking.

ERRIS FISHERMEN DEMAND GARDA PROTECTION AS SOLITAIRE APPROACHES BROADHAVEN BAY

"..HEAD of the State’s private security regulatory body has been asked to discuss the policing of the Corrib gas project with north Mayo residents today."

Judge turns down free legal aid to Shell To Sea protesters in the name of "Social Justice"?

State losing billions in natural gas giveaway

Fishermen seek 'vigorous' inquiry into sinking

...“sinister turn of events in the ongoing saga that is the Corrib gas project”.

..."Pat O’Donnell, skipper of the Iona Isle and a Shell to Sea campaigner, still has concerns about the impact of the refinery discharge pipe on the marine environment and declined to be party to the deal. The contract involves compensation of €30,000 for temporary loss of livelihood for fishermen who would normally be active in the pipeline corridor.

Under current legislation, he cannot be forced to leave the association, but was arrested twice last year. His solicitors have stated that he was released on the second occasion from Belmullet Garda station “two minutes before his lawyers were due to present papers to the High Court for an inquiry into his arrest under Article 42.4.2 of the Constitution of Ireland. Subsequently the DPP directed that no charges be brought against him by the State arising from the circumstances of his arrest (or otherwise)”.

74% of people in an RTE news poll said that the Gardaí are protecting Shell's interests over the public by arresting the two fishermen

"Concern at 'deteriorating' Corrib row

 LABOUR PARTY president Michael D Higgins has expressed concern about a “deteriorating situation” with the Corrib gas project in north Mayo, following the sinking last week of a fishing vessel in Broadhaven Bay.

Mr Higgins has said “accurate information” is required for “establishment of fact”.

He has also called on the Government to outline progress on enacting the Private Security Act, 2004, on regulating the security industry, in the light of the vessel’s sinking.

The owner of the fishing vessel, Pat O’Donnell, had expressed fears about his own safety more than a month ago, due to his decision not to sign up to an agreement between Shell and the Erris Inshore Fishermen’s Association on facilitating the laying of the Corrib gas project offshore pipeline in Broadhaven Bay.

Under current legislation, the developer cannot compel fishermen to quit fishing grounds during the pipelaying."

High security for critical phase of pipe-laying off coast of Mayo

"Garda Síochána has formally requested the assistance of the Naval Service to provide maritime support for their policing of Broadhaven Bay."

"The Naval Service will initially deploy one patrol vessel in the vicinity of Broadhaven Bay to act as a maritime platform for their ATCP Ops in the bay area. They will provide a number of fully-crewed rigid inflatable boats (knows as Ribs) to assist gardaí monitoring the actions of protesters in the bay during the joining-up operation."

"At least one Garda member will be on board each of the Naval Service’s Ribs at all times during this period with responsibility for maintaining public order around the Solitaire and its support vessels. The aim will be to provide 24-hour cover throughout the joining up operation."

"To begin with, it is not envisaged that Naval personnel will be armed."

"Naval personnel will only be permitted to use force – as a last resort, and by unarmed restraint only"

"The actions of Naval personnel during any protests are strictly governed under law along the three principles of minimum force, prevention (of injury and death to civilians or gardaí) and justification."

"In providing Naval support to Garda operations in Broadhaven Bay, the Navy is adamant that their presence does not represent an escalation in the use of force against Shell to Sea protesters."

Shell denies involvement in trawler sinking

Shell incidents under investigation

From the archive: "Here's a story which illustrates the impact that a controversial project is having on a close-knit community"

BREAKING NEWS: Pat O'Donnell, locally known as 'The Chief', has had his boat, the 'Iona Isle'  boarded overnight by armed, masked men and sunk. Pat and the other crewman who were on board at the time are said to be safe and recovering in hospital after rescue. More details to follow.

"This is the definitive account of the sinking of the Iona Isle this morning from Pat O'Donnell himself.
Pat O'Donnell's fishing boat was boarded by four masked men, two of whom were armed, at approximately two o clock this morning whilst out at sea laying pots. The two armed men held Mr O'Donnell and his crewman Martin McDonnell in the wheelhouse of the boat while another two went below deck for 20 minutes. These men returned to the deck and the two crew members were held for one and a half hours until the engine went out. At this point the masked men alighted onto an unknown vessel that took them away. None of the men spoke good english. Mr O'Donnell went down to the engine room and realised that the boat was sinking.The two fishermen put out a mayday signal and attempted to inflate their lifeboat. The inflation mechanism failed a number of times but eventually worked with only moments left to spare. Once onboard the lifeboat Mr O'Donnell and Mr McDonnell sent out a distress flare. They were rescued at 4.30am by the 'Rachel Mary', another boat owned by Pat O’Donnell and operated by his son, Jonathan O’Donnell. He then rang the Gardai at around 6am to inform them of the incident.

Pat said '"I was in fear for my life, is there no end to what these thugs will try to do? All I am trying to do is protect my family and the seas that are our livelihood. I told Minster O'Cuiv in April that I needed protection by the state, but he wouldn't give it - now its time for the government to protect its people.I won't be intimidated by this."

Pat O’Donnell is a local fisherman with over thirty years experience in the waters off the coast of Ireland.  It is assumed that Pat O'Donnell was targeted as he is one of the loudest objectors to Shell's Corrib Gas Project. As a fifth generation fisherman his livelihood will be crippled by pollution from the corrib project into Broadhaven bay. Determined to protect the waters for future generations of fishermen, Mr. O'Donnell has consistently refused to be paid off by Shell.

For verification or comment, contact:
Pat O'Donnell                097-88982        ; 086-6003348"

"At 2am on Thursday morning, Pat O'Donnell's boat the 'Iona Isle' was boarded by four masked men and sunk out at sea, near where Mr. O'Donnell lays his fishing pots off Erris, North Mayo. Mr. O'Donnell and crewman Martin McDonnell were attacked and held down by some of the men, while others went below deck, where they proceeded to sink the boat. Both local men have been taken to Castlebar General Hospital, where they are recovering.
This action has been taken due to Mr. O'Donnell's vocal opposition to Shell's Corrib Gas project. He is a local fisherman who whose family has fished Broadhaven Bay for generations. Mr. O'Donnell is against the destruction of the Bay and his livelihood by Shell, and has been assaulted by Shell security and Gardaí on a number of previous occasions.
This development follows a sinister pattern of attacks on high profile opponents of the Corrib gas project. In April, local farmer Willie Corduff was severely beaten while protesting against Shell's return to Glengad. On that occasion, Shell's private security force - Integrated Risk Management Services (IRMS) - initially refused to comment on the situation, but later claimed responsibility for a watered-down version of events. IRMS have been accused of brutality on a number of occasions in relation to their work in Mayo, with 'YouTube' video exhibiting their behaviour[1]. Another campaigner suffered ligament damage at the hands of IRMS last week while protesting. Shell's work in the Niger Delta has also been in the public mind this week with a huge settlement in favour of the Ogoni 9 at a court in New York[2].
In a separate incident, six people have been arrested during an attempt to board dredgers working in Broadhaven Bay, while two others will also appear before Westport District Court this morning in relation to arrests at a protest which blocked trucks from entering Shell's Glengad compound for over an hour.
Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington said: “Will Shell stop at nothing to stamp down on the protest here in Mayo? This attack on Pat and Martin and their boat is nothing short of disgusting, and could easily have been even more dangerous, as there were problems with their life raft and neither man can swim . Those opposing the project are now in fear of their lives.”

ENDS

For verification or comment, please contact:
Maura Harrington               087 9591474       
Terence Conway               086 0866264       

Notes to Editors
Video of IRMS on YouTube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC7xrRQHQ6k
Shell forced to settle human rights case out of court. http://wiwavshell.org/documents/Wiwa_v_Shell_Settlement_release.pdf " 

 Related articles:

Shell incidents under investigation

Fishermen's Fight for Freedom Continues in Court Battle on Day of Shell AGM

Fishermen seek State help in row

"Shell cannot legally remove his pots as he has a traditional right to fish there. If the pots were 'accidentally' destroyed, however, they would no longer pose an obstacle to Shell's proposed pipeline. Pat's near constant presence in his boat was the only thing keeping the pots safe. Now the boats gone.

Pat O'Donnell was twice arrested in 24 hours with no legal basis off his boat last year for fishing in an area where he has a constitutionally protected traditional right to fish as this area lies along the proposed pipeline route.
He made ministers Eamon Ryan and Eamon O'Cuiv (spotted yesterday sleeping in the Dail) aware of this at the time once again at public meeting some weeks ago but no investigation was carried out and no response given by the ministers to this..
Pat asked "Now that the law didn't work for you guys last year and Shell...am I going to meet them with balaclavas like Willie Corduff met his attackers?"

It appears that the answer is yes." http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92657

"Welcome to Rossport, a small but divided village in County Mayo that has become yet another battleground for Shell. The fuel giant agreed this week to pay almost £10m to settle a legal action with human rights protesters in southern Nigeria, after being accused of collaborating in the execution of nine leaders of the Ogoni tribe, including the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa. In Rossport, it is up against a group of protesters who have now held a gas pipeline at bay for almost a decade. This summer, Shell is due to put in place a massive security operation to help finally bring the pipeline ashore to its Bellanaboy Bridge gas refinery, a couple of miles inland from the village."

"Shell do not have the consent of this community. And the lesson of history is that where there is occupation, there will be resistance."

...read the full article in The Guardian here

Over 30 people will appear tomorrow Wednesday in Belmullet District Court facing a wide range of charges relating to legitimate protest against Shell's disastrous Corrib Gas Project. This number of individuals facing charges on one day in relation to one campaign is unprecedented and shows the lengths that the Gardai will go to in order to facilitate Shell rather than the citizens of this country.
 
Roughly 60 cases will be addressed, due to the fact that the community is being criminalised on a huge scale in an attempt to restrict their right to protest. This raises serious concerns about the restriction of civil liberties and the right to legitimate protest. This follows on from the recent arrest of over 100 campaigners near Nottingham in the UK, before they had committed any crime [1].

Shell today also tacitly admitted guilt by paying out $15.5m in a settlement to the families of the Ogoni 9, who were executed by the Nigerian government on trumped up charges in 1995 for their opposition to Shell. This further exhibits Shell's appalling environmental and human rights record, and highlights the lengths they will go to force their projects through [2].
 
Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway said: “The Gardai are trying to stop protest against Shell, but this campaign has been going for nearly 10 years, and we're not going to give up now. This is a serious infringement upon people's right to protest, and raises serious questions as to just what lengths they are willing go to in trying to force Shell's will on the people. This project is wrong for the area, and rips-off the resources of the people of Ireland in middle of a recession, and we're proud to oppose it.”
 
Shell to Sea Spokesperson Maura Harrington added: “The victory of the families of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his colleagues against Shell is a great example to everyone here, and shows that with patience and hard work, Shell can be beaten.”  
For verification or comment, please contact:
Maura Harrington               087 9591474       
Terence Conway               086 0866264       

Related articles:
Mass arrests over power station protest raise civil liberties concerns. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/14/police-arrests-environment-campaigners
Shell forced to settle human rights case out of court. http://wiwavshell.org/documents/Wiwa_v_Shell_Settlement_release.pdf