Workers Solidarity Movement

On Thursday 20th January An Bord Pleanala announced their decision to approve the Shell high pressure raw gas pipeline. The decision shows the farce of project splitting, which allows authorities to pass dangerous sections of projects without going through a rigorous planning process. This is the last chance to resist this flawed project. It's time to stand up against the Irish Government, state bodies and Shell forcing their will on communities and on the country as a whole, regardless of proper process, economic sense, people’s safety, environmental laws and human rights. Whilst the people of Ireland are being crippled by the cuts in public services and forced in to huge EU and IMF debt, the great gas giveaway is the elephant in the room that could be our solution. The unjust deal can be renegotiated as we have successfully seen in other countries. The people of Ireland should have a say in how we sustainably manage our natural resources. The struggle against Shell is a struggle for everyone in Ireland. You can be part of it.

What are Shell’s plans? - The construction period is 28 months, probably starting around March 2011. Month 3 and 4 are the heaviest for construction traffic with 250 truck movements every day. However Shell could begin construction anytime from now by putting up fences to secure the compound in Aughoose and Glengad. The opportunity to prevent Shell from securing the Aughoose compound and delivering their tunnel boring machine to the site is now our best chance to stop the project. We must not let the opportunity go by, as once the tunnel boring machine has gone underground the work will be much harder to stop. We have until Thursday 17th March to put in an application for an injunction by way of Judicial Review. Even if this is successful, there is no guarantee that it would stop work immediately and so we need to stop it ourselves.

What you can do now:
1. Come up to the camp! If you can only come up once this year, make plans to come up soon. Ideally come as soon as you get the call out that Shell are about to start work, which will probably be within the next 2 months. Summer is the time loads of people come to resist Shell’s destructive work but this time Shell are planning to start work around March and this is the busiest time for traffic movements. If you are booking time off work, book time off in March now, there will be work to do every day in March. Ask your friends and all those you know have been involved in the campaign over the years to book time off also and make plans to come up.

2. We are getting ready to set up the new camp and need your help now, particularly with practical preparation and building work. The new camp requires people with carpentry and building skills. However if you don’t have these skills, please come because you can learn them.

3. Do a stall and leaflet your local town on Saturday 12th February. The Pipe film will be shown on television on Wednesday 9th February so lots of people will be interested in the campaign. We will have the new leaflet, stickers and posters and election questions ready for this, please email to be sent some. Let's make the gas giveaway an election issue!

4. Get in touch if you would like us to give a non-violent direct action workshop in your area, to prepare people to come up.

5. If you cannot make it up here at the moment, please get ready to come when you get the call out that Shell are about to start work. Solidarity actions at garages, government offices & subcontractors are other great ways of supporting the campaign, however immediately after the call out we will need you here in Mayo.

Please email rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com or phone 0851141170 to let us know when you can come up and for latest updates.

Please share this information as widely as you can.
If you have ever wanted to take action and be part of the campaign, the time is now!

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WORDS: Rossport Solidarity Camp