1,400 March against the War in Dublin
Finghín Kelly - Socialist Youth UCD | 01.12.2001 23:17
An estimated 1400 people marched through Dublin in opposition to the ongoing War in Afghanistan. The march started at the Garden of Rememberance and proceeded down O'Connell Street, and came back to the GPO via Grafton Street for a rally.
It was a lively and load march. The marchers came from a wide range of organisations and from none. Both Socialist Youth and the Socialist Party participated in the march called by the Irish Anti-War movement (IAWM). The UCD anti-war group also participated alongside the Trinity College anti-war group.
At the GPO the speakers included Sandeep Vaidya of the Campaign against the Iraq sanctions. He reminded the protesters that the US are likely to attack other countries. Sandeep noted that every month 5000 Iraqi children die due to sanctions imposed by the USA and the UN. A Residents Against Racism activist told of the racist nature of this war; the American leaders see the lives of Afghan people as less valuable than American people. Patricia McKenna, Green Party MEP, also criticised the Irish government and the main political parties for their support of the Afghan slaughter.
Unfortunatly what was a good protest march was turned sour by the petty secarianism of some people in the Irish Anti-War Movement leadership. An experienced anti-war campaigner from the Socialist Party was denied access to speak at the rally as the IAWM leadership; did not want political parties speaking. This did not stop a Green MEP and prominent members of the SWP speaking. There has to be questions asked about a certain political party using the Irish Anti-War Movement to notch up petty sectarian points.
Finghín Kelly - Socialist Youth UCD
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