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Defend Neutrality
If truth be told the long standing claim of neutrality by
the southern Irish state is not all its made out to be. It is a fact that
successive Irish governments have turned a blind eye to American war planes
using Shannon as a stopping off point for attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, as
well as carrying munitions to Israel for its genocidal war against the people
of Palestine. US planes carrying political prisoners to interrogation and
detention sites, where they were tortured, stopped at Shannon to refuel. A
breach of international law. The government did nothing.
In recent months a significant and increasing number of
articles have been published in the mainstream Dublin based media claiming that
neutrality was fine in the past but is not fit for purpose in the world today.
It is ‘morally degenerate’ wrote one writer. Getting rid of neutrality would
make the Irish state appear more ‘grown-up’ said another. The language has
become increasingly belligerent as the demand is made for a substantial
increase in spending on weapons and for the Irish government to join the NATO
alliance.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael representatives have especially
echoed this demand and are content to become part of a system that would send
young Irish men and women go off to fight and die in wars far from their home.
To achieve this the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael led government is
proposing that it abandon the ‘triple lock’ system which up to now has
determined when and where Irish troops can be deployed overseas. The
triple lock came into effect in 2001, after the defeat of the Nice referendum.
It was widely accepted that the loss of the first NICE Treaty referendum was
due to public concern that the Treaty would subvert Irish neutrality and lead
to Irish soldiers participating in a future European Army.
The other EU States accepted that Irish participation in any
EU military operation would require three authorisations. The first of
the three - ‘triple lock’ requirements – involves the Government, through
the Cabinet, giving its backing for troop deployment. The second step is a
successful motion in the Dáil. And the third lock requires the backing of the
UN Security Council for sending Irish troops overseas.
The second NICE Treaty referendum was subsequently passed.
In 2023 Micheál Martin indicated that the government was
examining ways of amending the triple lock mechanism. At the beginning of this
month the Fine Gael leader Simon Harris won Cabinet approval to ‘reform’ the
triple lock. The proposal is that the Cabinet and the Dáil would still have to
agree to any military deployment but the third authorisation would now fall to
a regional organisation, such as the EU.
Around 400 university and academic staff from across the
state immediately wrote to the Taoiseach warning that ending the current triple
lock requirements “will significantly weaken its (Irish state)
commitment to the UN system, UN Peacekeeping and multilateralism.” They
pointed to the fact that this comes at a time when the UN faces unprecedented
challenges “particularly in the context of Israel’s genocidal war on
Palestine … it is easy to be neutral in times of peace. The real test, and
where it matters most, is being neutral in times of war and heightened
conflict.”
Two years ago an Irish
Times/Ipsos opinion poll found that the overwhelming majority of
citizens – 61% - wanted to retain the current model of neutrality. In an
opinion poll in early February for Ireland Thinks “75% said ‘yes’ to
Ireland maintaining the current policy, 17% said 'no' and 7% were 'not sure'.” The
popular mood is for neutrality but the actions of President Trump on the
one hand and of President Putin on the other are creating uncertainty and fear.
Add to this the decision by the EU to spend over €800 billion on armaments
while allowing EU states to breach EU rules on spending, and we have a recipe
for a growing crisis in which the only winners are the arms manufacturers.
I believe that a policy of positive neutrality and of
enshrining it within the constitution is the best way forward. That means
not joining any military alliances. We should refuse to condone policies or
military groupings which maintain nuclear weapons and any weapons of mass
destruction. And we should refuse to facilitate international conflict in any
way.
It means working for international cooperation and conflict
negotiation, democratic social change and respect for human rights.
It means working for universal demilitarisation and nuclear disarmament.
The peace process has enhanced our international standing.
Our role in the United Nations, our status as a small state and former colony,
mean that we are widely respected, especially in the global south. That status
was a key factor several years ago in persuading many former colonised nations
to support the Irish government’s place on the UN Security Council.
Spending billions on armaments, including fighter jets is
wrong, especially at a time when there is a housing crisis and money is
urgently needed for health and education and other public services. The Irish
government should be pursuing an independent foreign policy while promoting
dialogue and negotiations as the way to resolve international disputes. The
world does not need another overly armed European state joining the clamour for
bigger and better weapons.
Support the Occupied Territories Bill
Last week An Taoiseach Micheál Martin is reported to have
told an Israeli lobby group in New York that the Occupied Territories Bill is
not on the legislative calendar. He is sticking rigidly to the line that there
are constitutional difficulties that require the Bill to be significantly
redrafted. The end result of this prevarication is that the Occupied
Territories Bill remains in limbo.
While Micheál Martin stonewalls meaningful action against
Israel that state’s genocide against the Palestinian people is unrelenting.
Israel has clearly breached the January ceasefire multiple times. Since 15
January Israeli forces have killed over 150 civilians in the Gaza Strip,
including women and children, charity workers and journalists. For almost three
weeks now Israel has imposed a blockade on desperately needed aid from entering
the devastated region. It has also turned off Gaza’s electricity preventing the
desalination plants from providing water for the besieged residents.
The extent of Israel’s genocidal strategy was further
revealed last week when the UN Independent International Commission
of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory published a damning report
accusing Israel of using sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based
violence against Palestinians. The Commission found that these acts “violate
women’s and girls’ reproductive rights and autonomy, as well as their right to
life, health, founding a family, human dignity, physical and mental integrity,
freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and self-determination
and the principle of non-discrimination.” These amount to two categories of
genocidal acts in the Rome Statute and the Genocide Convention.
The Irish government has to stop pandering to the Netanyahu
government and uphold international standards on human rights and
self-determination. A start would include the passing into law of the Occupied
Territories Bill.
The full report of the UN Commission can be found
here. www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session58/a-hrc-58-crp-6.pdf
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig
This year Friends of Sinn Féin published an
advertisement in several US based newspapers, including the New York Times
urging Irish America to speak out on the right of the diaspora to vote in Irish
Presidential elections and called on the Irish government to prepare for Irish
Unity.
In a message to government Ministers visiting the USA for
St. Patrick’s the FoSF advert said: “Irish America believes that the
Irish Government has a constitutional obligation to plan for the unity
referendums promised in the Good Friday Agreement. It is failing to meet that
obligation… It is time to respect the rights of all Irish Citizens to elect the
Irish President. It is time the Irish Government planned and prepared for
Unity.” They are right.
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