Rejoicing in the Victories of Comrades

During the period that the Rossport 5 were battling on the west coast of Ireland against the deaf ears of the Irish State and the greedy bastards that make up Shell Corporation, myself and 4 friends were on a marathon trek through the Irish Circuit court system due to anti-war activity against the U.S. military use of Shannon Airport, just 100 miles south of Willie Corduff's unspoilt farmland. It was heartening to see people from a largely unknown and unheard of small community overlooking the Atlantic ocean stand up for their rights and confront the isolating atmosphere of court systems, public spotlight, corrupt politicians, violent cops, and heartless corpopricks.

Mayo farmer Willie Corduff, who was jailed for three months alongside 4 other comrades in 2005 due to their opposition to Shell's onshore gas refinery at Bellanaboy and a high-pressure pipeline through his farm, was last week awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize. It is the largest global environmental recognition awarded annually to grassroots activists. Six grassroots environmental heroes won the $125,000 no-strings-attached prize. It is often referred to as the Nobel Prize for the environment.

Many Irish and international activists have been nourished by attending a grassroots network gathering at Rossport in 2005, writing letters to the men in jail, showing solidarity outside their court appearances, attending public meetings in support of their stand, occupying Shell headquarters, confronting nonviolently testerone-driven young men with long sticks mandated by the State to side with one of the most powerful corporations in the world, S-hell Oil. The latter name but a few actions that have occurred since the battle started. It has been beautiful to see the campaign score so many meaningful victories on the way as they continue to face the might of the Irish police and their batons supported by the Shell PR dept.'s and Ireland's mainstream media spinning machines of shitetalk and lies.

The example of Willie Corduff and all active in the Shell to Sea Campaign is a great example for those engaged in battles throughout Poland against greedy building corporations, short-sighted malignant politicians, and the bucket loads of horse manure that pour out from the mainstream media about the necessity to screw precious ecosystems all in the name of economic progress. Whether the Goldman prize or international recognition ever fall upon those of us who remain clear about the kind of unpolluted society we forsee for ourselves and our families, kids and comrades is of course not our motivating factor, and nor was it with Shell to Sea in Ireland. As Forrest Gump's mum told him when he asked her advice about 'what is good?'- "Good is as good does"! So often we witness our struggles faltering to the relentless forces of animosity. So often we lose heart that though the fight was worth fighting the enemy stole too many cards from the deck and always had an unjust advantage. And therefore it is quintessential that we spread the good news of victorious struggle in every language, at each social occasion, and throughout time to remind the cynics and defeatists, or those who have lost heart and those who are patiently struggling along in their daily lives to make our earth a more bearable and environmentally-sustainable place to thread upon - that we win some, we lose some, we learn from our mistakes, and then we win more, and more, and more.

The Shell to Sea campaign were inspired by executed human rights activist and environmentalist Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni people's struggle against the pollution of their natural habitat. And we in turn are inspired to not fall into slumber by remembering the lives of fallen comrades who have gone before us.

For more details in English check out Indymedia Ireland
and Shell To Sea

Photo - Ken Saro-Wiwa/Monster African Party day at Bellanaboy and Glenamoy - Sat Nov 12th 2005