Iawm Condemns Simon Coveney's Decision to Possibly send Irish Troops to train Ukrainian Army

Press Release - Irish Anti War Movement (IAWM) Aug 31st

This press release is from Aug 31st but has gone unnoticed in mainstream

The IAWM condemns Minister for Defence Simon Coveney’s decision to support the proposal by EU Ministers to train Ukraine’s military and to possibly “contribute a small number of military personnel” from Ireland as reported in the Irish Times today -

This is yet another act that is contrary to Article 29 of Bunreacht na hÉireann and in particular sub-section 2 which notes Ireland’s “adherence to the principle of the pacific settlement of international disputes”. The Irish Government seems determined to completely erode Ireland’s neutral status – a position cherished by the majority of Irish people. All Irish people should resist this insane rush to militarisation. The Irish Government should not even be contemplating contributing troops, no matter how few, to one side in this horrible war.

The reality is that the Ukraine Russian war has reached a violent stalemate that both sides seem ready to prolong indefinitely at immense human and environmental cost which will only be catastrophic for Ukraine, Russia and the world. The war is a key driver in the current fuel and food inflation crisis now impacting so many lives worldwide. Both sides intensify militarisation, with NATO’s explicit aim to help Ukraine defeat Russia, and so NATO leaders discourage and squander any possibility of peace talks.

The risk of nuclear accident, if not an actual nuclear exchange between Russia and NATO, is now far greater than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis sixty years ago. The recklessness of firing missiles in and around the largest nuclear plant in the world at Zaporizhzhia is beyond comprehension.

Yet there is hope as demonstrated by the fact that Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN diplomats are engaged in coordinating grain exports from Odessa and other ports since 22 July. The obvious next step is to reach some agreement on demilitarisation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and then to have a full ceasefire and peace negotiations. It is telling but disgraceful that the first phone call since the war started between US Secretary Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov only occurred during the talks around the grain deal.

The Irish Government is content meanwhile on joining the NATO militarists in further escalation of the conflict when instead Micheál Martin and Simon Coveney should assert Ireland’s neutral role at both the UNSC and the EU and lead the calls for diplomacy and peaceful negotiations to end this horrific war. The future of both the Ukrainian people and all humanity depend on it.

Ref: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2022/08/30/ireland-supports-eu-military-training-mission-for-ukraine-in-principle/

Contact:

Jim Roche, PRO Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737

Sara O Rourke, Member, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6024821

Michael Youlton, Chair Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 086 8159487

John Molyneux, Member, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 0857356424

Marnie Holborow, Member, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 9889244

Mark Price, Member, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 086 3454332

Glenda Cimino, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 124 9456

END