Confrontation ensues as Shell vessels arrive at Rossport

by Marc Spring Fri Jun 05, 2009 21:15

Maverick, I took your advice and checked out the FT article. I'll ignore for now your rather patronising comments about our fellow Indymedia posters and focus on the article. It's refreshing to have a debate on a real issue, how we ought to manage our publicly owned natural resources.

I found the article, essentially, to be a radical right-wing libertarian argument for the direct distribution of oil revenues to all citizens, bypassing public services. But experience worldwide of transfers of public property into private hands have been almost always disastrous, for everyone except the large established private interests who eventually scoop up the dough. If this were implemented it would fuel a massive consumer boom, with exactly some of the same effects decried by the FT luminaries, followed by a megabust.

It's not surprising that this zany proposal is "not yet taken seriously" in policy circles - mind you, some of what now passes for policy would have been laughed off the stage in the 1970's as ridiculously right-wing and patently against the public interest. It's amazing what you can get into public policy if you throw enough money at neoliberal think-tanks. There will always be the excitable intellectuals who will queue up to back these ideas - Susan George calls these "Just Add Water!" solutions to the world's problems. Fantasy land.

The article does name check the Norwegian model - which has a proven track record of investment of natural resource revenues for the public good - before dismissing it as unworkable elsewhere. Why? Norwegian "self restraint" is cited. The inference is that "self restraint" somehow lacking in Nigerians and East Timorese people. This is a cultural assumption worth examining, reminiscent of those cultural assumptions which underlay, and were fostered by, the British Empire and other colonial projects. Pink-skinned Europeans and in particular Nordic nations were held up by these empires and by Nazi Germany as the most 'Aryan' of all peoples, with the poverty created by the Empires blamed on a lack of self-restraint in the oppressed. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Maverick, you urge us to read the article and open our minds to alternatives. Having done so, I would urge you in turn to come to Rossport! See for yourself and make up your own mind! See real people, decent people, working with hope and sincerity for the good of their community and country! Bring your dissent, you will get a welcome!

You might just surprise yourself by discovering a streak of true nonconformity, and standing up for the truth! :-)

by maverick Fri Jun 05, 2009 07:52

as a conservative, middle-class, opportune share-buying, dividend-dependent, filthy capitalist - may i recommend to all supporters of SHELL TO SEA the article in today's FT.

'Give the people their resource wealth' by Nicholas Shaxson.

he is author of Poisoned Wells: The Dirty Politics of African Oil.

Martin Sandbu is economics leader writer for the Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1e842a9c-513d-11de-84c3-00144....html

you might just surprise yourselves enough to pause the cliched, trendy lefty anti-establishment rantings. open your minds to alternatives.

“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear" - George Orwell

by Billy Idle Thu Jun 04, 2009 07:37

I know individuals up their are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend their community against one of the worlds worst corporate rapists and their state goons. It is also apparent that Shell and their state security apparatus are quiet prepared to spill the blood of irish citizens and take away every right they have. So yes, the situation is becoming more and more like the Niger Delta unfortunatly

by The Fox Thu Jun 04, 2009 06:24

For anyone interested to read about the ongoing struggle of the conflict, between the Nigerian government and the area's main militant group: The Delta militants (MEND: 'Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta'), read an article in the May 30th-June 5th 2009 issue of "The Economist" page 46, out on shelves now, in some news agents. "MEND has told all foreign oil wokers to leave the region for their own safety". "MEND's main aim is to fight for a fairer share of the country's oil revenue to the dirt- poor people who live in the area". (sounds like what we want for our people in Rossport and Glengad and affected areas, in fact for the whole country, re: the 'Irish Gas'). " The fighting is mainly in the southern Delta state near the Escravos oil terminal, run by an Amercan oil company, Chevron". As I recall Shell was a huge contributor to the tensions in this area, which resulted in the murders of local people by the Nigerian government in the alledged complicity with Shell. ( A court case pending/on-going in the USA between Shell and and the people affected).
This all sounds very familiar with the situation we have in Glengad. Is that what they want? Militant confrontation or a peacefull solution? We want a peacefull solution, a renegotiation of the terms of the big gas give away by our own government.
We will continue to fight you Shell for every inch of ground in Glengad. Neither the Government wants to listen to the people (what's new, they always do what they want to do, no matter what the people say. Wach out for the 5th June 2009 elections. You might just get a wake up call.
(All quotations are taken from The Economist article mentioned above. I added my own comments)

by Crustina Wed Jun 03, 2009 20:57

Victory to the courageous cockleshell flotilla, afloat to protect Erris from the Mammonite monsters. Seeing what Shell have wrought in other oil provinces shows quite clearly that they care nothing for life or environment, only for money. It it disgusting to witness the Garda brutality and harrassment of law abiding, conscientious critics of the Great Gas Giveaway.

by 1 of supporterssss Wed Jun 03, 2009 16:35

are there any updates?
is everyone all right?

well done, well done, great, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by cinnamoll Wed Jun 03, 2009 16:01

Fair play guys!
brilliant news on the continued resistance. I had an amazing time with ye at the weekend, and my shoulders are still stiff from the kayaking practice but when the solitaire shows up I'll be back.
Viva les Pirates!

by blublu Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:32

Wow! I wish I had stayed. Feckin GREAT! fab fab fab. Keep it up you brilliant bunch. Can't wait till i get back up! wooooohhhhhooooooo.

SHEL TO HELL!

by old codger - pensioner Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:28

Here it is again solid proof that Irelands Gardai are traitors to the Irish people that they are suposed to serve and protect.
A TV 3 propaganda campaign full of lies and deceipt, to allow them to use violence or whatever method they choose to help Fianna Fail and Shell to steal from the Irish nation.
YOUR CHILDREN AND MINE ARE HAVING THEIR FUTURE STOLEN.
Are there no gardai left that have integrity and honesty? If there is just one individual with the courage to stop crime being commited then let him or her speak out.

by anarkitty - cork shell 2 sea Wed Jun 03, 2009 14:11

successful kayak action took place overnight
i received a text update from a comrade at the shell 2 sea camp in mayo this morning which read as follows:
"a result! thanks for all the help: at 6:30 pm two of the twelve kayakers boarded the dredger in broadhaven bay stopping work. the pair spent all night on the arm of the crane, coming down at 4 am. work stopped for that whole time. (dredging work had been continuous in the bay since 9pm monday evening). both are well, have been arrested and charged with section 8, and now are released. please spread the good news. camp x"

by lenka Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:41

well done!
u are great, thanks for your determination and courage, it is an inspiration and empowering to see that if we stick together we can make a change.
hopefully much more people will join you in rossport soon!!
hugs