At 2am this morning, Pat O'Donnell's boat the 'Iona Isle' was boarded by four masked men and sunk out at sea, near where Mr. O'Donnell lays his fishing pots off Erris, North Mayo. Mr. O'Donnell and crewman Martin McDonnell were attacked and held down by some of the men, while others went below deck, where they proceeded to sink the boat. Both local men have been taken to Castlebar General Hospital, where they are recovering.This action has been taken due to Mr. O'Donnell's vocal opposition to Shell's Corrib Gas project. He is a local fisherman who whose family has fished Broadhaven Bay for generations. Mr. O'Donnell is against the destruction of the Bay and his livelihood by Shell, and has been assaulted by Shell security and Gardaí on a number of previous occasions.
This development follows a sinister pattern of attacks on high profile opponents of the Corrib gas project. In April, local farmer Willie Corduff was severely beaten while protesting against Shell's return to Glengad. On that occasion, Shell's private security force - Integrated Risk Management Services (IRMS) - initially refused to comment on the situation, but later claimed responsibility for a watered-down version of events. IRMS have been accused of brutality on a number of occasions in relation to their work in Mayo, with 'YouTube' video exhibiting their behaviour. Another campaigner suffered ligament damage at the hands of IRMS last week while protesting. Shell's work in the Niger Delta has also been in the public mind this week with a huge settlement in favour of the Ogoni 9 at a court in New York.
Addition from Private Eye: "NEW documents have emerged showing the British government and Shell colluded with senior figures in the Nigerian military junta against activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in the early 1990s. Secret papers show intelligence collusion between the British high commission and Shell, and between Shell and our former dictator Sani Abacha."
In a separate incident, six people have been arrested during an attempt to board dredgers working in Broadhaven Bay (see photo), while two others will also appear before Westport District Court this morning in relation to arrests at a protest which blocked trucks from entering Shell's Glengad compound for over an hour.
Shell to Sea spokesperson Maura Harrington said: “Will Shell stop at nothing to stamp down on the protest here in Mayo? This attack on Pat and Martin and their boat is nothing short of disgusting, and could easily have been even more dangerous, as there were problems with their life raft and neither man can swim . Those opposing the project are now in fear of their lives.”
The Tyne Rivers Trust (who are funded by Tyne Tunnel PFI!) are objecting to plans to proceed with dredging work during the peak run of migratory fish on England's most important Salmon river. They intend to suction dredge, disturbing highly contaminated silts from 100 years of heavy industry, then place a concrete car tunnel. There is already a car tunnel and a bike tunnel; their intention is to attract more cars. The Environment Agency are expected to rubber stamp the timing of the dredging in order to save Tyne Tunnel PFI money. In Private Finance Initiatives (PFI's), losses are paid off by the Treasury, while the profits go to rich bastards in the private sector. Dredging is proposed for September and October 2009.
Private sector bosses are cutting 7000 jobs and maintenance work as well as charging extortionate fares.Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:
“While the train operators are jacking up fares by as much as 11 per cent, thousands of rail worker jobs are on the line and up to a third of this year’s essential renewals programme is being deferred. The companies are protecting their profits while those who run the services and who keep the tracks safe face the prospect of being dumped on the dole queue.
“It is critical for the future of the rail industry that the government intervene now to stop the jobs massacre and to call to account the private companies who have bled billions in profits and subsidies out of the British taxpayer.”
John McDonnell MP, RMT Parliamentary Group Convenor, said today:
"We have seen the franchise system collapse around the government's ears and now we are in crisis. The government is in a position now where the money isn't actually there any more to subsidise these companies.
"The companies have been milking the system and the government has been complicit in that. We now need an integrated, publicly-owned and accountable people's railway where passengers and workers have a real voice"
