Cork City is declared a ‘Rendition-Free Zone’
Amnesty International applauds as Cork City is declared a ‘Rendition-Free Zone
Belen Mendez, Paul Lee, Annette Kernan, Mark Kernan, Jay Flavin, Ankie Janssen, Peter Lucey
Amnesty International congratulates Cork City councillors and the people of Cork as a motion declaring Cork City a ‘Rendition-Free Zone’ is passed by a majority at Cork City Hall.
While there is no evidence that Cork airport has facilitated the US government’s renditions programme as part of the ‘war on terror’, this motion holds immense symbolic value and shows Cork City Council’s solidarity with the victims of this illegal programme.
Last year Derry City Council became the first local authority on the island of Ireland to declare its local airport free of rendition flights.
The adoption of this motion shows that the people of Cork City and their representatives are prepared to stand up for human rights. I congratulate the people of Cork for taking a stand against Irish complicity in the kidnapping, secret detention and torture of people which is in direct contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Convention”, said Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director, Amnesty International Irish Section.
Amnesty International has been lobbying the Government to introduce a robust system of inspections. The UN recently called for a public investigation into all alleged rendition flights through Ireland. “Last nights’ vote is indicative of the mounting public pressure on Government to take a stand against rendition”, continued Mr O’Gorman. “I am pleased that Cork City Council has stood up for human rights. I urge the Cork City Council to erect signs across the city declaring it ‘Rendition-Free Zone’ to celebrate this gesture of solidarity”, stated Jay Flavin, Coordinator of the Amnesty International Cork Group.
Background Note
Amnesty International’s latest report on renditions, State of denial: Europe’s role in rendition and secret detention, has highlighted Irish complicity in three cases in which planes that either delivered detainees or were on their way to a ‘pick up’ landed at Shannon Airport for refuelling.
The report is available online at www.amnesty.ie
For further information please contact:
Noeleen Hartigan, Programmes Director, Amnesty International
087 616 7689
Jay Flavin, Amnesty International Cork Group Coordinator
087 8128236
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why does Amnesty protests the government declaring the country rendition free without checking the planes by celebrating the declaration of part of the country rendition free without checking their planes.
Amnesty International congratulates Cork City councillors and the people of Cork as a motion declaring Cork City a ‘Rendition-Free Zone’ is passed by a majority at Cork City Hall.
Last year Derry City Council became the first local authority on the island of Ireland to declare its local airport free of rendition flights. (really? they don’t check their planes either)
http://www.youghalonline.com/2008/09/10/cork-city-is-de…zone/
“While there is no evidence that Cork airport has facilitated the US government’s renditions programme as part of the ‘war on terror’, this motion holds immense symbolic value and shows Cork City Council’s solidarity with the victims of this illegal programme” (sounds exactly like what the government have been saying all along, distancing then decrying).
what if shannon town council declared shannon airport rendition free because ‘ nobody has brought them evidence’ when its the authorities job to check the planes, now i presume the council don’t have any authority over the cork airport, but they are still part of the establishment that lets the torture and kidnap agents and pilots through this country. why let them off the hook?
it just gives me more of the impression that amnesty is merely about letting ‘pillars of community’ look like they give a **** about human rights without actually doing anything.
which councillors brought this forward and who voted for and against?