Galway Advertiser 1991/1991_02_28/GA_28021991_E1_021.pdf 

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LETTERS
Dear Editor, destruction is necessary! Your editorial of Republican guard posi Febraury 7th on the role of tions are daily reported as Islam in the Gulf Crisis being under intense bom was condescending in the bardment, this being extreme. It is not good presented as a cause of enough to say that "When great satisfaction and total this war ends, every effort ly justifiable. Are these must be made to unders soldiers not human beings tand this legacy (of too? Do they not have Islam)". Now is the time wives and families who to try to understand the worry about them? Do they Arab point of view on the have any choice but to do war, so that it can be halted what they do? I find the immediately without fur sight of charred ther atrocities being com unrecognisable bodies hor mitted by both sides. The rific and it doesn't greatly fact that many Muslims see matter whether they were Saddam as a hero is a con civilians or military, sequence of the long they're still dead! all this history of colonial oppre- talk of anti-war "wimps" sion in the area. It is also is cheap when you're yet another reason why this thousands of miles away. war should never have The pro-media, in started. The possibility of cluding your paper, must it erupting into a World face up to its responsibili War becomes stronger ty for these casualties. every day. There is no more excuse The cosmetic media for such wanton destruc presentation of the war as tion than there was for Sad a perfectly logical exercise dam's invasion of Kuwait. is grotesque. As Trocaire Two wrongs don't make a and other 3rd World relief right. The alternative of agencies point out, millions sanctions was generally are starving in the Sudan, agreed to be working and Liberia and elsewhere would have greatly im while Saddam and the paired Saddam's military "Allies" spend billions machine as well as his each day on this war-game. economy. I presume the We are looking at the most "Allies" would not have massive aerial bombard supplied spare parts as ment in history. Where are readily as they supplied the all these bombs dropping original bombs, planes and each day? Can you imagine guns. Your most recent what those people in the editorial omits to mention Baghdad air-raid shelter threats to world-order such went through? The plight as that of Israel's take-over of the civilians in Iraq, of the West Bank and Israel, Saudi Arabia and China's of Tibet. Where Kuwait was an inevitable are the post-Cold War consequence of the war, world police there? In the yet you say all of this words of Pete Seeger's human and environmental song: "When will they

O N
ever learn, when will they ever learn?" Yours in peace, John Cunningham Secretary, Galway Labour Party. Editor's Comment: It
would take too long to deal with the many points you raise in your letter. But we would like to comment on just a few. Firstly, we cer tainly never said that "all this human and en vironmental destruction is necessary". The rest of your letter we confess to finding somewhat confus ed. No one rejoices in this totally unnecessary war, but the chief responsibility lies where it has lain since Kuwait was invaded and then savagely dismantled with Saddam Hussein. As we write these words, there are signs that the Allied campaign might result in an Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait, which will remove the necessity to continue a brutal land war. If this is the result, can anyone doubt it is the result of the Allied offensive. And can anyone really believe that Saddam would ever have withdrawn from Kuwait without force being used? Finally, you refer to other trouble spots and accuse us of not men tioning them. Really, you must deal with one subject at a time. World Hunger is a massive problem, but so is the rape and destruction of a country. They are two distinct problems and both must be tackled. But there is no point in trying to treat them as in some way equivalent.

THE
PRAYERS AND PEACE VIGIL
Dear sir, The Galway Peace Group are organising a vigil of prayer for peace at Eyre Square, Galway on Saturday, March 2nd from 6 a.m. until 12 noon. We ask as many people as possible to consider going along at some stage to pray for the cause of Peace, an end to the war in the Gulf and for Peace and recon ciliation in Ireland and the whole world. Most Rev Dr. Eamonn Casey, Bishop of Galway will lead the prayers for peace at 12 noon. We hope that people from all the mainstream Christian Churches will attend and some from the Muslim Community. We ask people to bring along peace posters, ban ners, candles etc. and show they stand for peace. Bet ter to light a candle than curse the darkness. The Galway Peace Group was founded in 1989. It is non-political and non-denominational. It relies on the power of prayer to achieve a lasting peace. Further information can be had from the following address. Yours Sincerely Florence Madden 45 Upper Newcastle Galway.

G U L F
cluded!!) referred to by your correspondent would indicate the kind of im maturity which is highly dangerous in it's appeal to other equally immature people whose natural aver sion to violence is ad mirable, but is selective. Lets try to have balance. finally, exactly where is the stand for Democracy by Saddam Hussein? We are all against the war - but what exactly are "Youth Against War" for? Cathal Cunningham 15 Carragh Hill Knocknacarra Galway.

THE M E D I A IS T O B L A M E !

SELECTIVE CONDEMNATION
how about the lives of the Dear Sir, Regarding a letter from Kuwaitis ? Ruth Coppinger - "Youth Is the loss of lives by the Against War" oppressed less sacred than No one wants war! Some the loss of lives by the op short comments on the pressor ? Your justification points raised in your letter: of Saddam Hussein's inva You cannot equate the sion (more Properly annex slaughter of innocents in ation) of Kuwait by invokBaghdad with the slaughter ing the Panamanian of innocents in Israel, debacle is hardly credible. among the Kurds of Iraq, On the subject of oil pro et al. All are horrible. fit - exactly why did Hus I presume that the turn sein take over Kuwait? ing of a blind eye by the Where next - Saudi United Nations Security Arabia? Then where does council to the invasion of the 3rd world go? Cap in Kuwait would have hand to Hussein? resulted in the saving of The "sudden" converts those lives in Baghdad. to Democracy (France in

SHARON WARD of Bohermore enjoying Eyre Square celebrations on Friday, part of CENTURY RADIO'S week of broadcasting from Galway.

THE RECORD ON THE BIRMINGHAM USE O U R ENERGIES SIX AFFAIR FOR PEACE
Yet few people seem to understand the anger one can feel about the killing that goes on down there in the Gulf, many, many miles away. Is it the miles? Or is it the fact, that kill ing is presented to us on our T.V. screens so manyfold every day? Do we forget what kill ing means; the violent end to one person's special life! Very young lives, too, for often they may count no more than four or five years. And don't tell me anybody that all lives aren't the same - black, white and brown ones, Christian, Muslim or any other lives! And the Irish people who are so conscious about religion, how can many of them accept that the fifth Commandment should be suspended for the duration of a war? It wasn't meant like this, sure it wasn't? President Bush visited the Sunday service this morning, they said on the T.V. - what on earth were his prayers, I wonder? It is time now that we all should think of our humanity, use our energies for peace and realise that we don't want to leave a world of war to our children. I fthere is to be hope we have to speak out now! Gertraud Magee Prospect Hill Maree Oranmore Co. Galway. Dear Editor, As one who appreciates the fact that you always see fit to reply in kind to my letters - long or short- may I suggest that if you spell ed my name correctly it would leave more space for debate and dialogue! May I now in the light of the latest good news on the Birmingham Six, also ask you to confirm that "I told you so" all those 16-17 years ago, when nobody wanted to know. Not because of any special "in side information" but simply because any logical reading of all that transpired in British courts in those days was as dubious and biased where political cases were con cerned, as they are today in certain extradition cases. people of Arab origin, liv ternational agenda of the ing in Britain for years then President of the have been picked up, in U.S.A., Mr. Jimmy terned without trial or Carter. (Remember - yes it deported "to the country of is that long ago!) their choice" (how nice!) For the record, simply because of the Gulf therefore, so that readers situation. can form their own opi Not only did nobodynions about all those now clerical, political, cashing in on the Birm diplomatic, humanitarian, ingham Six, the original want to know in those days committee of "Relatives but as one who had some and Friends of Irish input into Advertiser Prisoners", in the U.K., . editorial policy at the time, was brought about by that I was acutely aware of the fantastic Gal way-born nun, lack of cooperation which Sister Sarah Clarke, was Irish diplomatic and official sponsored by one and only bodies gave to human one bishop - from Texas! rights activists like Fr. Faul There were four or and Fr. Raymond Murray, dinary priests, four nuns, when they sought to raise and three British- based cases like the Birmingham doctors. There were two Six in the U.S.A. and tried and only two politicians, to put them (there are Lord Kilbracken, the man others still like that of who gave back his medals after Bloody Sunday and Or those "Special Judith Ward which I hope emergency" cases will not take another 17 the late Frank Maguire, whereby totally innocent years to resolve!) on the In M.P. for Fermanagh/South

Dear Editor The day I am writing this sees the beginning of the long feared/awaited ground war. It has started, despite efforts for peace. Several peace plans have been dismissed, chances lost, wasted. Hope has died, that an end could soon be brought to all the atrocities which come with war. The killing has not been stopped, it has - if this is possible- been intensified. And here we are, the ones who don't agree, who don't want this to happen in our name, who feel that war can never be "just". Here we are, feeling helpless, horrified, sadden ed in the face of so much violence once again. As if this century hadn't seen enough of it!

Tyrone, whose tenth an niversary occurs this week. All the others jumped on the bandwagon several years later on. This is not a complaint a mere statement of the facts. Hopefully it will now shame others to take up the other outstanding cases and to ask their local T.D.'s to justify extraditions for politically-related offences to a system and a legal culture will require a very radical shake-up before any sane Irish government should even consider ex tradition of Irish citizens again. By the way, whatever happened the unanimous motion passed at last year's Fianna Fail Ardfheis op posing current extradition arrangements? Beir Beannacht. Nollaig O Gadhra.

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