- Rossport mural unveiling and party will be on Saturday November 12th

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Please join us, and if you can bring along flowers, wreaths, candles etc.

12 November '05

''KEN SARA WIWA'' AFRICAN MONSTER PARTY

ROSSPORT COUNTY MAYO 12th NOVEMBER 2005 @ 2:30 pm

The local community in Rossport county Mayo have been in conflict with Shell for the past 5 years over the construction of a high pressure pipeline which resulted in the imprisonment of the five local men during the summer who became known as the ''Rossport 5''. ,

This summer has been a huge strain on the community. The community have been inspired by the Ogoni people in Nigeria who have had their own troubles with Shell. In particular by Ken Sara Wiwa who as leader of the Ogoni people was executed along with 8 other activists 10 years ago on the 10th of November 1995.

The community are hosting a MONSTER PARTY on the 12th of November in honour of Ken Sara Wiwa and his friends. We are planning a unique day on the 12th.

We invite EVERY Nigerian and African in the country to north Mayo for the day along with our supporters nationwide. We intend this event to be the largest multicultural event ever held in west of Ireland.

We have commissioned a mural of Ken and his friends which is being painted by local artists under the guidance of the ''Bogside Artists'' . The mural will be blessed by African ministers and local clergy. The unveiling will be jointly performed by local and African children. African food will be prepared for all in attendance before the music and entertainment begins. The music will be hosted in Healy's Hall in Glenamoy. ,

This is a unusual cultural and musical event to be held during a period of calm. This day is about Ken Sara Wiwa and the human spirit as the human spirit does not have a colour or a nationality and as the Nigerian and Irish governments now know cannot be imprisioned or killed. All are welcome to attend the event and enjoy the day. Ta gach daoine sa tir failte.

Location: Healy's Hall & Bar

Date:- Saturday 12th November 2005

Events

2:30 pm Blessing and unveiling of mural to Ken Sara Wiwa and his 8 murdered friends by African & local clergy

3:30 pm Nigerian and African food for all

4:30 pm African and Irish music with dancing till late

The party is being hosted by Shell to Sea with support from the following:-

Integrate Ireland

Irish Nigerian Association

Residents Against Racism

Various African community and church groups.

EVENTS ALL WEEK

See www.shelltosea.com (events) for more detailed info

Please spread the word!!
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PRESS RELEASE - Shell to Sea campaign

Commemorations to mark 10th anniversary of Nigerian executions

07 November 2005

Mary Dempsey - Ogoni Solidarity Ireland: 086 - 1733963 Mark Garavan - Shell to Sea: 087 9023687 Sr. Majella McCarron, Ogoni Solidarity Ireland: 087 6283835

Info: www.shelltosea.com
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Commemorations to mark 10th anniversary of Nigerian executions

This week the Shell to Sea campaign, Afri and Ogoni Solidarity Ireland are amongst the groups organising commemorations and events to mark the 10th anniversary of the execution of Nigerian poet Ken Saro-Wiwa this week.

The anniversary will be commemorated internationally but will have a special resonance in Ireland where Ogoni support groups have played a key role in highlighting the plight of the Ogoni people in their battle against Shell and the Nigerian government.

The Shell to Sea campaign as part of their ongoing struggle to prevent a major Shell/Statoil gas pipeline and refinery being built in North Mayo is also keen to point out the similarities between the Nigerian and Irish situations.

Owens Saro-Wiwa, brother of the executed poet and lands rights activist, recently visited Ireland to lend his support for the Shell to Sea campaign. Speaking at the Dublin rally to mark the release of the Rossport Five, who spent 94 days in prison for protesting against Shell, Mr Saro-Wiwa said 'we said to Shell that you will never, ever, drill one drop of oil from Ogoni land. In the same way you must say 'no to Shell and send Shell to sea".

Events planned this coming Thursday include an 11am memorial hour in Dublin City library on Thursday followed by a lunchtime vigil outside Shell's Irish HQ and an evening vigil at the Spire. In Galway there will be a mock funeral procession from the City Centre to the Shell depot on the docks whilst other events are planned for Cork, Kerry and Ennis.

The highlight of the week of commemorations will be on Sunday the 13th with the unveiling of a mural of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8 in Rossport, Co. Mayo, which will include blessings by African and Irish clergy followed by a multicultural 'monster party' with Irish and African music, drumming and dance to celebrate the power of people to protect their rights and communities from those who seek to threaten them.

ENDS
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Background:

On November 10th 1995 at Port Harcourt Prison, Nigeria, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Dr. Barinen Klobel, John Kpuinen, Baribor Bera, Saturday Dobee, Felix Nuate, Nordu Eawoh, Paul Levurah and Daniel Gbokoo were executed on the orders of the Nigerian military government.

These brave men had been campaigning against the environmental damage that a consortium led by Shell was causing to the Ogoni lands.

Their campaign had been so successful that an internal document from Shell in early 1993 stated that the company would have to pull out of Nigeria , ''unless ruthless military operations are undertaken for smooth economic activities to commence.''

Later that year military force was used in a series of brutal attacks which left 750 Ogoni dead and 30,000 homeless. In May 1994 Saro-Wiwa was imprisoned by the military police on fabricated charges of murder - two weeks later he and the eight other activists named above were sentenced to death.

Afri, Shell to Sea and Ogoni Solidarity Ireland activists will join together today to commemorate Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni 8, in order to show solidarity with people all over the world who must struggle against corrupt governments and rapacious multi-national companies.

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