Showing posts with label Paul Murphy MEP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Murphy MEP. Show all posts
Friday, 18 January 2013
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Greece: Syriza preparing for power
Paul Murphy MEP is in Greece this week, campaigning with Syriza in the run-up to Sunday's election. He'll be writing daily reports of his experiences for Politico. The second of these is below, and you can find the first one here.
http://politico.ie/world-politics/8627-syriza-preparing-for-power-.html
Day two of my visit began with a press conference of international guests to support Syriza. Political representatives from the Left Bloc in Portugal, Izquierda Unida in Spain, a left group in Argentina, the ambassador from Venezuela to Greece and a member of Occupy Wall Street addressed the press, together with myself and members of Syriza. The emphasis of all of the speeches were on the centrality of the struggle in Greece for working people all across Europe and the impact that a Syriza victory could have.
From the questions of the press afterwards to Syriza, the pressure from the media against their representatives was evident. One journalist recounted the fact that the leader of Syriza, Alexis Tsipras, had declared to Bloomberg that the euro is not a fetish and asked for justification of this! Because of the fear of people of leaving the euro, there is an attempt to make the election a referendum on the drachma or the euro, just as was attempted in Ireland in the Austerity Treaty referendum.On a stroll to find suncream, I met two young members of the Greek Communist Party (KKE), handing out their election manifesto and a flyer advertising their final rally, due to take place last night. I engaged one of them, who had good English, like nearly all Greek young people. The conversation encapsulated the essence of what I think is mistaken about their approach.
The KKE is a huge organisation, with many thousands of active members, a large apparatus and deep support in sections of the industrial working class. Later on, I passed their headquarters, which is absolutely massive. It is the equivalent of about three or four Liberty Halls put together. Their position on these elections is summed up inan article published by the Morning Star newspaper in Britain.
The KKE activist made many criticisms of Syriza, with which I was able to agree – that they have not prepared people for the struggle for power, that a revolutionary break with the capitalist system is needed, that people's power is needed rather than governments managing capitalism. Together with those criticisms, he also made the kind of statements that are contained in the article: that Syriza is the enemy, and that Syriza is in favour of the continuation of capitalism and the imperialist European Union. These go beyond the bounds of comradely criticism and amount to a sectarian misrepresentation and reflect an approach reminiscent of 'Third Period' Stalinism.
The main problem, however, is that the KKE do not make any attempt to really connect with those who are attracted to Syriza and the idea of a left government by joining in a united front with Syriza and engaging in criticism of the Syriza programme while fighting together for power. Instead, in the context of this massive crisis of capitalism, where Greece is the weakest link in the chain, they simply stand back and make denunciations of Syriza. They make abstract propaganda for 'people's power' without proposing demands and measures that connect the need for 'people's power' with people's day to day struggles and consciousness.
In effect, they say that 'the people are not ready for socialism', and instead of engaging in struggle to raise consciousness and awareness about the fundamental change that is needed, they retreat from that struggle. In many respects, sections of Syriza have the opposite approach to that, in that they also accept that 'people are not ready for socialism', and therefore to some extent prepare to manage a better capitalism.
This emerged at a Syriza rally I attended and spoke at in Neo Ionia in Athens last night. Neo Ionia is historically a left-wing area, where in the last elections Syriza came first and the KKE came second. It has a left-controlled Council and was the birthplace of the movement of mass boycott against the Greek equivalent of the household tax.
This was one of many outdoor local Syriza election rallies taking place. There was a mix of people present, from pre-existing political activists from Syriza and Xekinima to others who came to hear what was being advocated. When I spoke, I was very warmly welcomed.
I explained that in Ireland we had also experienced a campaign of terror and bullying during the referendum campaign and that the lesson from Ireland was not to vote in fear. I also exposed the lies that are peddled about Ireland in order to bully the Greek people – that austerity is working and that people accept austerity in Ireland. I detailed how the domestic economy continues to shrink, as do people's incomes, while unemployment and emigration go up. My description of the mass revolt against the household tax and mass non-payment got a warm response, because of their experience with a similar tax and movement.
I also took the opportunity to put forward the need for a revolutionary break with capitalism and a struggle for socialist policies. When I explained that if they put Syriza in first place on Sunday and elected a left government, that they would not be alone but would have tens of millions of allies across Europe, there was spontaneous appluse. Just like in Ireland, the propaganda of being isolated in Europe if you stand up to austerity is used to intimidate people. That underlines the importance of international solidarity that demonstrates the common nature of the struggle we are involved in across Europe.
After I spoke, the next two speakers illustrated the differences in approach and tensions within Syriza. The first was from 'International Workers Left' (DEA), which is a split from the group linked with the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland. He put forward a left position – calling for nationalisation of the banks and the key enterprises under public control and declaring that a government of the left would cancel a large portion of the debt and impose a moratorium on the repayment of the rest, until the state was in a position to pay it. In contrast to the right-wing, he said that the payment of public services would come before the repayment of bondholders. He also emphasised the need for the working class and left across Europe to struggle together for a fundamental change in Europe.
The next speaker was from Synaspismos (the biggest grouping in Syriza, a euro-communist split from the KKE formed in 1991). While excoriating the right wing parties and the political leaders of Europe, the content of his speech was more tame. He emphasised that the time was not yet right for socialism in Greece, but that there were many 'bourgeois democratic' reforms that could be made, such as a reform of the electoral system and increases in taxation for the rich. In effect, he put forward a 'stageist' view, whereby firstly Greece would develop as a proper developed capitalist European country, before a later struggle for socialism.
Such a gradualist perspective seems to be totally at odds of the reality of what will happen if Syriza is the biggest party. On Monday morning, the markets in Greece and all across Europe will go haywire. Capitalism, in the form of the bankers and bondholders of the markets, as well as their political representatives in Germany and elsewhere, will go on the attack. The question of ownership and control of the financial sector in particular, together with the key sections of the economy, will have to be posed immediately if Syriza is to avoid a flood of money out of the country.
Immediately afterwards, I spoke to the speaker from DEA. He said it was now neck and neck between New Democracy and Syriza in the private polls that are circulating. In the papers, there are some reports of New Democracy pulling ahead by 1-2%, but he argued that in the latest polls it was back to even, as people had switched from the KKE and Democratic Left to Syriza to stop New Democracy winning..
I asked what he thought would happen if Syriza was elected. He confessed that he felt that Syriza was entirely unprepared for this eventuality. The members of Xekinima, the sister party of the Socialist Party, agree with that assessment. In the taverna afterwards, the Syriza member who had translated for me argued that they were in fact prepared and detailed a series of measures that would need to be taken in the 100 days after Syriza comes to power. However, I feel that a plan for 100 days is optimistic; there are many emergency measures that would need to be taken extremely quickly in order to stabilise the situation.
If Syriza wins on Sunday and if there is the possibility for a left government, the question will be quickly answered. One of the questions I will try to focus on in tomorrow's blog is about how 'preparing for power' should not just be about preparing to be in government, but in preparing for socialist change and a workers' government. That will require not just a victory for Left parties in the election on Sunday, but a fundamental struggle in the workplaces and streets to take economic and political power away from the capitalist establishment which currently holds it.
Paul Murphy is Socialist Party MEP for Dublin
http://politico.ie/world-politics/8627-syriza-preparing-for-power-.html
Day two of my visit began with a press conference of international guests to support Syriza. Political representatives from the Left Bloc in Portugal, Izquierda Unida in Spain, a left group in Argentina, the ambassador from Venezuela to Greece and a member of Occupy Wall Street addressed the press, together with myself and members of Syriza. The emphasis of all of the speeches were on the centrality of the struggle in Greece for working people all across Europe and the impact that a Syriza victory could have.
From the questions of the press afterwards to Syriza, the pressure from the media against their representatives was evident. One journalist recounted the fact that the leader of Syriza, Alexis Tsipras, had declared to Bloomberg that the euro is not a fetish and asked for justification of this! Because of the fear of people of leaving the euro, there is an attempt to make the election a referendum on the drachma or the euro, just as was attempted in Ireland in the Austerity Treaty referendum.On a stroll to find suncream, I met two young members of the Greek Communist Party (KKE), handing out their election manifesto and a flyer advertising their final rally, due to take place last night. I engaged one of them, who had good English, like nearly all Greek young people. The conversation encapsulated the essence of what I think is mistaken about their approach.
The KKE is a huge organisation, with many thousands of active members, a large apparatus and deep support in sections of the industrial working class. Later on, I passed their headquarters, which is absolutely massive. It is the equivalent of about three or four Liberty Halls put together. Their position on these elections is summed up inan article published by the Morning Star newspaper in Britain.
The KKE activist made many criticisms of Syriza, with which I was able to agree – that they have not prepared people for the struggle for power, that a revolutionary break with the capitalist system is needed, that people's power is needed rather than governments managing capitalism. Together with those criticisms, he also made the kind of statements that are contained in the article: that Syriza is the enemy, and that Syriza is in favour of the continuation of capitalism and the imperialist European Union. These go beyond the bounds of comradely criticism and amount to a sectarian misrepresentation and reflect an approach reminiscent of 'Third Period' Stalinism.
The main problem, however, is that the KKE do not make any attempt to really connect with those who are attracted to Syriza and the idea of a left government by joining in a united front with Syriza and engaging in criticism of the Syriza programme while fighting together for power. Instead, in the context of this massive crisis of capitalism, where Greece is the weakest link in the chain, they simply stand back and make denunciations of Syriza. They make abstract propaganda for 'people's power' without proposing demands and measures that connect the need for 'people's power' with people's day to day struggles and consciousness.
In effect, they say that 'the people are not ready for socialism', and instead of engaging in struggle to raise consciousness and awareness about the fundamental change that is needed, they retreat from that struggle. In many respects, sections of Syriza have the opposite approach to that, in that they also accept that 'people are not ready for socialism', and therefore to some extent prepare to manage a better capitalism.
This emerged at a Syriza rally I attended and spoke at in Neo Ionia in Athens last night. Neo Ionia is historically a left-wing area, where in the last elections Syriza came first and the KKE came second. It has a left-controlled Council and was the birthplace of the movement of mass boycott against the Greek equivalent of the household tax.
This was one of many outdoor local Syriza election rallies taking place. There was a mix of people present, from pre-existing political activists from Syriza and Xekinima to others who came to hear what was being advocated. When I spoke, I was very warmly welcomed.
I explained that in Ireland we had also experienced a campaign of terror and bullying during the referendum campaign and that the lesson from Ireland was not to vote in fear. I also exposed the lies that are peddled about Ireland in order to bully the Greek people – that austerity is working and that people accept austerity in Ireland. I detailed how the domestic economy continues to shrink, as do people's incomes, while unemployment and emigration go up. My description of the mass revolt against the household tax and mass non-payment got a warm response, because of their experience with a similar tax and movement.
I also took the opportunity to put forward the need for a revolutionary break with capitalism and a struggle for socialist policies. When I explained that if they put Syriza in first place on Sunday and elected a left government, that they would not be alone but would have tens of millions of allies across Europe, there was spontaneous appluse. Just like in Ireland, the propaganda of being isolated in Europe if you stand up to austerity is used to intimidate people. That underlines the importance of international solidarity that demonstrates the common nature of the struggle we are involved in across Europe.
After I spoke, the next two speakers illustrated the differences in approach and tensions within Syriza. The first was from 'International Workers Left' (DEA), which is a split from the group linked with the Socialist Workers Party in Ireland. He put forward a left position – calling for nationalisation of the banks and the key enterprises under public control and declaring that a government of the left would cancel a large portion of the debt and impose a moratorium on the repayment of the rest, until the state was in a position to pay it. In contrast to the right-wing, he said that the payment of public services would come before the repayment of bondholders. He also emphasised the need for the working class and left across Europe to struggle together for a fundamental change in Europe.
The next speaker was from Synaspismos (the biggest grouping in Syriza, a euro-communist split from the KKE formed in 1991). While excoriating the right wing parties and the political leaders of Europe, the content of his speech was more tame. He emphasised that the time was not yet right for socialism in Greece, but that there were many 'bourgeois democratic' reforms that could be made, such as a reform of the electoral system and increases in taxation for the rich. In effect, he put forward a 'stageist' view, whereby firstly Greece would develop as a proper developed capitalist European country, before a later struggle for socialism.
Such a gradualist perspective seems to be totally at odds of the reality of what will happen if Syriza is the biggest party. On Monday morning, the markets in Greece and all across Europe will go haywire. Capitalism, in the form of the bankers and bondholders of the markets, as well as their political representatives in Germany and elsewhere, will go on the attack. The question of ownership and control of the financial sector in particular, together with the key sections of the economy, will have to be posed immediately if Syriza is to avoid a flood of money out of the country.
Immediately afterwards, I spoke to the speaker from DEA. He said it was now neck and neck between New Democracy and Syriza in the private polls that are circulating. In the papers, there are some reports of New Democracy pulling ahead by 1-2%, but he argued that in the latest polls it was back to even, as people had switched from the KKE and Democratic Left to Syriza to stop New Democracy winning..
I asked what he thought would happen if Syriza was elected. He confessed that he felt that Syriza was entirely unprepared for this eventuality. The members of Xekinima, the sister party of the Socialist Party, agree with that assessment. In the taverna afterwards, the Syriza member who had translated for me argued that they were in fact prepared and detailed a series of measures that would need to be taken in the 100 days after Syriza comes to power. However, I feel that a plan for 100 days is optimistic; there are many emergency measures that would need to be taken extremely quickly in order to stabilise the situation.
If Syriza wins on Sunday and if there is the possibility for a left government, the question will be quickly answered. One of the questions I will try to focus on in tomorrow's blog is about how 'preparing for power' should not just be about preparing to be in government, but in preparing for socialist change and a workers' government. That will require not just a victory for Left parties in the election on Sunday, but a fundamental struggle in the workplaces and streets to take economic and political power away from the capitalist establishment which currently holds it.
Paul Murphy is Socialist Party MEP for Dublin
Friday, 13 April 2012
Tunisia: Open letter from Paul Murphy MEP to the President of Tunisian Republic
From: http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5695
To: Moncef Marzouki, President of the Tunisian Republic
Dear Mr Marzouki,
I have been following the situation in Tunisia very closely, especially after I had the opportunity to visit Tunisia on a delegation from the European Parliament in May of last year. Since then I have kept close contact with many of the trade unionists, human rights campaigners and youth activists I had met.
It is with dismay that I heard reports on the conditions the opposition movement have faced in recent days. I want to express my opposition at the brutal repression your government has wielded against peaceful protesters last Monday while they were commemorating the anniversary of ‘Martyrs’ Day’. I also heard reports of passers-by being attacked for just being in the vicinity of the march.
Masked police officers and government supporters attacked people using tear gas, batons and electric batons. They particularly focussed on well known activists and left wing supporters, these horrific scenes remind me of the darkest days under Ben Ali. As a result of these attacks many people needed to be hospitalised and an unknown number of people are being held in custody.
This is not the only example of the repression used by your government; a demonstration that took place last Saturday, organised by the ’Union of Unemployed Graduates’ met a similar fate.
This situation is in sharp contrast to the hopes and aspirations of the mass of people who rose up and overthrew the Ben Ali dictatorship. Having been yourself the President of the Tunisian League of Human Rights between 1989 and 1994, and an opponent to Ben Ali’s dictatorship, it is particularly disgraceful from your part to imply that both parties are equally to blame for what happened. I urge your government and its security forces and supporters to fully respect the people’s basic democratic right to freedom of speech and assembly and to cancel the state of emergency.
All protesters arrested in the last few days must be immediately released without charge. It is also crucial that there is an independent investigation into these events by representatives of trade unions, the UDC and other popular organisations.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Murphy
Member of the European Parliament.
To: Moncef Marzouki, President of the Tunisian Republic
Dear Mr Marzouki,
I have been following the situation in Tunisia very closely, especially after I had the opportunity to visit Tunisia on a delegation from the European Parliament in May of last year. Since then I have kept close contact with many of the trade unionists, human rights campaigners and youth activists I had met.
It is with dismay that I heard reports on the conditions the opposition movement have faced in recent days. I want to express my opposition at the brutal repression your government has wielded against peaceful protesters last Monday while they were commemorating the anniversary of ‘Martyrs’ Day’. I also heard reports of passers-by being attacked for just being in the vicinity of the march.
Masked police officers and government supporters attacked people using tear gas, batons and electric batons. They particularly focussed on well known activists and left wing supporters, these horrific scenes remind me of the darkest days under Ben Ali. As a result of these attacks many people needed to be hospitalised and an unknown number of people are being held in custody.
This is not the only example of the repression used by your government; a demonstration that took place last Saturday, organised by the ’Union of Unemployed Graduates’ met a similar fate.
This situation is in sharp contrast to the hopes and aspirations of the mass of people who rose up and overthrew the Ben Ali dictatorship. Having been yourself the President of the Tunisian League of Human Rights between 1989 and 1994, and an opponent to Ben Ali’s dictatorship, it is particularly disgraceful from your part to imply that both parties are equally to blame for what happened. I urge your government and its security forces and supporters to fully respect the people’s basic democratic right to freedom of speech and assembly and to cancel the state of emergency.
All protesters arrested in the last few days must be immediately released without charge. It is also crucial that there is an independent investigation into these events by representatives of trade unions, the UDC and other popular organisations.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Murphy
Member of the European Parliament.
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Gaza: Paul Murphy speaks out after detention in Israel
By Paul Murphy MEP, Socialist Party (CWI in Ireland) - http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5408
It is great to be finally home after a week of detention in Israeli prisons. From the moment that our boat was violently boarded and nearly sunk by Israeli forces, we were told lie after lie by the Israeli regime. A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came onto our boat after we were kidnapped in international waters and brought to the Israeli port of Ashdod against our will. She promised that our return home would be expedited, that we would be given phone calls that evening and that we would not be strip searched – all lies.
Within prison, the conditions we faced were very poor. There was a deliberate attempt to keep the truth about the assault on our flotilla from emerging by keeping us isolated with only one three minute phone call to our family in the course of 7 days detention, which was monitored and explicitly told that it could not be political. All of our cameras, laptops and mobile phones were stolen from us by the Israeli military and have still not been returned.
The worst of the conditions in the prison – conscious sleep deprivation, being locked up 21 hours a day, no access to reading or writing material, and prisoners being forced to stand to attention up to five times a night – were improved through a combination of our protest action inside the prison, protests action outside, in Ireland and internationally, including outside Givon prison itself, and the work of the Irish embassy in Israel. Through those actions, we won political prisoner status, including the right to free association and the right to have access to reading material.
Of course, the conditions we faced gave a glimpse of the conditions faced by many Palestinians, in particular those imprisoned in the open air prison camp of Gaza by the Israeli regime. We were fortunate to have running water at all times, unlike 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The fact that the Israeli army felt the need to violently attack the boats of peaceful activists trying to break the siege of Gaza and then hold us in detention for a week underlines the criminal nature of their blockade. It is clear that the length of the detention and the conditions on the final evening in particular, where we were held in what could only be described as a hell-hole, were actions designed to forcibly dissuade activists from repeating the attempt to break the blockade. Once again, the Israeli regime has miscalculated –their treatment of us will bolster our commitment in fighting for an end to the oppression of the Palestinian people.
I want to thank everybody in Ireland and internationally for campaigning for our release. Since my release, seeing the videos and pictures of protests around the world, and reading the many messages of support and protest, has brought home the real meaning of and importance of solidarity. It underlines for me the importance of solidarity around the world with the Palestinian people, in assisting in the struggle to end the siege of Gaza and the occupation.
It is great to be finally home after a week of detention in Israeli prisons. From the moment that our boat was violently boarded and nearly sunk by Israeli forces, we were told lie after lie by the Israeli regime. A representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came onto our boat after we were kidnapped in international waters and brought to the Israeli port of Ashdod against our will. She promised that our return home would be expedited, that we would be given phone calls that evening and that we would not be strip searched – all lies.
Within prison, the conditions we faced were very poor. There was a deliberate attempt to keep the truth about the assault on our flotilla from emerging by keeping us isolated with only one three minute phone call to our family in the course of 7 days detention, which was monitored and explicitly told that it could not be political. All of our cameras, laptops and mobile phones were stolen from us by the Israeli military and have still not been returned.
The worst of the conditions in the prison – conscious sleep deprivation, being locked up 21 hours a day, no access to reading or writing material, and prisoners being forced to stand to attention up to five times a night – were improved through a combination of our protest action inside the prison, protests action outside, in Ireland and internationally, including outside Givon prison itself, and the work of the Irish embassy in Israel. Through those actions, we won political prisoner status, including the right to free association and the right to have access to reading material.
Of course, the conditions we faced gave a glimpse of the conditions faced by many Palestinians, in particular those imprisoned in the open air prison camp of Gaza by the Israeli regime. We were fortunate to have running water at all times, unlike 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The fact that the Israeli army felt the need to violently attack the boats of peaceful activists trying to break the siege of Gaza and then hold us in detention for a week underlines the criminal nature of their blockade. It is clear that the length of the detention and the conditions on the final evening in particular, where we were held in what could only be described as a hell-hole, were actions designed to forcibly dissuade activists from repeating the attempt to break the blockade. Once again, the Israeli regime has miscalculated –their treatment of us will bolster our commitment in fighting for an end to the oppression of the Palestinian people.
I want to thank everybody in Ireland and internationally for campaigning for our release. Since my release, seeing the videos and pictures of protests around the world, and reading the many messages of support and protest, has brought home the real meaning of and importance of solidarity. It underlines for me the importance of solidarity around the world with the Palestinian people, in assisting in the struggle to end the siege of Gaza and the occupation.
Friday, 11 November 2011
Gaza Solidarity Flotilla: EU Parliament President calls on Israel to free Paul Murphy
Breaking News: 7 detainees to be "released" tomorrow, followed by Paul Murphy MEP on Friday, by CWI Reporters
Today, the European parliament’s president called on Israel to release Paul Murphy MEP, who is along with 20 other protesters, is still detained for trying to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip, last week.
Just an hour or so ago today, it was also reported by an advisor to the European President’s Cabinet, Dariusz Serowka, that the Irish Deputy Ambassador to Israel, Conor Long, confirmed that 7 detainees have been booked on a flight to leave Tel Aviv on 9 November at 8.10am. Long went on to say that the Israeli Mission in Brussels stated Paul Murphy will be put on a flight from Tel Aviv to Dublin on 11 November at 9 05 hours.
The Cabinet of the European Parliament President spokesperson said they were in constant contact with the Israeli authoritites to ensure nothing is done to "block the return of those detained, or cause any difficulties in the process"
These developments follow a storm of international protest at the actions of the Israeli state. It appears the Israeli authorities are at last bending to the international furore. However, more protests are needed, demanding all those detained are actually released, immediately and without delay.
Israeli commandos stormed the Irish vessel, Saoirse (Freedom) and the Canadian ship Tahrir (Liberation) in international waters off Gaza, last Friday. Paul Murphy and the other detainees were effectively kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli forces. The ship was boarded in such a manner as to put their lives at risk and passengers were tasered. Twenty seven passengers and crew aboard the two ships were taken into custody. On arriving in prison their right to a phone call within 24 hours was ignored and the prison authorities used sleep deprivation methods against the protesters. Six protesters were later released on Saturday.
The following interview with one of the released journalists gives a thorough picture of the treatment of the flotilla activists by the Israeli regime:
EU President Jerzy Buzek called on “Israeli authorities to quickly free Paul Murphy and other Europeans detained with him". Buzek said Israeli authorities must "respect the rights" of the detainees.
Fifth day of detention
The detention of Paul Murphy and the other activists from the MV Saoirse and the Tahrir has continued into its fifth day. They were brought before a judge yesterday in accordance with Israeli law, but were returned to their cells.
Their continued detention and the treatment which they have received is politically motivated. The Israeli regime is clearly intent on punishing these activists as severely as possible to deter any further attempts to break the blockade of Gaza.
The GUE/NGL group of Left MEPs in the European Parliament, to which Paul Murphy belongs, have also demanded Paul’s immediate release.
Also today, United Left Alliance TDs (members of the Irish Parliament), including Socialist Party TDs, demanded the Irish government take measures against the illegal and repressive actions of the Israeli government, including the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
Keep up the pressure! Send protests letters Israeli embassies and to the Israeli authorities:
Attorney General at the Ministry of Justice
Telephone +97226466521/2
Fax +97226467001
Ministry of Defence Public Relations Department
Phone +97236975540 or +97236975423
Email – pniot@mod.gov.il
For more background information see previous articles on socialistworld.net
Today, the European parliament’s president called on Israel to release Paul Murphy MEP, who is along with 20 other protesters, is still detained for trying to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip, last week.
Just an hour or so ago today, it was also reported by an advisor to the European President’s Cabinet, Dariusz Serowka, that the Irish Deputy Ambassador to Israel, Conor Long, confirmed that 7 detainees have been booked on a flight to leave Tel Aviv on 9 November at 8.10am. Long went on to say that the Israeli Mission in Brussels stated Paul Murphy will be put on a flight from Tel Aviv to Dublin on 11 November at 9 05 hours.
The Cabinet of the European Parliament President spokesperson said they were in constant contact with the Israeli authoritites to ensure nothing is done to "block the return of those detained, or cause any difficulties in the process"
These developments follow a storm of international protest at the actions of the Israeli state. It appears the Israeli authorities are at last bending to the international furore. However, more protests are needed, demanding all those detained are actually released, immediately and without delay.
Israeli commandos stormed the Irish vessel, Saoirse (Freedom) and the Canadian ship Tahrir (Liberation) in international waters off Gaza, last Friday. Paul Murphy and the other detainees were effectively kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli forces. The ship was boarded in such a manner as to put their lives at risk and passengers were tasered. Twenty seven passengers and crew aboard the two ships were taken into custody. On arriving in prison their right to a phone call within 24 hours was ignored and the prison authorities used sleep deprivation methods against the protesters. Six protesters were later released on Saturday.
The following interview with one of the released journalists gives a thorough picture of the treatment of the flotilla activists by the Israeli regime:
EU President Jerzy Buzek called on “Israeli authorities to quickly free Paul Murphy and other Europeans detained with him". Buzek said Israeli authorities must "respect the rights" of the detainees.
Fifth day of detention
The detention of Paul Murphy and the other activists from the MV Saoirse and the Tahrir has continued into its fifth day. They were brought before a judge yesterday in accordance with Israeli law, but were returned to their cells.
Their continued detention and the treatment which they have received is politically motivated. The Israeli regime is clearly intent on punishing these activists as severely as possible to deter any further attempts to break the blockade of Gaza.
The GUE/NGL group of Left MEPs in the European Parliament, to which Paul Murphy belongs, have also demanded Paul’s immediate release.
Also today, United Left Alliance TDs (members of the Irish Parliament), including Socialist Party TDs, demanded the Irish government take measures against the illegal and repressive actions of the Israeli government, including the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.
Keep up the pressure! Send protests letters Israeli embassies and to the Israeli authorities:
Attorney General at the Ministry of Justice
Telephone +97226466521/2
Fax +97226467001
Ministry of Defence Public Relations Department
Phone +97236975540 or +97236975423
Email – pniot@mod.gov.il
For more background information see previous articles on socialistworld.net
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy detained by Israeli Army
Flotillas blocked and activists detained – Send protests urgently!
Socialist Party MEP, Paul Murphy, has been detained by the Israeli Army, along with other activists from the MV Saoirse and the Canadian boat the Tahrir.
The boat had been part of the Freedom Waves flotilla that attempted to travel to Gaza in solidarity with the suffering Palestinian people and to deliver humanitarian aid. The blockade is in its fifth year and is illegal. This collective punishment has led to untold hardship for the Palestinian people as vital medical supplies and building material is not allowed through.
A protest has been called for this evening in central Dublin in solidarity with the detained activists.
For previous articles on socialistworld.net about Freedom Flotilla Two click here
Socialist Party MEP, Paul Murphy, has been detained by the Israeli Army, along with other activists from the MV Saoirse and the Canadian boat the Tahrir.
The boat had been part of the Freedom Waves flotilla that attempted to travel to Gaza in solidarity with the suffering Palestinian people and to deliver humanitarian aid. The blockade is in its fifth year and is illegal. This collective punishment has led to untold hardship for the Palestinian people as vital medical supplies and building material is not allowed through.
A protest has been called for this evening in central Dublin in solidarity with the detained activists.
The CWI appeals to readers to immediately protest to Israeli embassies/authorities, demanding the immediate release of Paul Murphy and all other activists from the Saoirse and Tahrir.
The earlier report from socialistworld.net:
The earlier report from socialistworld.net:
| Israeli warships block Gaza solidarity flotilla Ship radio communication cut In next few hours, the Irish ship, ‘Saoirse’ (Freedom), along with a Canadian vessel, are expected to enter Gaza Strip waters to try to break the blockade on the territory that has been imposed by Israeli government since 2007. Paul Murphy, Socialist Party Member of European Parliament (MEP), representing Dublin, is on board the Irish boat and has been sending regular live reports on its progress. However, all communication from the ships, including satellite communication with the press, was cut off last night. The last information we received from Paul was at 7.30pm, yesterday evening, when the flotilla was in international waters, around 200 miles from Gaza. According to the last report, Israeli warships were seen in the distance and Israeli spotter planes were also observed flying overhead. Crew and passengers on the ship feared for their safety. An Israeli government official told Reuters, on Wednesday, that Israel, "will take whatever measures will be necessary" to maintain its blockade. Nine people were murdered when Israeli commandos stormed the flotilla in May last year. The Committee for Workers International demands an immediate end to the siege of Gaza. We demand that Israeli authorities allow all communication with the two boats trying to deliver aid and immediately halt its military action against them. We support the emergency demonstration called in support of flotilla that has been called for 6pm today, in Dublin. |
The article was published on socialistworld.net on 2nd of November by Paul Murch before his detention
| Gaza: Socialist MEP Paul Murphy once more en route to break the blockade Breaking News: New freedom flotilla enters international waters Paul Murphy MEP, Socialist Party (CWI Ireland) As news breaks that a new flotilla to reach Gaza has set sail we publish the latest from Paul Murphy MEP who is on the Irish ship. Socialistworld.net "Stopped by sabotage of the Irish boat and then the Greek imposed extension of the blockade of Gaza in the summer, I am setting sail again with the Irish Ship to Gaza. The aim remains the same as before – to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza who are being suffocated by Israel’s blockade, and to raise the issue of the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza, which amounts to a collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Since our last attempt, much has changed around the world and in the region, however, unfortunately the conditions of the people of Gaza have not changed a bit. The horrifying figures published by the UN and other international humanitarian and human rights organisations this year remain valid – with roughly 80% of the population relying on international aid in order to survive, 65% of people living below the poverty line, 52% of people being food insecure and an unemployment rate of nearly 40%. There remains a massive shortage of building materials, which means much-needed schools and hospitals are not built, and the drinking water continues to be contaminated and unfit for consumption. Those in need of specialist medical treatment are unable to avail of it because of the unwillingness of the Israeli state to allow in medical equipment." To read Paul Murphy’s full article posted on his website click here To visit Paul’s live update feed from the flotilla on his website click here |
For previous articles on socialistworld.net about Freedom Flotilla Two click here
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Europe: New laws institutionalise austerity across the EU
Below we publish videos of two speechs given by Paul Murphy MEP in the European Parliament earlier in October on what have been called the ‘six pack’ rules. These new rules give even more power to the un-elected commission and will in effect institutionalise austerity.
This legislation barely got a mention in the media even though it is extremely important and will have a huge affect on the lives of people across Europe. The media was so quiet that President Barrosso referred to the passing of the legislation as a ‘silent revolution’.
These new rules will see the creation of what amounts to a budgetary policeman, who will monitor the national budgets of countries to make sure that they are implementing the austerity which the Commission is demanding. If the national parliament’s budget does not meet the Commission’s targets they can impose heavy sanctions on that country. This will further strengthen the hand of the Commission as it sets the targets. It is the working class, the unemployed and young people who will pay the price for this policy.
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5367
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5367
Friday, 15 July 2011
Socialist Party MEP: Why I Joined Freedom Flotilla II
Paul Murphy MEP calls for an end to EU complicity in oppression of Palestinians.
http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5155
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Socialist MEP Paul Murphy: For a European one-day strike!
Paul Murphy MEP condemns the new brutal austerity package being forced on Greece and calls for a one day general strike across Europe to send a message to the European establishment that austerity will not be accepted.
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