Open Letters to US President Donald Trump and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

  • Posted on: 6 June 2019
  • By: shannonwatch
Body: 

Here are the two letters handed over for delivery to US President Donald Trump and Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar during the protests at Shannon today. We have been assured that they will be delivered.


Open letter to Mr Donald Trump, President of the United States of America

Dear US President Donald Trump,

As President of the United States of America, with which the people of Ireland have very close friendship and kinship ties, you should be very welcome in Ireland. However, because of your racist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic and anti-migrant views and actions, many people in Ireland reject and protest your presence here. 

As US President you have approved the use of torture, in contravention of the UN Convention Against Torture.

You and your government continue to wage unjustified wars of aggression in breach of the UN Charter.

You have allowed US forces to transit through Shannon airport in breach of international laws on neutrality.

You have personally approved US special forces attacks, and targeted assassinations in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria and elsewhere in breach of international and national laws.

You and your government have supported the Israeli state's decades long oppression of the Palestinian people and recognised the illegal Israeli annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

You and your government have tried to overthrow the sovereign governments of Syria and Venezuela in contravention of the UN Charter.

You have abrogated important international treaties and agreements on climate change, on nuclear non-proliferation, and on the Iranian nuclear issue, thereby endangering all of humanity. 

Your policies and actions are destroying our living environment and causing catastrophic climate breakdown.

You have supported the Saudi Arabian Government in its genocidal war against the people of Yemen, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Yemeni people including tens of thousands of children who are being starved to death. This latter war crime is especially offensive to the people of Ireland who suffered a similar genocidal famine in the past.

For all these reasons President Donald Trump, you are not welcome to Ireland, either in your individual private capacity, or as President of the United States of America.

Signed by people concerned about peace, human rights and the environment at the Shannon Peace Camp

5th to 7th June 2019

Signatures list attached.


Open letter to An Taoiseach and Minister for Defence Mr Leo Varadkar TD

Dear Taoiseach,

We are writing this letter to you to express our deep concern at your decision to invite US President Donald Trump to Ireland and to agree to meet him at ShannonAairport which is being used almost on a daily basis by US military forces engaged in wars of aggression in the Middle East.  These wars have resulted in the deaths and serious injuries to millions of people including an estimated one million children who have died as a result of these wars since 1991.

A recent RTE / Red C Exit Poll showed that 82% of the Irish people support Irish Neutrality in all its aspects, and that 58% of the Irish people oppose Ireland being part of the proposed European Armed Forces. As Taoiseach you have been responsible for committing Ireland to aspects of the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) that will result in further diminution of Irish neutrality.

In your capacity as Taoiseach and as Minister for Defence you have allowed the US military to transit through Shannon Airport, in breach of international laws on neutrality, and in breach of a High Court ruling in 2003 by Judge Nicholas Kearns.

Climate breakdown and environmental degradation is arguably on a par with the risk of nuclear war, yet you and the Irish Government are not doing nearly enough to deal with this potential catastrophe. By your actions and inactions, you are making the environmental situation worse.

We urge you to tell President Trump to reengage with international agreements and actions on climate change and environmental damage, and to abandon the arms race that he has helped to reignite, especially by withdrawing the United States from the INF nuclear treaty.

This visit to Shannon and Co Clare by US President Trump has resulted in dozens of additional US military aircraft landing at Shannon Airport. These aircraft are causing significant additional environmental damage, as well as endangering workers and customers of Shannon Airport due to the weapons and munitions being carried by US military. This also increases the risks of the airport becoming a target of terrorist attack in retaliation for US war crimes in the Middle East.

The presence of President Trump at Shannon airport and in Co Clare over the coming days further endangers the Irish people because one of his military aides will be carrying the equipment and codes to launch a nuclear war, if President Trump deems a nuclear war to be necessary.

Given the widespread damage, loss of live and human rights abuses caused by the US military, we ask that you to immediately withdraw the permission granted to them to transit through Irish territory, and in particular Shannon Airport, as well as Irish air space. Genuine Irish neutrality must be respected and restored.

Signed by people concerned about peace, human rights and the environment at the Shannon Peace Camp

5th to 7th June 2019

Signatures list attached.