IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

Press Release – August 26th

-ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT TO OPEN BOOK OF CONDOLENCES THIS WEEKEND FOR VICTIMS OF BLAIR’S WARS.

-MAJOR MOBILISATION UNDERWAY FOR PROTEST DURING BLAIR DUBLIN VIST

The Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) has announced it will open a book of condolences this weekend in Dublin for the victims of Tony Blair’s military actions and foreign policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.

The book of condolences will be gathered in Dublin’s city centre in the coming week as part of the preparations for a major demonstration on Saturday September 4th during Mr Blair’s visit to Dublin to launch his memoirs.

The book of condolences will be located near Eason’s, as this is where Mr Blair is due to hold the book-signing event on the morning of September 4th.

The demonstration on that day will assemble at 11.00am at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, before marching to Eason’s where Tony Blair’s book signing event will be taking place.

The protest will focus on Tony Blair’s key role in launching the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and devastated both countries.

It will also focus on Blair’s complicity – both as Prime Minister and now as EU envoy to the Middle East – with the war crimes and human rights abuses committed by Israel against the Palestinians.

The protest will also highlight the continued complicity of the Irish government with the wars launched by former US president George Bush and Mr Blair – in allowing US troops to use Shannon airport and through the direct involvement of a small number of Irish troops in the Afghan conflict.