What is Shell to Sea?
Shell to sea is a community led campaign protesting against the building of an inland gas refinery and dangerous high pressure gas pipeline in a rural community on the west coast of Ireland. If built the proposed refinery would have a detrimental effect on the local environment and the community it sustains resulting in pollution of the currently clean air and water, negatively affecting health, livelihoods and wildlife. For over six years residents of the area have campaigned against Shell’s proposed project, calling instead for the gas to be refined at sea in a clean and safe manner. The community struggle is supported by a network of Shell to Sea groups around Ireland, who work in solidarity with people on the ground opposing the project.
As well as protesting against the Corrib gas project Shell to Sea also demands the return of Irish gas and oil wealth to people in Ireland. At the moment all oil and gas found off the coast of Ireland belongs to the oil companies who find it. We think that instead of enriching corpoate giants like Shell, the oil and gas wealth should benefit our communities.
Putting the profits of big business before the needs of our communities The campaign is of importance to us all on several levels. Firstly because it is challenging the system in which the profits of big business are prioritized over the needs of our communities. At every point in the Corrib gas saga the state has facilitated the oil companies. Meetings were held between high ranking ministers and Oil Company bosses, laws were changed, the planning process aided and reports rigged. Now as community opposition continues the state has sent in force to smooth the way for Shell.
Corrib is just one reflection of this prioritization of big business by the state. We know that if state is willing to steam roll over the people of Erris for its own ends then it will do the same elsewhere. Around the county numerous communities are struggling against unsustainable and destructive projects from pylons and incinerators to super dumps. We have made links with these campaigns and tried to gain strength from each other.
Solidarity is strength!
We have made links with communities opposing Shell worldwide. Visitors living with shell from South Africa, Nigera and Bolivia have come to share their experience and show their solidarity. Many expressed their dismay that a project like Corrib could be allowed to happen in a so called democratic country.
The extractive industries usually operate in developing countries where oppostion is met with the bullet or the gallows. We have merely had to deal with batons, boots and jailings. So far. While the state that we live in is far from democratic at the very least they cannot kill us for our dissent. If we can win the fight against shell here it will be a beacon of hope for communites world wide engaed in the same struggle for survival.
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