State accused of protest contempt

THE Government has been accused of showing disdain for anti-war protesters by labelling them anti-American and pro-Saddam Hussein.

Outlining details of a massive peace rally planned for Shannon on Saturday, protesters singled out Tánaiste Mary Harney and Justice Minister Michael McDowell for criticism following their comments on the recent protests.

Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets at the weekend as opposition to a US-led attack on Iraq grows. Insisting that the demonstration departing from Shannon town centre at 2pm will be peaceful, organisers say the march is in opposition to any Irish support for a war in Iraq and allowing the US military to use Shannon airport.

Labour foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins said the Progressive Democrats had a record of singular ignorance of international issues.

Mr Higgins said Mr McDowell had labelled protesters as anti-American, yet he was completely silent on the most fundamental principle of whether or not there was a legal or moral basis to make a pre-emptive strike on Iraq.

"On this issue there is no McDowell opinion. Instead what we saw from him was a sheer piece of ugliness that was McCarthyite in nature," he said.

Protesters were saying that war was not inevitable, diplomacy could still work and the Government could do more, Mr Higgins said.

Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesman Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the Taoiseach said he was pleased with the turnout as the protesters were endorsing Government policy.

"Following on from what Mary Harney was saying, Government policy is anti-American," he said.

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins said the PDs had adopted the role of US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who was akin to Dr Strangelove.

"The Harney-McDowell axis in the Government continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel in a vain attempt to discredit the Irish anti-war movement," he said.

Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna said the Government was afraid to back the French position opposing an attack on Iraq and the Tánaiste was anti-Irish public opinion, she said.

"She is questioning the intelligence of the 100,000 people who came out to demonstrate," she said.

Anti-War Movement spokesman Richard Boyd-Barrett said the Irish

Government was showing complete contempt to the views of the overwhelming majority of Irish people.

"Instead of the Irish Government responding to the demands and ending their support, they have instead chosen to mud-sling against the anti-war movement and tell lies about it," he said.