The Rossport Solidarity Camp in county Mayo, on the west coast of Ireland, was set up in 2005 when five local farmers were imprisoned for trying to protect their land from being destroyed by Shell.

A consortium of multinationals backed by the Irish state and led by Shell is trying to build a dangerous, experimental raw gas pipeline and inland gas refinery. Corrupt politicians have done deals with Shell and the other multinationals meaning the oil companies will keep 100% of the profits, whilst the Irish people will have to buy the gas back from Shell.

Resistance to shell has been intensifying this spring and summer. Local residents and activists from the camp have been occupying tripods and machinery, and blocking trucks in an attempt to stop the building and expanding of shell's landfall compound on the beach. Mass actions of over 150 people have dismantled shell's compound fences on several occasions.

The security firm contracted by Shell to protect the project and to repress opposition in the area is called Integrated Risk Management Services (IRMS). There is evidence that people working for IRMS are also members of fascist groups: “It has emerged that members of the Szekler Legion, a paramilitary group which recruits among young ethnic Hungarians in Romania, have worked as security guards at the Shell Corrib Gas Project construction sites in recent months… The Szekler Legion have been implicated in violent incidents in Romania. The group openly promotes neo-fascism and race hate.” 1

In April Willie Corduff – one of the 5 men who was imprisoned in 2005 for trying to protect his own land from shell - was severely beaten at night and hospitalised by Shell’s security during a truck occupation. This June two local fishermen escaped with their lives after their boat was boarded and sunk in open sea by 4 armed masked men. The two men are strong opponents of the Shell project.

Shell’s pipeline work is largely limited to the summer, if resistance can be sustained work can be halted again this year. The camp is calling for people to go to Mayo to support the struggle against Shell, and to support the Shell to Sea campaign in anyway you can from your local area.

The camp is run on the principles of non-hierarchical organisation, collective decision making and individual accountability to the camp. The campaign is an inspiring mix of local community and willing activists from near and far.

Contact us at: email: rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com phone: 00353 851141170

For more information see: www.indymedia.ie/mayo www.shelltosea.com www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com

1. Fascist group worked as Shell guards, 28th April, Irish Examiner.