A request for the Government to allow torture survivors from Iraq to come to the State for medical help and support was made yesterday by the founder of the Irish Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Survivors.
At an anti-war campaign press conference yesterday, Dr Chris Neilson claimed that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Government were in breach of the Geneva Convention as they were a third party to torture by allowing US soldiers to stop over in Shannon.
Dr Neilson, a torture survivor himself, urged the Government to withdraw the standard invitation to George Bush, whom he described as "the world's biggest war criminal" and to cease the Shannon stop-over.
"The Foundation also requests the Government to allow torture survivors from Iraq to take professional medical help and support in Ireland," he said.
Dr Neilson, a medical doctor, said that he was a political prisoner in South Africa and was tortured. He came to Ireland in 1994.
"We live in a democracy. Everybody is equal and Iraqi people who have been tortured are the same human beings as you and I. I was helped when I came to Ireland 10 years ago and if I can be helped, they have the right to be helped as well," he said.
He said Ireland was on the edge of apartheid because the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, had sent people back to Iraq and other countries. The Minister did not know what torture was, he said, and he would like to tell him face to face.
Dr Juliet Bressan, Doctors Against War Movement, said the Government wanted to close a hospital in Ennis but would spend millions around Shannon and Dromoland Castle for the Bush visit.
Chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) Mr Richard Boyd Barrett said he believed the Stop Bush Campaign would bring over 100,000 people onto the streets in June.
The IAWM has organised an anti-war gig with Christy Moore and others in the Point Theatre on June 19th and demonstrations on June 25th and 26th in Dublin and Dromoland during the visit.