An international environmental and human rights group has sent a fact-finding delegation to north Mayo this week to investigate "police, Government and corporate actions" in relation to the Corrib gas project.
The US-based Global Community Monitor (GCM) is holding a public hearing in Glenamoy, Co Mayo, this evening when it will take testimonies from protesters who claim to have been hurt or threatened during recent protests over resumption of work on the project.
Denny Larson of GCM said its delegates would "travel to various sites in the Rossport area" this week to conduct an "independent investigation which may lead to possible legal cases before international human rights commissions and courts".
He said they were interested in gathering evidence "from all parties in Co Mayo" to determine why violence had recently erupted, among other things. His organisation had also requested interviews with the Garda and Government officials.
The delegation comprises GCM members from Holland, Belgium, England, South Africa and the USA, and includes Bobby Sven Peek, the 1998 winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize - known as the "Nobel Prize" for the environment.
Testimonies will be published and forwarded to relevant EU authorities and various international human rights commissions.
BBC Radio Ulster reported on Saturday that one protester and Glenamoy resident, PJ Moran, had a death threat made against him, while a US national living in Erris has been unable to walk since being beaten by gardaí during a protest on November 10th last.
Gardaí say they are investigating a "low number" of allegations of intimidation made by protesters and project workers.
