Sir, – John O’Shea of Goal (January 5th) correctly identifies the serious exploitation of African land and other resources by China and wealthy Western and Middle Eastern countries. I saw evidence of this Chinese exploitation in Ethiopia in 2010, and Western exploitation and possible electoral interference in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last December. The scale of this land grab “60 million hectares (an area the size of France)” over the past three years is shocking, but is receiving far too little international exposure, because it is the most powerful members of the international community that are doing the grabbing.
I commend John O’Shea’s efforts to expose these abuses, but I disagree with his hope that: “Ireland will be successful in its bid to join the United Nations Human Rights Council”.
If Ireland does get elected to the UN Human Rights Council, it is likely that our Government will ignore these abuses by our so-called international friends.
This has been demonstrated most shamefully by the on-going Irish Government complicity with US government breaches of international laws in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, through US military use of Shannon airport, and the CIA torture rendition programme. Ireland must first demonstrate its suitability for appointment to the UN Human Rights Council by ending such complicity and agreeing to an independent investigation into breaches of the UN Convention Against Torture at Shannon airport. – Yours, etc,