Celtic League - British Army recruitment - Irish Government questioned

Photos

Celtic League - British Army recruitment - Irish Government questioned

see larger image

uploaded by CelticNews

This from the Celtic League:

BRITISH ARMY RECRUITMENT - IRISH GOVERNMENT QUESTIONED

The Celtic League has posed a series of questions to the Irish government
about the recruitment of Irish Nationals into the armed forces of
other countries. The move comes following news that 1 in 10 recruited
into the British Army come from the Republic of Ireland, at a time
when domestic recruitment in the United Kingdom is in terminal decline.

The League point out that some states have a statutory bar on the
recruitment of their Nationals into the armed forces of foreign states
and, bizarrely, even the United Kingdom has on statute such legislation
- albeit it is apparently moribund.


"Minister Dermot Ahern TD
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Department of Foreign Affairs,
80 St. Stephen's Green,
Dublin 2

Dear Minister,

Figures relating to British Army recruitment indicate that 1 in 10
of current recruits is a National of the Republic of Ireland.

Would you accept that the enlistment of Irish Nationals into foreign
armed forces might be counterproductive to the good work and hard-earned
reputation of Irish National Armed Forces, many of whose number have
paid the ultimate price, in overseas peacekeeping and humanitarian
missions?

Has the Irish government considered introducing legislation, such
as that introduced recently by the South African government, which
proscribes enlistment into foreign armed forces i.e. "The Prohibition
of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country
of Armed Conflict Act, 2006"?

Is Ireland a signatory to the 'International Convention against the
Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries'?

Is the Irish government aware that the United Kingdom, which actively
recruits Nationals from Ireland and other States, has on its statutes
legislation (albeit moribund) - The Foreign Enlistment Act - which
proscribes enlistment by British citizens in the armed forces of other
States?

Yours faithfully,


J B Moffatt"


Links:


http://www.issafrica.org/index.php?link_id=5&slink_id=5421&link_type=12&slink_ty\
pe=12&tmpl_id=3

http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/INTRO/530?OpenDocument


J B Moffatt
Director of Information
Celtic League

13/06/08


The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works
to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a
broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights
human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on
socio-economic issues.

TEL (UK)01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609

Internet site at:

http://celticleague.net
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/celtic_league/