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Palestinian citizenship for
Fiachra
11.10.10
By Eamonn MacDermott, Inishowen Independent
CARNDONAGH man Fiachra Ó Luain, who was arrested on
board the humanitarian flotilla to Gaza earlier this
year, says he is ‘humbled and honoured’ to have been
given Palestinian citizenship.
Mr. Ó Luain said he was contacted by the Palestinian
Embassy in Dublin, along with other activists who
were aboard the aid flotilla when it was attacked by
the Israelis, and asked would he accept citizenship.
An honour he said he accepted immediately.
He said: “I attended a ceremony in Dublin last week
and the whole embassy staff were there and they were
great to us.
“I have to say that I don’t feel that I as an
individual have done enough to deserve such an
honour.
“So I told them that I was accepting this honour on
behalf of all the Irish people who have shown
solidarity with the people of Palestine throughout
their struggle for statehood.
“We will continue to show that solidarity until the
Palestinians achieve their statehood.” |
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Mr Ó
Luain said that the Palestinian people appreciated
all the solidarity shown to them by the Irish
people.
He added: “They don’t care about party divisions
here in Ireland all they care about is the fact that
the Irish people have stood behind them in their
struggle.
“Similarly those people in Ireland who support the
Palestinian struggle don’t care for the party
divisions there but simply want people to get behind
them as they continue to fight for their state.”
Asked what practical benefits |
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Fiachra Ó Luain accepts his
citizenship papers at the Palestinian Embassy in
Dublin |
Palestinian citizenship
conferred upon him, the Carndonagh man said: “Well,
firstly if I am travelling abroad and I need any
assistance, then I can go to a Palestinian embassy.
In fact there are more Palestinian embassies in the
world than there are Irish embassies.
“This honour means that the Palestinians feel
responsible for my welfare when I am abroad and of
course when the day comes that Palestine finally
achieves its statehood, I will be entitled to a
Palestinian passport. At the minute, I am a citizen
without a passport.” |
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