John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I add my support and the support of my party, Sinn Féin, to the motion. I can only condemn in the strongest terms the act of international piracy committed by Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus. The hijacking of a civilian aircraft to facilitate the arrest of a journalist is an absolute disgrace. I am glad that the international community is prepared to act to ensure that this act will not go unpunished.

It may be argued that when the Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, gave the order to hijack this plane he was targeting not simply a journalist and the journalist's girlfriend but also, in effect, the entire Belarusian opposition. We have long associated performative violence with the counter-insurgency tactics of colonial powers from the 19th century onwards, be they French, British, Israeli or whatever else. The impact of performative acts of violence is well known. Most usually it is intended as a moral lesson to be visited upon the watching audience as much as the unfortunate victims. It is a tried-and-tested method of colonial policing, the practice of which has been taken up by authoritarian regimes globally. It is the practice of striking terror in the hearts and fear in the minds of men and women who would dare to lend their support to the opponents of an authoritarian regime. In the hijacking of the Ryanair plane, Alexander Lukashenko was attempting to send a message to all who oppose his government that there is no place safe from his reach. It was a blatant act of aggression intended to silence legitimate dissent to the undemocratic actions of the Lukashenko government. It was a message intended to convey the strength, dominance and reach of Lukashenko.

In that regard, I have been struck, from the commentary I have witnessed since the hijacking took place, by the impact the event has had on members of the Belarusian diaspora, including some who reside in this State, and this is totally unacceptable. The Irish Government, along with its EU counterparts, needs to offer reassurance to the members of the Belarusian diaspora who feel threatened by the acts of President Lukashenko. We have a duty to protect the physical and emotional security of all on this island, particularly those who would be threatened by this act of international aggression. A failure to do so would act as a measure of success for President Lukashenko and his intention of silencing the democratic opposition of the Belarusian people. Lukashenko has attempted to increase pressure on the Belarusian opposition living abroad through the targeting of family members at home in Belarus. This includes an incident which saw the detention of the grandparents and the sister's husband of a foreign-based Belarusian journalist. International measures designed to curtail Lukashenko need to be extended to offer protection to the families of his opponents who remain within his reach.

I welcome the fact that the EU was able to reach a unanimous decision on the important issue of voting to put in place sanctions against the Lukashenko government. I wish to express my disappointment, however, that some eastern European members of the EU that have led out on the calls for action against the Belarusian government, which I repeat I and my colleagues in Sinn Féin support, have singularly failed to apply the same rigorous criteria to the human rights abuses of other administrations in other parts of the world. All our actions and decisions and our entire outlook, both here in the Dáil and in the EU, must be predicated on the rule of international law. When nation states are found guilty of breaking international law, they must know they will face consequences commensurate with their crimes without fear or favour. International law is not a pick-and-mix; it must be applied rigorously and fairly.

It is disturbing that a number of states can refuse to support the application of the rule of international law against Israel for its flagrant abuses of international law and persecution of the Palestinian people. We can speculate as to what their reasons are. It is correct that the EU will vote to impose sanctions against Belarus, but it is shameful that the EU persists in its refusal to impose sanctions against another state that continues to act in violation of international law, one that stands accused of the crime of apartheid and, in recent weeks, has been responsible for the murder of hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children. The Dáil has shown that it is prepared to stand against this oppression, but our Government must take up the mantle set before it by the Irish people and demand at EU level an equivalence under international law for all states guilty of human rights abuses. While I agree with everything the Minister said, I agree with one part in particular, namely, that impunity breeds violence. A perceived impunity has allowed Israel to perpetrate grave human rights abuses. As a country, we must stand up for the rule of law internationally. It is incumbent on us to take a lead on measures, not just against Belarus for breaching international law, but against all countries that do so, and that must include Israel.

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