AFRI, the Third World development agency, yesterday added its voice to the No campaign, claiming the Amsterdam Treaty was incomprehensible. "If something is not clearly understandable, it seems unwise to endorse it," the agency said in a statement.
The agency, which works particularly in Africa, identified three substantial reasons for a No vote, while acknowledging there were some arguments for voting Yes.
The three reasons for rejecting the treaty were that it:
allowed for EU moves "towards a common defence policy, closer involvement with the WEU [Western European Union], and for co-operation in the field of armaments policy", all of which reflected "a desire to establish a militarised EU".
It would involve Ireland in "co-operation in arms production". "Ireland should not be a party to this iniquitous business . . . Afri believes that there are no circumstances when such participation would be appropriate".
"The Amsterdam Treaty also contains a protocol inserted by the Spanish government which insists that nationals of an EU state cannot seek asylum in any other EU state."
As an alternative to endorsing the treaty, Afri said the Government should renegotiate and obtain a better treaty, or have a protocol inserted ruling out Irish participation in certain aspects of it.
Meanwhile, the Natural Law Party issued a statement which, while not specifically calling for a No vote, questioned aspects of the treaty. It said that while the treaty was supportive of job-creation measures, the job types were not identified.
The party said concerns for environmental protection and sustainable development were not matched by investment in research. The EU Commission was also supporting genetic engineering, which it opposed.
A statement also noted recent debate about Irish neutrality, "a very narrow vision of defence". The important question was how to defend the population and the environment from the side-effects of genetic engineering.
It continued: "Such a comprehensive defence strategy can onlybe established by enlivening the total intelligence of Natural Law in the conscious awareness of the whole population, thereby ensuring that everyone is capable of making life-preserving choices.
"This may be achieved by establishing a Prevention Wing of the military, an auxiliary defence force consisting of approximately 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the armed forces trained in the Vodic Technology of Defence - Yogic Flying - to create an invincible armour for the nation, an indomitable field of coherence in national consciousness - which automatically disallows the penetration of any destabilising influence in the country."