Skip to content or view screen version

Report on funeral procession for Somalian victims outside Edo.

Mourner | 22.02.2007 13:51 | Anti-militarism | Terror War | South Coast

Yesterday 20 people gathered at the bottom of Home Farm Road, Brighton to march to the EDO/MBM factory to remember the civilians massacred in Somalia last month.

People stood at the junction of the road for approximately half an hour. Passing traffic read the banner which said; "Civilians massacred by USA airstrikes in Somalia. EDO profits." They then marched up the road carrying coffins draped with the Somali flag.

Once outside the factory, EDO employees were given a lesson in current affairs by protesters over the mega-phone. It was explained to them where the components they make in their factory end up- not only in the large public wars sanctioned by the UK government such as Iraq, but in small and little-publicised wars around the globe.

It is likely that components made in Brighton's factory were used in the helicopter gunships and AC130's used by the US in Somalia. The US claimed they were targeting Al-Quaeda leaders, but by the end of January admitted that they were not successful in a single attack. Instead, hundreds of civilians living along the coast were killed.

The demonstration was planned as a naming of the dead ceremony. However, there has been a media black-out on the US attacks in Somalia, so it was impossible to find the names of those killed. It just goes to show how expendable life is in Africa to those in the West, and how important it is to remember all victims of US/UK domination, and resist in any way we can.

If you want to resist UK/US arms trade, get involved in the Smash EDO campaign. Lets shut down the Brighton bomb factory.

See www.smashedo.org.uk

Link to press release for the Somalian Funeral Procession
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/southcoast/2007/02/362913.html

Mourner
- e-mail: smashedo@hotmail.com