SATURDAY 26 JUNE: ARMED FORCES DAY

Meet 10.30am, Ministry of Defence, for a day of counter-recruitment activity and informing soldiers of their legal right to object to war.

SATURDAY 26 JUNE: DISSENT, RESISTANCE AND THE MILITARY

How should the peace movement engage with ordinary soldiers? Discussion with Mike Marqusee, Gwyn Gwyntopher (At Ease), and ex-soldier Ben Griffin. 6-8pm, Housmans Bookshop, N1.

SUNDAY 27 JUNE - THURSDAY 1 JULY: FIVE-DAY PEACE WALK FROM LONDON TO COLCHESTER IN SUPPORT OF JOE GLENTON

Meet 10.30am Sunday 27 June ("Unarmed Forces Day") outside the Ministry of
Defence, for the start of five-day walk to the military prison in Colchester where soldier Joe Glenton is in prison for refusing to fight in Afghanistan.

Other related events:

> Friday 25 June, London: Forces Watch briefing on British Army recruitment
practices.

> Saturday 26 June, London: Counter-recruitment actions at Army Contact Points
(aka 'Arcades of Death') in Dalston, Hounslow and Bromley.

> Sunday 27 June, Huddersfield: Unarmed Forces Day screening of the film
'Soldiers of Peace' (2008).

See below for details of the above events.

BACKGROUND INFO

"When I went to Afghanistan I was proud to serve the Army and to serve my
country, but before long I realised the government was using the Army for its own ends. It is distressing to disobey orders, but when Britain follows America in continuing to wage war against one of the world's poorest countries I feel I have no choice. Politicians have abused the trust of the Army and the soldiers who serve” - Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, jailed for 9 months for refusing to return to Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan is currently costing British taxpayers £5 billion a
year, and though the Government claims that British troops are fighting there to keep us safe, 80% of the public simply don't believe them. In reality, British troops are killing and dying to protect one of the most corrupt governments in the world: a government that condones marital rape, tortures its own citizens, and was elected by massive fraud, and their presence there increases - not decreases - the risk of terrorism to us here in the UK.

The overwhelming majority (77%) of the British public want British troops
withdrawn from Afghanistan "within a year or so". Yet, despite this, voters
have been deprived of any meaningful choice at the ballot box. Indeed, 70%
agreed that the three main parties did not offer "any real choice of policies" on Afghanistan.

PLEASE JOIN US this June to demand an end to the war, and to show solidarity with those soldiers, like Joe Glenton, who refuse to fight in this illegal and immoral war.

Film showings and other activities along the way. Accommodation available in London on the nights of 25-26 June. Please let us know if you will be needing accommodation on either or both of these nights: 0845 458 2564 or
afghanpeacewalk[at]googlemail.com.

Walk Initiated by Justice Not Vengeance (www.j-n-v.org) and others. Contact: 0845 458 2564, afghanpeacewalk[at]googlemail.com

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

First and foremost we need walkers, so please join us if you can. But we also need help with publicity and money!

PUBLICITY

> Please forward this e-mail to any relevant e-lists or to anyone you think
might be interested

> If you're on Facebook, then please invite people to take part:
 http://tinyurl.com/347nb4s

> Can you distribute and / or mail out leaflets about the Walk over the next four weeks? If so, then please contact us to let us know how many you need and where we should send them: 0845 458 2564, afghanpeacewalk[at]googlemail.com

MONEY

We still haven't covered the costs of organising the Walk. If you can help,
then please send donations:

> by cheque, payable to 'JNV', to: JNV, 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN38 0HE (please write 'Peace Walk' on the back)

> or by electronic transfer: see  http://www.j-n-v.org/whatisJNV.htm


for details.

FULL EVENT INFORMATION

FRIDAY 25 JUNE, LONDON: FORCES WATCH BRIEFING

Briefing on British Army recruitment practices by Forces Watch
(  http://www.forceswatch.net).
7-9pm, The Crypt, St Peter De Beauvoir Church, De Beauvoir Road, London, N1 5AT
(map:  http://tinyurl.com/323zukc )

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: COUNTER-RECRUITMENT & OUTREACH TO SOLDIERS ON "ARMED FORCES DAY"

Meet 10.30am, Ministry of Defence (Main Building), Horse Guards Avenue (off
Whitehall, Map:  http://tinyurl.com/32t4b8v ).
Please bring Oyster card with £5 on it.

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: COUNTER-RECRUITMENT VIGILS ON "ARMED FORCES DAY"

Vigils will be taking place at London's three Army Contact Points (aka "Arcades of Death" - see INSERT TEXT HERE):

> Hounslow: 11am - 1pm, Hounslow High Street, outside the Treaty Centre (map:  http://tinyurl.com/36kjayt ).
Org. by Hounslow Stop the War. 07774 936 556

> Dalston: 1.30pm, Kingsland Shopping Centre, Kingsland High Street, E8
(opposite Dalston Kingsland train station. Map:  http://tinyurl.com/394kafr ).
Org. by Hackney Stop the War.

> Bromley: 1pm - 4pm, Market Square, Bromley, BR1 (5 min walk from Bromley
North station. Map:  http://tinyurl.com/32qzgk3 ).
Org. by the Trail of Tears Peace Walkers. Contact 0845 458 2564

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: DISSENT, RESISTANCE AND THE MILITARY

How should the peace movement engage with ordinary soldiers? Discussion with Mike Marqusee (Redemption Song), Gwyn Gwyntopher (At Ease) and ex-soldier Ben Griffin. 6-8pm, Housmans Bookshop, 5 Caledonian Rd, N1 9DX, (tube: King's X).
Facebook:  http://tinyurl.com/2vkb86a
 http://www.housmans.com

SUNDAY 27 JUNE, HUDDERSFIELD: 'SOLDIERS OF PEACE' SCREENING ON "UNARMED FORCES DAY"

Special "Unarmed Forces Day" screening of the 'Soldiers of Peace', featuring stories of peace from 14 countries around the world
(www.soldiersofpeacemovie.com). Free admission but PLEASE BOOK A PLACE. 6.30pm refreshments - film at 7.00pm. Quaker Meeting House, Church Street HD1 4TR
Wheelchair accessible. To book e: cara[AT]cooptel.net t: 07982 079 451

SUNDAY 27 JUNE - 1 JULY, LONDON TO COLCHESTER: FIVE-DAY PEACE WALK FROM LONDON TO COLCHESTER IN SUPPORT OF JOE GLENTON

Meet 10.30am, Sunday 27 June, Ministry of Defence (Main Building), Horse Guards Avenue (off Whitehall, Map:  http://tinyurl.com/32t4b8v ) for the start of five-day walk to the military prison in Colchester where soldier Joe Glenton is in prison for refusing to fight in Afghanistan. The route will pass through Ilford, Brentwood, Chelmsford, and Maldon, arriving in Colchester on 1 July.

Crash-pad accommodation and vegan food provided en route. Typical daily walk length: 12 miles. Support vehicles will be available each day to ferry sleeping gear etc... Details of daily start times and locations, evening events etc... available shortly.

For more info contact 0845 458 2564 or e-mail afghanpeacewalk[at]googlemail.com