UK Anti-militarism Newswire Archive
Peace Pays
28-12-2010 18:49
Oxford - Bradford : 'Freedom of Speech'
28-12-2010 13:15
Praveen Swami, of Pakistan Security Research Unit based at University of Bradford, writes as Diplomatic Editor in the The Telegraph today that recent events at Oxford denied 'freedom of speech' and that Dr. Liam Fox should visit Sri Lanka, soon.What exactly is going on inside Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, since its inception in 2007?
Anarchist jailed for Gaza protest
27-12-2010 22:12
Anarchists Against the Wall member jailed for 3 monthsWikiLeaks cables: Spanish socialist government plans to renege on election pledg
26-12-2010 01:28
The cables reveal that shortly after the election result, the US Ambassador in Madrid George Argyros wrote that the PSOE “was shocked that they won the elections” and was “scrambling to figure out what to do.” Zapatero had “made a number of campaign statements that might have come out differently had he thought he had a real chance of becoming president of the government of Spain.”“We have already seen some ‘wiggle room’ in public statements on certain issues, including possibly on the pull out of Spanish troops from Iraq,” the cable continues.
On the economy, “Close associates of Zapatero have been careful to say that the incoming PSOE government will not make significant changes to the PP’s successful economic policies. Some business leaders have voiced the same expectations with us.”
Catholic Workers "close" Dalston "Arcade of Death"
23-12-2010 21:22
Thursday 23 December 2010 - Pre-Christmas peace vigil in front of Dalston army showroom in east London by London Catholic Workers and friends, in opposition to the war in Afghanistan and the perceived cynical establishment of a military recruitment centre within this impoverished community during a time of economic hardship.
All images are Copyright (c) 2010 D. Viesnik. They may be reproduced free of charge for non-commerical use provided they are credited. For high resolution versions / commercial use, please e-mail.
A merry band of London Catholic Workers and friends, fresh from shooting remakes of videos for John Lennon's anti-war classics "Merry Christmas (War is Over)" and "Give Peace a Chance" (watch this space for the finished videos), took themselves along to their favourite local army showroom, or "arcade of death", inside Dalston Kingsland shopping centre to bring their seasonal message of peace to the happy festive shoppers of east London.
After some initial lively interaction with security guards, who were calmed by police officers who arrived not long afterwards, the peaceful demonstration was allowed to continue undisturbed for an hour or so, whereupon the protesters left of their own volition.
The protest included signs stuck up on the glass doors of the showroom (which was already shut) indicating that it was now permanently shut, since the 'war is over', a duvet sprinkled in fake flowers, framed images of former Beatle and peace activist Lennon - assassinated 30 years ago this month - and Catholic Worker founder Dorothy Day. Also present was a man dressed in an orange boiler suit, wearing shackles and a Father Christmas mask, some of the time covered in a black hood (images to follow), who sat or knelt on the duvet most of the time and sang the above-mentioned songs by Lennon, sometimes accompanied by some of his colleagues.
The war in Afghanistan is now into its 10th year, with no end in site. Lennon's peace activism was spurred on by the lengthy US war in Vietnam at a time when peace activism went together with a vibrant counter-culture movement, and growing anti-war resistance from war veterans themselves. There is perhaps much to be said for fostering such a movement in this country. There is the odd sign of hope in terms of resistance to the seemingly endless western-instigated carnage in Afghanistan, such as the refusal by Lance Corporal Joe Glenton to return there, resulting in his incarceration for several months earlier this year, the many militant but peaceful actions by members of the Democracy Village and Peace Strike in the course of the year, the ongoing long-term witness of the Parliament Square Peace Camp(aign), Peace Strike and others in the vicinity of the corridors of power, as well as various demonstrations, vigils and walks. However, all of this seems a woefully inadequate and pitiful response from the vast majority of us to the level of violence and suffering being carried on in our name in Afghanistan and, increasingly, Pakistan, in the name of the so-called "War on Terror". Will there be a surge of anti-war activism in 2011, or will the current decline in militant anti-militarist activity in the capital and, indeed, nationwide continue into the new year? That is surely for the grassroots activist community itself to decide.
Related link: http://www.londoncatholicworker.org
All images are Copyright (c) 2010 D. Viesnik. They may be reproduced free of charge for non-commerical use provided they are credited. For high resolution versions / commercial use, please e-mail.
More wikileaks dynamite.
22-12-2010 21:38
"The WikiLeaks cables illustrate the deeply anti-democratic nature of diplomacy between the US and New Zealand. They also highlight the potentially explosive tensions that have built up in the Pacific region between the US and its allies, and China. The corporate media, however, has sought to downplay their significance. The New Zealand Herald editorial yesterday asserted that there was nothing damaging in the cables to either the current National government or the previous Labour government. The paper praised the Clark Cabinet's “consideration of Fonterra's interest in Iraq”, describing it as “sensible, practical diplomacy”. The editors were unconcerned that the reasons for New Zealand’s involvement in the Iraq war were kept secret and applauded “the fact that the US quietly restored military co-operation” from 2007."Wikileaks: Play the ball, not the man – and check who’s kicking it
21-12-2010 10:12
Palestine Today 12 21 2010
21-12-2010 07:43
Those brave palestinian resistance fighters have fired a Qassam at a Zionist installation (i.e. a kindergarten), wounding a Zionist occupation soldier (i.e. a schoolgirl)Biden Brands Assange “terrorist” – Washington’s contempt for law and rights
20-12-2010 20:14
“Wikileaks and Julian Assange are not “revolutionary” in the typical sense. But it seems clear to this observer that their existence and continued work can make invaluable contributions in the struggle against oppression and inequality, war and the waste of human lives that are the hallmark of capitalism. In order for the materials brought to light by wikileaks to have a revolutionary effect, revolutionaries and progressives the world over must take responsibility for the analysis and dissemination of their content. Clearly people, the corporate press has no interest nor intention of doing this for us.Let progressive people everywhere join in the effort to prevent further attacks on Wikileaks and its staff. In this critical period in human history this is not a battle we can afford to lose. Please adjust the quantity and quality of your “fightback” with this in mind.”
Protest at Horse Show's links with the arms trade
20-12-2010 14:24
Smash EDO wishes Paul Hills a merry Christmas
20-12-2010 13:13
EDO/ITT is a manufacturer of weapon release components to the UK, US and Israel. They are based in Home Farm Road BrightonMilitarism and Economic Crisis - War Profiteers' News
20-12-2010 11:33
http://wri-irg.org/epublish/19/409 It was between 9/11 and the ensuing war against international terrorism (in Afghanistan and Iraq) initiated by the USA, with the help of the majority of European countries, that the already sizeable military spending of the USA’s allied countries began to increase significantly. In this regard, the USA has spent $1100 billion. In Europe spending has not gone so far. However, these defence budgets have increased above their national GDPs, with an annual average 5% increase.
How THEY Plan to Break Manning to Get Assange! How WE plan to Stop THEM
20-12-2010 08:08
In truth, over the last 7 months the anti-war movement has failed itsmost significant political prisoner. We are 10 years into this war,
we should have learnt something about nonviolent resistance and the
culture of solidarity that throughout human history has sustained such
resistance.
Guantanamo: Unreported Detainee Deaths
20-12-2010 00:47
General Fuckwittage
17-12-2010 21:07
"Yeah" agreed Shaz, "that guy's buried himself in his own fuckwittage."
A couple of years ago the former director of the FBI Louis Freeh, attacked Britain's MI5 for its "long and painful history" in British Occupied Ireland. He told the Wall Street Journal that the spy agency's operations in Occupied Ireland had been decades of "secrecy and non-transparency" and he argued vehemently against any such agency being established in the States.
Assange should be Person of Year: Time needs a pair
17-12-2010 15:57
"Reaction, meanwhile, was swift by readers on Time's website, including Avijit Paul who wrote, "So I guess Time has chickened out by not making Julian Assange as the person of the year. It's a shame when [Assange] was not the top when the biggest chunk of readers say he is."Time reader Tony Castro pondered: "Wasn't Mark Zuckerberg in tenth place? I will spread this injustice like wildfire knocking your readership down to zero."
Let’s use the net (Facebook. Twitter, etc.) to demand that Mr. Zuckerman declines the offer in favor of the real winner, Julian Assange, Wikileaks, and net neutrality. We better or we might soon loose this important freedom, like so many others. We can do this.
Queen Mary University ceases to invest in arms
17-12-2010 14:19
Queen Mary University of London divests from the arms trade and adopts an ethical investment policy.Who is in charge: the Foreign office, Defence ministry or the Oxford Union ?
17-12-2010 06:19
Questions have been raised in UK parliament on the content of the 'private' meeting the Defence secretary had with Mahinda Rajapakse in the Oliver Messel Suite of the Dorchester Hotel in London, 1st December 2010.
Smash EDO: Xmas update and some reports
16-12-2010 14:47
This has been a heavy week for Smash EDO with events at the factory every day.We will now take a break over xmas and the next noise demo will be the FIRST WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY, on the 5th.
Afghan Peoples' Anti-War Petition: 'We Want You Out'
16-12-2010 11:00
A call for a worldwide change through international popular solidarity has been made by Afghan youth