October 2012 Keep Space for Peace Week Action Reports/Photos |
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and details from original call for action are here. |
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October 2012 Stop Militarisation of Space South Korea |
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2 October 2012 Major protest at Menwith Hill after Clarion-style bike ride from Fylingdales Regular Tuesday gathering on the moor near Blubberhouses will mark step-up in the international campaign against the use of drones The Northerner Blog The Guardian |
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![]() Menwith Hill. The protesters are as familiar a sight as the 'golf ball' radomes. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Campaigns such as the Hillsborough relatives' and, going further back, the long struggle to end apartheid in South Africa, are a reminder of how faith and perseverance are so often commitments for the long term. Another example is the stubborn presence of objectors at RAF Menwith Hill, the communications centre used by the United States' National Security Agency for all manner of activities across the world. The persistence of objectors has been phenomenal, with a demonstration outside the nest of spooky radomes every Tuesday since 2000 except four. It is typical of it that the campaign knows exactly how many – or few – Tuesdays have been missed plus the reason in each case.
Next Tuesday sees a particularly big gathering as part of Keep Space for Peace week, which has a particular relevance to Menwith because of the use of satellites in signalling and the control of weaponry. The focus will be on the use of drones and its theme, the Faceless Face of US Military Drones, will be illustrated by faceless face masks on many present; yet another imaginative way of keeping the issue in the news. Those gathered at Menwith will be joined by a second demonstration which invokes the spirit of the old northern Clarion cycling clubs which united the freedom of spinning across the moors and dales with freethinking politically about a free-er world. One of my favourite snatches of poetry is the dream of the Bolton millworker and Clarion member Allen Clarke who hoped to be buried: Where I can see the cyclists halt In this spirit, Yorkshire CND has organised a 100-mile bike ride called Re-cycle the Bases from RAF Fylingdales on the North York Moors to arrive at Menwith on Tuesday after holding meetings en route. They should roll up well in time for the main demonstration between 6pm and 8pm outside the base's main gate. Laila Packer, the joint co-ordinator of the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, sums up the case against drones, both for the suffering they cause and as an own-goal:
If you would like more insight into the thinking behind the long campaign, the regular newsletter produced by CAAB is a fascinating treat. Whatever your views on Menwith Hill, you will surely find the gentle persistence of the protesters remarkable; an example is Lindis Percy's account of the day she went to Harrogate to make a quiet protest as the Olympic Torch came through, because the route was lined in part by staff from the base. She made her point, equipped with her upside-down Stars and Stripes with the legend Independence from America on it, holding a brief debate with an American soldier:
Before she was roughly snatched away by four West Yorkshire police officers and held in a side road and then a stifling van. She never protests angrily at such treatment but always uses the complaints system, so the seven officers are subject to an inquiry by an inspector. Then she was released at the town police station, asked a North Yorkshire police sergeant if he could ring for a taxi to get her back to the torch route and he said he was driving into town anyway, and could he give her a lift? In the same spirit, the September newsletter notes that a new USAF commander has taken over at Menwith Hill and adds:
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7- 10 October 2012 Recycle the Bases Cycle Trip from Fylingdales to Menwith Hill to highlight their connections with US missile defense and the use of space technology |
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6 October 2012 Keep Space for Peace Action Boston, Mass, USA |
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On October 6, 2012, ten members of the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, Boston Branch, participated in a drone death walk to call attention to the illegal, counterproductive and deadly use of drones for "targeted" killings by remote control. All dressed in black, wore white masks and were silent but for two drums. The walk crossed through a busy section of the Back Bay in Boston, the Boston Public Garden and the Boston Common on a warm October day where many residents and international tourists were out and about. Signs and leaflets called for Grounding the Drones and Keeping Space for Peace. A copy of the flyer we distributed to some passers-by can be found here. We adapted the flyer from a Philadelphia group and copied the title of GN's top of the fold article from the current issue. Imitation is the highest form of flattery! Best wishes Claire Gosselin, |
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6 October 2012 |
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A dedicated group of South Carolinians, young and old, commemorating international Keep Space For Peace Week Saturday afternoon in Chapin Park at Businesss 17, Myrtle Beach. From: outdoorsbrian@hotmail.com |
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6 October 2012 |
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From: globalnet@mindspring.com |
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9 October 2012 |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Gxox3MjP-U4 | ||
The Drone Die-in Protest was directed by Phui Yii Kong, a second-year Bowdoin
student from Malaysia. A group of two dozen local activists played the parts of
killer drones with warmongering names and innocent civilians going about their
daily lives. Others carried signs and handed out literature. |
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9 October 2012 |
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Coordinator: Mrunalini Fadnavis mrunalinifadnavis@gmail.com |
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9 October 2012 |
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9 October 2012 |
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http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9975528.Protesters_bring_peace_mission_to_York_Minster/ | ||
ACTIVISTS protesting against the “militarisation of space” stopped off in York during a 100-mile bike ride as part of their campaign. The journey between Whitby and Harrogate, which was due to finish yesterday, was organised by Yorkshire CND and designed to raise awareness of the role two North Yorkshire bases, Fylingdales and Menwith Hill, play in the US defence programme. The group fears the expansion of this system increases the risk of “a new Cold War” with Russia and China and has called for the bases to be “recycled for peaceful means”. The group held public meetings in Pickering and York during the three-day ride, which joined up with a demonstration against US drone strikes at Menwith Hill organised by the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases, as part of Keep Space for Peace Week. Among those taking part were CND chair Professor Dave Webb, who also chairs Yorkshire CND, while Coun Andy D’Agorne, who leads City of York Council’s Green group, joined the cyclists to pedal between Malton and York. More information is available at yorkshirecnd.org.uk or by e-mailing info@yorkshirecnd.org.uk |
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10 October 2012 |
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On the evening of Tuesday 9 October 2012, the main gate at NSA Menwith Hill was the scene of a protest against the use of drones by the American military. The demonstration which was organised by CAAB was in response to the call for a week of international protest by the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space (GN) – ‘KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE’ week. It was a quiet, warm night and the rain that had been forecast held off so the need to erect shelters disappeared.
A CAAB table of information leaflets, newsletters and mugs (‘Blow the Whistle on Menwith’) was staffed by Christine Dean (Hon Treasurer of CAAB) throughout the evening with a lot of interest being shown in the available material. We were very pleased to be joined by the cyclists and members of Yorkshire CND who had ridden 100 miles from Fylingdales to NSA Menwith Hill. Laila (Joint Coordinator of CAAB) and Rob Packer welcomed everyone with hot soup, cake and tea.
Christine Dean talked about the experience of living in war time England when the doodle bugs flew across the channel to deliver death and destruction. The audience heard her personal and moving account of her life being saved by a milk man from one of these flying bombs which went on to kill people very close to where she had been. The obvious parallel with drones was clear to all her listeners.
David Webb (Chair of CND, YCND and Convenor of GN) went on to speak about the drones programme and the links to NSA Menwith Hill which helps to identify suitable targets. The legality and the ethics of using drones against remotely identified targets are highly questionable. We had hoped to hand in a letter to Patrick Currie (RAF Liaison officer) to give to Christopher Gilmore (Colonel – US Commander NSA Menwith Hill). However on the day Patrick Currie was not able to be present due to a prior engagement. Instead the letter was given to David Ranson (Inspector Ministry of Defence Police). The letter asked about the role of NSA Menwith Hill in the operation of drones and related surveillance. So far we have received no acknowledgment or reply. The demonstration was peaceful and conducted in a positive way that made the message – DRONES ARE SIMPLY WRONG – clear to all present. Growing numbers of people in many countries are deeply upset by the use of these deadly faceless weapons which are unaccountable, illegal and immoral. Many civilians have been killed and injured in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen. This message was for all who work at NSA Menwith Hill. Thank you so much to everyone who helped to organise the demonstration and particularly to Steve Schofield (CAAB official photographer) who took photos of the demonstration. |
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13 October 2012 |
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Gun-Britt Mäkitalo (above) and Agneta Norberg (below) held a workshop about the resistance against a US military base on Jeju-Island on October 13th. It was part of a one day event called Inspiration the World at Workers Studiehouse (ABF) Stockholm. The whole house was filled with workshops of different kind- and the themes were: Peoples movements, for Earth, Water, Global Justice and Peace. See www.Inspirationvarlden.org
Agneta Norberg gave an historic overview of Jeju-Islands resistance and Gun-Britt Mäkitalo gave a vivid picture about the event when we both were arrested. We handed out leaflets and showed a film about Jeju Peace Movement by Patrick Cunningham. We had a table of books were you could find brochures from Jejeu Island and the books The Satellite War and Star Wars-US tools of Space Supremacy. On the wall we had a banner in Korean and Swedish language. The Swedish text was: NO US BASE ON JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA. We also handed out the adress to Korean Ambassador in Stockholm and urged
people to call.The event was very much appreciated by those who attended the
workshop. I informed about different websites like:www.space4peace.org
and Bruce Gagnon's ORGANIZING NOTES. |
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12 October 2012 |
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October 2012 |
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