Saturday 8 March 2008

Not Zimbabwe yet

The Independent reports that the Ministry of Defence, fresh from gagging SAS whistleblower Ben Griffin, has obtained a court order to stop the intermittent peace camp outside the Aldermaston nuclear weapons facility. The Indy criticises the move as another curtailment of the right to protest, which is true, but is that the intention? The monthly protests have attracted little attention but the story is now front page news and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is drumming up support for a day of action to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Aldermaston march.

Meanwhile the Indy has another story about how a Zimbabwean trade unionist was tortured and made to say 'Robert Mugabe is always right'. That's true big brother stuff and however obsessive and repressive Gordon Brown is becoming, we're not quite at that level yet.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Given this news it's even more important that as many people as possible come to Aldermaston on Easter Monday (24th March). Thousands are expected with coaches from more than 50 towns and cities - as far away as Aberdeen and Penzance, with many international campaigners also coming to Britain including a delegation of survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

You can get all the details from http://www.cnduk.org

Kate Hudson, Chair of CND has today said that "despite this clamp-down on the right to peaceful protest, thousands will gather at Aldermaston on Easter Monday to oppose the production of weapons of mass destruction in this quiet corner of Britain. The new ban preventing camping near the site may have been upheld, but the High Court struck down the law preventing banners and signs being attached to the fence. We call on everyone coming to surround the base to bring their banners, messages and symbols of peace to attach to the fence. We will affirm our freedom to protest in opposition to these awful weapons."