Cardiff CAAT

Metrix sham Public consultation

2009-04-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

Letter from Phil published in the Penarth Times and the Gem. I guess it may be in the Barry and District News as well.

4^th April 2009

Dear Editor,

I took part in the public consultation in Barry about the St. Athan Project last Friday. My principal concern is that this development, as the largest ever UK Private Finance Initiative, is coming after such schemes have been widely criticised by many House of Commons Committees.

A primary concern in relation to the St. Athan Project is that in order to maximise the profits of the companies involved, the services of the facility will be opened to armed forces from all over the world. When I raised this with the Ministry of Defence staff, they assured me that countries like Iran would not be given access. When I asked about Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, no such assurance was possible. The UK Government has already given the green light for such training, yet these are regarded by Amnesty as amongst the most repressive regimes in the world. If the proposed privatisation goes ahead, we can expect training for these and similar forces to be radically extended. I also raised the fact that Raytheon, one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers, is a major contributor to the St. Athan Project. Again, they tried to assure me that Raytheon’s part at St. Athan is only in relation to its training skills, and that its interest in weapons sales will be kept entirely separate. I wonder what Raytheon’s investors think about that?

I looked through the information made available at the meeting. Here we have a £12bn project yet there was no reference to the names of the firms which are to receive the money. I asked if a list was available. ‘No, but we can send it to you, or you can find it on the website’. Why on earth isn’t this basic information available at a public consultation? In the absence of a statement, I can only guess that its absence is because of the adverse publicity already in the public domain about some of these firms, such as Raytheon’s production of missiles which dispense cluster bombs (weapons which have done enormous damage to civilians).

We have seen what happened to banking when profit became the over-riding value, namely extensive loss of truth. So, people of the Vale, keep asking the questions. And to the schools which are already promoting this project, will you be willing to think again? Our young people are connected, however indirectly, with other young people who experience the awful effects of the arms trade. Let’s teach about that, and encourage them to work for a project in Wales which is primarily focussed upon peace-building. What about developing a Peace Garden in every school (see www.paxchristi.org.uk/pubs.HTML )?

Sincerely

Phil Kingston

AEROLINK PROTEST 2

2009-04-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

Pictures below and story
PROTEST to oppose the arms trade and highlight the role of wales in war crimes in gaza and the companies that make money from killing people
http://caatcardiff.blogspot.com/ Go there for pictures
RED Choir/Côr Cochion http://members.tripod.com/cor.cochion/
out in good voice along with CAAT and the Green Party, CND and Stop the War

There was a peaceful protest and some folk picketed the gate with leaflets as the police wouldn't let us give any out near the hotel entrance where we set up our banners just after 8 this morning. A group of anarchists arrived and were stopped going into the hotel by a dozen or more burly police officers who later described the group as trying to 'STORM' the building!
Not much chance with such a big police presence to defend those people who kill people for money and profit from war!

A green party spokes person said "arms dealers are not welcome in Wales making money by killing people. It is shocking that Ty Hafan the well-known Welsh charity which runs a hospice for dying children was there! Why they would take blood money after what happened to the children of GAZA is beyond belief!"

Magellan Aerospace, with facilities in Wrexham, manufactures the CRV7 rocket weapon system (RWS), General Electric (GE) has been supplying the Israeli army since 1950 and, given its gargantuan profits, wars in he Middle East are good for business. One of GE’s success stories is the F110 jet engine, used to power the F-16.
Gardner Aerospace, part of the Carlyle Group, helps build war planes, including the C-130 Hercules, the military transport plane used by the Israeli airforce operating from its Nevatim Airbase.
Thales is a specialist manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, which are used extensively by the Israeli airforce to locate targets prior to bombardment. While the Hermes 450, made by Israeli company Elbit and tested at ParcAberporth in West Wales, remains Israel’s UAV of choice

AREOLINK protest today

2009-04-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

Red Choir out in good voice along with CAAT and the Green Party, CND and Stop the War

There was a peaceful protest and some folk picketed the gate with leaflet s as the police wouldn't let us give any out
near the hotel entrance where we set up our banners just after 8 this morning. A group of anarchists arrived and were stopped going into the hotel by a dozen or more burly police officers who later described the group as trying to 'STORM' the building!
Not much chance with such a big police presence to defend those people who kill people for money and profit from war!

A Welsh team bus arrived of? Perhaps someone can identify the team that were Happy the hotel and rub shoulders with the arms trade.
Anne Greagsby from the green party said arms dealers are not welcome in Wales making money by killing people. It is shocking that Ty Hafan the well-known Welsh charity which runs a hospice for dying children was there! Why they would take blood money after what happened to the children of GAZA is beyond belief!

he red choir , the green party and the CAAT will be protesting today ...

This is why we are going to protest....and we wish to highlight the role of wales in war crimes in gaza and the companies that make money from killing people

Picture White phosphorous attack on Beit Lahia school

Magellan Aerospace, with facilities in Wrexham, manufactures the CRV7 rocket weapon system (RWS) for the F-16 jet fighter and the AH-64 Apache atta ck helicopter. Both were used with devastating effect by the Israeli armed forces in Israel’s recent aggression against the people of Gaza which killed upwards of 1500 Palestinians, including hund reds of children. i have seen photos of the carnage after a UN-run school at Beit Lahia was bombarded with burning white phosphorous. Magellan Aerospace also manufacture the M156 Smoke missile that goes with the CRV7 system. ‘Upon detonation’, Magellan’s story goes, ‘the high explosive ruptures the warhead and disperses the white phosphorous to generate a white smoke cloud.’

Beit Lahia - the aftermath

General Electric (GE) has been supplying the Israeli army since 1950 and, given its gargantuan profits, wars in the Middle East are good for business. One of GE’s success stories is the F110 jet engine, used to power the F-16.

Gardner Aerospace, part of the Carlyle Group, helps build war planes, including the C-130 Hercules, the military transport plane used by the Israeli airforce operating from its Nevatim Airbase.

Thales is a specialist manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, which are used extensively by the Israeli airforce to locate targets prior to bombardment. While the Hermes 450, made by Israeli company Elbit and tested at ParcAberporth in West Wales, remains Israel’s UAV of choice, Thales will, no doubt, be keeping an eye out for opportunities to do business with the pariah state.

Arms manufacturers 'making a difference' in Gaza

http://www.aerolinkwales.co.uk/

Jill Evans MEP in Gaza

2009-03-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

S4/Clic Y Byd ar Bedwar

Source: www.s4c.co.uk

Defnyddiwch fotwm y dylluan yn y chwaraewr i newid o'r Saesneg i'r Gymraeg neu ddewis dim isdeitlau. Os nad oes isdeitlau ar gael, fydd y botwm ddim yn weithredol.

Film of Jill Evans MEP in Gaza during the recent visit by the parliamentary
delegation. You can view the programme with English language subtitles by clicking on the Owl icon in the player window.

Cardiff Students Against War is ENDING OUR OCCUPATION

2009-02-27T03:09:00.001-08:00

*-- VICTORY!! --*

Cardiff Students Against War is *ENDING OUR OCCUPATION* of the Large Shandon
lecture theatre, Cardiff University Main Building! We're about to leave,
march around campus to declare our victory, and make our continued presence
known to the university community. Banners and megaphones, BOOKS not BOMBS!

Following the open letter to Vice Chancellor David Grant, the BOOKS not
BOMBS demonstration outside the Student Union and the subsequent occupation
of the Large Shandon, *Cardiff University has divested all shares from BAe
Systems and the aerospace arm of General Electric*! They have instructed
their external fund managers to avoid future investments in the arms trade,
and have promised to raise the issue of an ethical investment policy at the
next Council Meeting on May 18th. They are also willing to discuss the
provision of surplus computers and resources to institutions in Gaza.

The victory comes after three days of occupation which has been inundated
with messages of support from all over the country, as well as further
afield. This has included university staff, students and societies, local
Plaid Cymru politicians and groups, activist groups such as CND Cymu, No
Borders South Wales and South Wales Anarchists, and has had extensive press
coverage, from the local papers and student publications to Indymedia and
the BBC. We are extremely proud to have received a message of solidarity
from Noam Chomsky!

*We see this as the beginning, not the end*. The occupation has attracted
considerable interest and support from the Cardiff University community, and
has succeeded in raising awareness of the effects of the arms trade and the
horrific situation in Gaza. Cardiff Students Against War will continue to
campaign on these issues, and to make sure that the university doesn't go
back on its promises.
*
So well done to everyone who has been involved!!*

But it's not over yet. The campaign will continue because we believe that
Cardiff Uni should be doing more for Gaza, such as facilitating scholarships
to Gazan students and boycotting Israeli products in protest at the
treatment of Palestinians by the IDF, and the settlers occupying the West
Bank.
*
POST-OCCUPATION SOCIAL!!*
Tonight!
Pen & Wig 7.30!!

Noam Chomsky message of support

2009-02-25T08:36:00.000-08:00

Cardiff Students Against War has just received a message of support from the legendary Noam Chomsky!!

I am very pleased to learn about the courageous and honorable actions
of the Cardiff University students. These are particularly significant
because of the Britain's role in arms sales generally, and it's
contribution to the savage onslaught on Gaza and on the occupied
territories generally, second only to the decisive role of the United
States -- a disgrace for all of us. I hope you have the greatest
success in arousing public opinion and bringing these crimes to an end.

Noam Chomsky

occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com

rush messages of support to cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com

CARDIFF UNI OCCUPIES!! demands to the uni as follows:

2009-02-24T10:40:00.001-08:00

Marcus Maus sent a message to the members of Disarm Cardiff University.

--------------------
Subject: CARDIFF UNI OCCUPIES!!

Dear all,

First, a massive thank you to everyone who has been involved in Disarm Cardiff
University up to this point. Cardiff Students Against War are now occupying the
Shandon Large Lecture in the Main Building! There have already been preliminary
negotiations with Director of Strategic Development Louise Casella who has
guaranteed that no repercussions will be taken against students and staff for
taking part in the occupation, so anyone who wants to find out more or get
involved please feel free to pay us a visit (however long) :D Non-students are
also welcome but strictly as guests.

We have already received many messages of support from individuals and
institutions, including statements from: Alan Thomson of UNISON Ymlaen Branch;
Leanne Wood AC/AM (Plaid Cymru); Anne Greagsby (from the campaign against
military training at St Athan); CND Cyrmu; and John Rees, co-founder of Stop the
War Coalition. Thank you all so much for your solidarity with our action and our
message!

The demonstration earlier outside the Student Union was a big success and
generated widespread support and interest from passing students, staff and
strangers, many of whom joined in spontaneously. Rest assured that Cardiff
Students Against War will be organising all manner of events in and around the
occupation. Expect teach-ins, guest lecturers, live music and hosting of the
live video linkup with Gazan students, organised by Federation of Student
Islamic Societies. We are aiming to create a positive, fun educational space
dedicated to raising awareness of the effects of the arms trade, and the dire
situation in Gaza.

Our demands to the university are as follows:


  1. No repercussions for students involved in the occupation. (This demand has
been met).

  2. Cardiff University to divest all shares, direct or indirect, from arms
manufacturers and aerospace companies.

  3. Cardiff University to adopt an ethical investment policy that excludes the
arms trade. This process is to be mediated by external ethical auditors based on
responses of Cardiff University students and staff. The ethical investment
policy to be freely available to all students and staff.

  4. Cardiff University to be twinned with a Gazan university, to show support
for the Gazan people at this desperate time.

The twinning is to involve:

a) Scholarships for at least 5 Gazan students to study in Cardiff, and for
Cardiff University to help facilitate their travel.

b) Surplus books, computers and other educational materials to be sent to the
twinned university.



  5. Cardiff University to release a statement in condemnation of Israel\'s
bombing and the blockade of Gaza, and in condemnation of the UK government\'s
use of British armed forces as part of this blockade.

  6. An official day of solidarity with Gaza supported by Cardiff University.

  7. Cardiff University to issue a statement of support for Saudi ex-BAE trade
unionist Yahya Al Faifi, who is currently fighting deportation from the UK.
  8. No Israeli products to be sold in university shops.

  9. Cardiff University to actively promote the Disaster Emergency Committee
appeal for Gaza, including a banner on the website, and to issue a statement
condemning the BBC and Sky News for not running the DEC Gaza appeal advert.


What you can do:

   * SHOW YOUR SUPPORT - The more support the occupation generates, the more
weight is added to our demands. You can show your support by demonstrating in
solidarity with us, by bringing us vegan food, popping us a nice email, and by
emailing Cardiff University Vice Chancellor Dr David Grant urging him to give
more serious consideration to our demands. Email: v-c@cardiff.ac.uk. If you are
a member of a trade union or any campaigning group or institution, we would
appreciate whatever support you can generate.

   * RAISE AND DONATE MONEY - The DEC aid appeal for Gaza is ongoing; every
contribution matters so please give what you can: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.dec.org.uk%2Fdonate_now%2F

   * JOIN OUR STREET TEAM - Leaflet for us etc. The street team meets at 12.00
every day in the Bute cafe, Bute Building, or if you want to get involved
earlier give Jonny a call on: 07506715619.

   * ORGANISE YOUR OWN OCCUPATION - 28 UK universities have now gone into
occupation over these general issues. The more academic institutions that
occupy, the more weight is added to our growing campaign. So go for it!

Contact Details:

Alys: 07970311943
Jonny (Street Team): 07506715619
cardiffstudentsagainstwar@gmail.com
Facebook: Cardiff Students Against War
Blog: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com


Peace, love, resistence.

CSAW
--------------------

OCCUPATION AT CARDIFF UNIVERSITY!!!

2009-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

OCCUPATION AT CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Occupation in solidarity with Gaza and for and end to university investment in
the arms trade.

Students this afternoon occupied the SHANDON LECTURE THEATRE in the Main
Building of Cardiff University, Park Place

Dyring the occupation there will be a programme of events, film showings &
meetings. Full details to be announced shortly.

Students are demanding that Cardiff University end investment in the arms trade,
twin with the bombed Gaza University, send old computers, books and equipment to 
Gaza & 5 free scholarships for Palestinian students.

Details of the occupation & a full list of demands will  soon be at 
occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com

Rush messages of support and solidarity to cardifftroopsout@googlemail.com

There will be a meeting tonight around 7ish with Jonathan Neale, author The
American War: Vietnam 1965 - 1975 speaking on war and occupation in the
liberated lecture theatre. Other events planned include film showings, a report
from two Cardiff students who were in Hebron on the West Bank as part of the
International Solidarity movement etc.

If you are in the area donations of food, bottles of water etc will be very
welcome. As people can appreciate occupiers don\'t have cutlery or plates, so
bear this in mind when donating food! Or pop in to attend the events and show
support!

TOMORROW

Wednesday 2 -4 pm, Beverton Lecture Theatre, Main Building, Cardiff University,
there will be a video link up with students from the Jabaliya refugee camp in
Gaza talking about there experiences and conversing (via webcam) with Cardiff
students.

(Note this is not in the liberated lecture theatre, but well worth getting down
to and supporting!)

Wednesday February 11th Launch of Disarm Cardiff!

2009-02-10T11:21:00.001-08:00

Wednesday February 11th Launch of Disarm Cardiff! Campaign. Cardiff
University currently invests £225,000 in 3 companies who arm oppressive
governments (including BAE Systems & Smiths Group). At 1pm they will be
holding a demonstration and petition signing outside the Union steps calling
for divestment in these companies. 7pm - meeting in Beverton 1.40 (Main
Building Cardiff University). Speakers to include Professor Justin Lewis
(JOMEC), Ray Davies (Vice Chair CND Cymru) and Jonny Jones (Stop the War).
Sam Coates Young Greens m: 07590 008249
Or 07989107218 Email: evansje@cardiff.ac.uk

Tuesday April 7th Protest at “Aerolink Wales 2009” exhibition (aerospace and
military hard and software),

AeroLink Wales 2009

Venue:

The Vale of Glamorgan Hotel

Location:

Hensol Park, Hensol, Nr Cardiff, CF72 8JY

Date: 7th April 2009

Aerolink Wales is an annual aerospace and defence industry event. It provides a forum for organisations involved in the industry to meet and explore opportunities in a variety of areas. These include purchasing, R&D, engineering and innovation as well as encouraging organisations to explore ways to work collaboratively.

Event web site: http://www.aerolinkwales.co.uk
Name: Daniel Thorley
Tel: +44 (0) 2920 303211
Email: daniel.thorley@aerolinkwales.co.uk

From Glascoed to Gaza: Welsh Assembly government implicated in Israeli war crimes

2009-02-10T03:55:00.000-08:00

original Article

From Glascoed to Gaza: Welsh Assembly government implicated in Israeli war crimes

The aftermath of Israeli attacks in Gaza

As Palestinian survivors of the Israeli onslaught in Gaza huddle in the ruins of their devastated communities, it will be cold comfort to them to know that the weapons used against them have been developed - in part - in a country proud to be committed to a sustainable future: Wales. While the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) talks of having “a real part to play in influencing change at home and on the international stage”, the truth is that Welsh taxpayers’ money is being used to subsidize the arms industry in Wales - an arms industry that is deeply implicated in Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Israeli Hermes 450

The Israeli military employ UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to target Palestinian homes, schools and hospitals. These are the Hermes 450, made by the Israeli firm Elbit Systems, using engines built in Birmingham. The pilotless drones are then brought to Parc Aberporth in west Wales for testing. This facility has been supported by £8.7m in grants from the WAG.

Israeli Apache attack helicopter

Once the “targets” have been identified, next come the bombs. The Israeli military use Apache attack helicopters, which Palestinian human rights activists have described as “a symbol of indiscriminate military violence.“ The Apaches rely on transformers made by Penny & Giles Controls of Cwmfelinfach, Gwent. Then there are the F-16 fighter jets, using components made by BAE Systems, which operates a munitions factory in Glascoed and runs a military training school in Cwmbran. These same jets bombed the Shij’ia Family Health Care Centre in Gaza , which runs a mobile dental clinic wholly funded by the people of Wales through the Near East Council of Churches.

The ruins of the health care centre

Incredibly, the health care centre was telephoned 15 minutes in advance by the Israelis to warn them that they would be attacked - no case of “collateral damage” there then.

Of course the Welsh arms industry doesn’t end there. With over 180 companies in the aerospace sector in Wales, we are now home to the likes of General Dynamics and Raytheon, makers of tanks, submarines, bombs, rockets and much much human misery. If only these companies would get together in one room so outraged Welsh taxpayers could show what they think of them… Well, quit dreaming. All of these murderous scum and more will be attending the Aerolink Wales 2009 exhibition, to be held at the Vale Hotel in Cardiff, on 7th April this year. . Will you be there?

UAV Engines Ltd, Lynn Lane, Shenstone, Lichfield, WS14 0DT. Tel: 01543 481819. uav@uavenginesltd.co.uk

Penny & Giles Controls, 36 Nine Mile Point Ind. Est., Cwmfelinfach, Gwent NP11 7HZ Tel: 01495 202000. sales@pennyandgiles.com

BAE Systems Land Systems Munitions, Usk, Monmouthshire, NP15 1XL. Tel: 01291 672211.

BAE Systems: Cwmbran Training College, Beacon House, William Brown Close, Llantarnam Park, Cwmbran, Gwent. Tel: 01633 835123. trainingcollege@baesystems.com www.cwmbrancollege.com/

www.aerolinkwales.co.uk The Vale Hotel, Hensol Park, Hensol, Vale of Glamorgan, CF72 8JY. Tel: 01443 667800. www.vale-hotel.com

new type of phosphorous chemical bomb

2009-01-24T02:39:00.000-08:00

From Sami Ramadani…… a senior lecturer in sociology at London Metropolitan University and was a political refugee from Saddam's regime

Please read and circulate the tour de force by Noam Chomsky in which, I think for the first time, he compares Israeli methods with Nazi ones. He draws on Israeli leaders and generals to make his case, and points the finger at the US administrations (and much of official Europe) for maintaining silence towards, condoning, or backing Israeli policies and wars.

Critics of Israel have generally shied away from the comparison Chomsky makes. Last week, for example, Robert Fisk caused a ripple by strongly condemning writers and protesters who drew parallels with Nazi tactics in WW2. But Chomsky provides a surgical analysis. He also cites the examples of the village of Lidice and the town of Oradour-sur-Glane, which were wiped out by the Nazis because of their resistance to occupation. Obviously, one has to be wary of snap historical parallels, slipping into vast exaggerations and making false generalisations. However, if the US (the quartermaster of Israel) carries on along Bush's path, i.e. if Obama's administration fails to reverse US foreign policy, then the historical comparison will eventually become accurate, not only at the level of some tactics and brutal means, but also in comparing the goals of both Nazi Germany and the US political and financial elites: world domination by brute force.

It is sobering to note that the US Congress voted by an astounding majority of 390 against 5 to support Israel's onslaught on Gaza.

Please note that the tank-like armoured bulldozers, used to flatten Palestinian homes in Gaza and the West Bank, are specially made for Israel by a British firm, and so are the engines of the drones flying over Gaza. The US supplied a new type of phosphorous chemical bomb, which has never been seen before. It explodes into hundreds of small pellets bursting into flames on contact. It slowly burns the skin and flesh down to the bones. It was also used to burn the UN food and medicine supply centre, the only university in Gaza and many schools and homes.

A mass campaign similar to the one that helped isolate apartheid South Africa is long overdue.

I have also included two other links below the link to Chomsky's essay. One is to Sir Gelard Kaufman MP, who was a leading Zionist advocate of Israel, comparing an Israeli spokesman to a Nazi, and the other is to a short Channel 4 report on Gaza,

"Exterminate all the Brutes": Gaza 2009
Noam Chomsky
January 19, 2009
http://www.chomsky.info/articles/20090119.htm

** Sir Gerald Kaufman MP
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090115/debtext/90115-0013.htm#090115102001355

** Chanel 4 news report on Gaza:
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/scale+of+gaza+devastation+revealed+/2908257

BAN White phosphorus bombs

2009-01-23T04:13:00.000-08:00

Join facebook group to stop ..

White phosphorus bombs are banned under international law for use near civilians. It should be outlawed altogether, to not only spare army personel of unimaginable suffering, but also the civilians who get in the way when military forces use these bombs claming to target opposing forces.

White Phosphorus

2009-01-17T01:33:00.000-08:00

1/11/09 Al Jazeera's David Foster asked Israeli PM's spokeperson Mark Regev if they were using showers of white phosphorus on the civilian population in Gaza. He skirted around the question, and asked Al Jazeera to pose that question to the spokesperson of the IDF instead. She evaded the question, but didn't deny the use of it. Since the use of white phosphorous on a civilian population amounts to a war crime, and any military force would willingly dismiss such an allegation if it were false, we're left to conclude that it is being used.

Objective observers, including observers from Human Rights Watch, have already concluded that white phosphorus is being used.

White Phosphorus burns in air, and on contact will burn through flesh to the bone. The gas released from it as it burns causes corrosive clouds that are extremely poisonous.

The audio gradually goes way out of sync, but do listen through. American media outlets are blinding their audiences to what's going on. That's particularly atrocious given it's their tax-dollars that's funding these crimes against humanity.

Weep for Gaza

2009-01-14T06:23:00.000-08:00

CND Cymru Bulletin No. 3

2009-01-13T23:45:00.000-08:00

Gaza Action in Wales
CND Cymru Bulletin No. 3
13th January 2009

A round-up of events and actions in Wales that we know of, plus some events
beyond the borders. If you know of more events or actions in Wales please
email them to CND Cymru heddwch@cndcymru.org) and they can be included in
future mailings.
Please pass on this bulletin to any individuals, groups or organisations
that might find it useful.
[All information is obviously included in good faith - if you find mistakes
or can fill in omissions (especially for contacts) please do let us know.]
Join the local protests across the country (see below)

Message from Ray Davies CND Cymru Vice Chair:

At our peace vigils and protest marches on three buses which Wendy and
myself organised on behalf of CND Cymru and Wales PSC some people asked the
question why CND. First of all I do not think a peace organisation like CND
can turn its head away when children are being killed and maimed where women
are crying and there is tremendous suffering taking place in the war zone
ghetto they call Gaza. What some people fail to understand is that Israel
is a nuclear state and also Iran is well on the way if not already have
acquired nuclear weapons.

Another thing people do not understand is that the rockets being fired by
Amas into Israel is slowly creeping nearer and nearer to the Israeli nuclear
facility and if ever one of the rockets land on there it would be a
tremendous nuclear explosion which would devastate the whole region. That
possibility could provoke Israel into a nuclear weapons response in the Gaza
region and also spark off a nuclear war in the Middle East.

For me the pain of seeing the women and children being carried into the over
crowded hospital Gaza is often too much. To see the 45 year old conflict
going on with no peace in sight, with America actively encouraging Israel
and with Britain and the West following meekly behind is obscene to say the
least. If CND have any place on this planet, any place in Wales at all it
must play a leading role in working for peace with justice for Palestinians
to try and stop the wars which are taking place in Iraq and Afghanistan and
as we work to eliminate nuclear weapons we must still do all in our power to
prevent the conventional wars which are taking place in the Middle East from
escalating into a nuclear conflict.
Yours sincerely,
Councillor Ray T. Davies
Vice-Chair, CND Cymru, South Wales
..........................................
INDEX:
1. Future Events (mostly) in Wales.
2. What else you can do.
3. Reports of recent actions/events
4.Also in London
...................................
1. Future Events in Wales
WREXHAM
Wednesday 14th January 6 pm -
meet outside Tesco

WREXHAM
Saturday 17th January Midday demonstration
Queens Square

CARDIFF
Wednesday 14th January 7.30 pm
Main Building, Cardiff University Park Place
EMERGENCY PUBLIC MEETING:
STOP THE MASSACRE IN GAZA - FREEDOM FOR PALESTINE
Speakers include EHAB BESSAISO, Palestinian Journalist from Gaza.
Ehab Bessaiso is a Palestinian writer and poet born in Gaza. Involved in
media studies in the Arab world, he has contributed widely to literary
events and publications in the UK and Palestine. A collection of his poetry
'The Albatross of the Blurred Skyline' was published in Beirut in 2004. He
will be joined by local anti-war activists to discuss what's going on in
Palestine, the background to the conflict, and what we can do to stop it.

CARDIFF
Saturday 17th January 1 pm, Nye Bevan Statue, Queen Street
STAND UP FOR GAZA PROTEST FOR JUSTICE & PEACE
Speakers to include Jill Evans Chair of CND Cymru
Please bring people, placards, drums, posters etc. We need to keep the
pressure up.

WEBSITE AND EMAIL Stop the War Coalition
Stop the War Coalition website is down and the usual email address not
functioning. There is a temporary email address to contact Stop the War:
HYPERLINK "mailto:stopwaruk@gmail.com" stopwaruk@gmail.com
Users of the social network site Facebook may also wish to join the Cardiff
Stop the War Coalition group on the site.

CAERNARFON
Friday 23rd January 5pm-6pm Picket outside Tesco
Boycott Israeli Goods,

2. What else you can do:

Petitions to sign
As the attack on Gaza continues, we thought that we should circulate details
of these three petitions, from Christian Aid, Amnesty International and the
Palestine Solidarity Campaign to make it easy for people who are as
horrified as we are to make their views more widely know. Do please support.
HYPERLINK
Christian Aid

Christian Aid campaign

Palestine Campaign

Amnesty

If you wish to donate money to help those stuck in Gaza, Oxfam, Christian
Aid. Medical Aid for Palestine, UNRWA and Mercy Corps among many others have
websites where you can do so.

Number 10 petition
Sign the petition to ask the British Government to do everything in it's
power to impose an arms embargo on Israel in light of the recent Israeli
offensive in the Gaza strip and to apply pressure on countries supplying
Israel with arms that breach international agreements with the intention of
restoring lasting peace to the region:

CAAT GAZA

Britain arms Israel source: Private Eye 9 January 2009:
British arms sales to Israel whole of 2007: £7.5 million

British arms sales to Israel first three months of 2008: £18,847,795 million
These include components for combat aircraft, military aero engines,
helmet-mounted display equipment for pilots.& Gordon Brown says we must
'stop the supply of arms to Hamas'.]

List of other arms sellers to Israel

CAAT list

HYPERLINK

CAAT Israel

Please continue tocontact your elected representatives and the British
Government.
Write to your AMs, MEP and MP urging them to call for:
* An immediate end to Israel's military assault on Gaza
* An immediate end to the blockade and siege on Gaza
* An end to Israel's violations of international law
* An end to Israeli occupation

i. Write to your AMs, MEPs & MP
You can find their details on this site
just enter your postcode.

ii. Write to the Labour Party
You can send a message to the Labour Party using this online form
HYPERLINK "http://www.labour.org.uk/contact"
http://www.labour.org.uk/contact

iii. Write to the Conservative Party
Write to David Cameron mailto: camerond@parliament.uk
You could mention you are appalled that he has been on the BBC calling for
restraint on all sides when nearly 200 Palestinians have been killed.

iv. British Consulate Jerusalem 972 (02) 541 4100
Call them asking what the British government is doing about the attacks on
Gaza.

v. British Embassy Tel Aviv
02 3510 1167 / (0)3 527 1572

vi. Prime Minister - Gordon Brown
Fax PM's office on 02079250918

vii. Foreign Secretary - David Miliband
mailto:private.office@fco.gov.uk" private.office@fco.gov.uk

Boycott Israeli Goods
Look for the label on food stuffs - Israel or West Bank.
Refuse to buy these goods.
Complain (politely but firmly) to the manager of the store
Find out more at:-
Boycott Israeli Goods Campaign

http://www.bigcampaign.org
www.bigcampaign.org

Jewish Boycott of Israeli Goods HYPERLINK mailto: Jews4BIG@googlemail.com

3. Reports of recent actions/events

10th January
Wendy Lewis' and Ray Davies' report from Demonstration in London
100,000 people from all over Britain joined today's march in London, to
protest at the Israeli Embassy against the continuing relentless attacks on
Gaza's civilian population. Ray Davies, 79 year old Vice Chair of CND Cymru,
sustained head injuries, concussion and cuts when he was trapped with
hundreds of others against the Embassy gates by Metropolitan Police.
The march had gone peacefully until it reached the Embassy. Many shoes were
thrown over the fence in a symbolic gesture of defiance, but the police
claimed that the shoes were aimed at them , and began to lash out at the
crowd. Three rows of police, in full riot gear and with heavy shields penned
a section of the protesters in an alleyway beside the Israeli Embassy. Ray
tried to negotiate between the protesters and the police; he explained that
the police had not been the target of the shoes, and asked to be allowed to
pass through in order to deliver a letter to the ambassador calling for a
ceasefire in Gaza.
In response, the special riot police shouted obscenities at Ray, and told
him to "get back with the rest of the scum".
Scuffles broke out, and the heavy steel barriers around the Embassy were
pushed over. Ray, at the front of the march, was unable to escape, and two
policemen hit him on the head with truncheons, cut him on the face with the
sharp edge of the heavy riot shields, and proceeded to kick him to the
ground, bleeding with cuts on his nose and hands. He suffered concussion for
a while, and medics pleaded to take him to hospital ; but when he regained
consciousness he wanted to get home on the bus rather than spend the night
in a London casualty unit.
He was treated at the University Hospital of Wales, and discharged.
Ray said:
"I have experienced the war zones in the Occupied Territories; I have been
shot at ,teargassed and beaten by the Israeli Defence Force; but I never
expected such abuse and brutal treatment in Britain from our own police
force."
The violent reaction to today's march was in complete contrast to the
peaceful protests held throughout the past weeks in Wales. There have been
two vigils in memory of the victims of Israel's bombing of Gaza; a
fundraising concert with Frankie Armstrong, which raised £1200 for Middle
East Childrens Alliance, and the enormously successful fundraising dinner at
City Hall for the Islamic Relief Fund; and a march and rally on Friday, one
of the biggest Cardiff has seen in many years, calling for a ceasefire in
Gaza

Ray Davies
Wendy Lewis

10th January
Plaid Cymru MP joins calls for Israel to halt bombardment of Gaza Strip
Wrexham Evening Leader 08 January 2009 By phil robinson
Plaid Cymru and Euro MP Jill Evans has called for urgent action to end
Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, which have already killed and injured
hundreds of Palestinians.
In retaliation for the firing of rockets into their territory by liberation
group Hamas, Israel's defence forces began mounting air attacks on Gaza last
week, followed by a ground invasion at the weekend.
Along with Plaid president Dafydd Iwan, Ms Evans, who is the party's deputy
president, has demanded "real and urgent action" to end the attacks.
They are supporting calls for an immediate ceasefire but say that words are
not enough.
A rally calling for the Israelis to cease attacks will take place in Queens
Square, Wrexham at midday on Saturday.
Ms Evans, who has visited Palestine several times and is planning to return
to Gaza in February, said: "Plaid Cymru has long campaigned for an end to
the Israeli occupation of Palestine and for a two-state solution.
"We opposed the siege of Gaza, which caused such terrible suffering. Gaza
itself is smaller than Wrexham, but has a population of 1.5 million.
"The bombardment and now the ground invasion of this poor and heavily
populated area will cause untold misery.
"There have been many calls for a ceasefire which Israel has ignored. The
time has come for action."
She added: "One concrete step would be for the European Union to suspend
Israel's privileged trade agreement with Europe, which requires Israel to
respect human rights.
"This would send the clearest signal of the need for an urgent ceasefire."
Mr Iwan said: "In my New Year message, I called for people to work together
to create a more peaceful world.
"Most of the world's problems can be better served by talking and
negotiations than by military might.
"The state of Israel is showing once again that it believes everything can
be solved by military action, and they are in danger of losing the support
and sympathy of people across the world, who see this as a totally
unnecessary a ct of aggression against a country which is in no position to
defend itself.
"We must work with the United Nations to bring peace and stability in the
Middle East, but I fear this latest action has made everything more
difficult, including the rebuilding of civil life for Palestinians and
Israelis.
"The UK government must revoke its support for any new agreements with
Israel.
"The European Parliament should refuse to endorse any extension of existing
agreements and should exert its influence to prevent further EU benefits
going Israel whilst it fails to observe its international legal and
humanitarian obligations."

Israel announced yesterday it would halt its bombardment of the Gaza Strip
for three hours from 11am every day to "allow residents to re-supply, get
aid and so on".

8th January
Islamic Relief Fund Wales
Over £40,000 has been raised in Cardiff (on the streets and at a fund
raising supper in Cardiff City Hall) for the Islamic relief fund currently
working within Gaza to try and relieve the suffering. See more :
HYPERLINK "http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk" www.islamic-relief.org.uk

Raytheon factory Northern Ireland Protest
HYPERLINK
"http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7819735.stm"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/7819735.stm

4. ONGOING: 24hr VIGIL AGAINST ISRAEL'S ACTIONS IN GAZA OPPOSITE WESTMINSTER
PARLIAMENT
A non-stop vigil opposite the Westminster Parliament started on Thursday
8th, calling for an immediate end to Israel's military assault on Gaza and
an end to the two-year long blockade and siege of Gaza.
The vigil was started by individuals appalled by what has been happening in
Gaza - the siege by Israel which has closed off people in the Gaza Strip
from the outside world, and the recent military attacks which have resulted
in many hundreds of Palestinian deaths and many thousands injured. The
United Nations and the International Red Cross now describe the conditions
in Gaza as "a full-blown humanitarian crisis". (1)
Emma Sangster, who helped set up the vigil, said "I, like many, many
thousands of others around the country, can not just look on at the death
and destruction in Gaza and wait for world leaders to take effective action,
without taking action ourselves. We are outraged that Israel is allowed to
act with impunity and to break international humanitarian law and commit war
crimes. The British government must use every means available to stop
Israel's indiscriminate killing and punishment of people in Gaza."
Vigil for Gaza welcomes all who wish to peacefully protest against the
blockade of Gaza and the indiscriminate attacks on its people by Israel. The
vigil is being maintained 24 hours every day.
Vigil for Gaza is supported by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and is
one of many protests happening throughout Britain against Israel's action in
Gaza. (2)
CONTACTS
Maria Gallastegui 07886 662091, Emma Sangster 07791 486484
For further information on the vigil, contact vigilforgaza@gmail.com or see
http://www.vigilforgaza.net.
NOTES
1. United Nations and the International Red Cross describe the conditions in
Gaza as "a full-blown humanitarian crisis".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7813671.stm
2. See http://www.palestinecampaign.org for details of other protests
throughout the UK.

BRISTOL
Daily peace vigil for Gaza between 5pm & 6pm on the Centre (3pm to 4pm on
Saturday). Try to join in at least once a week. See

Link to Video on Israeli PR & Spin
HYPERLINK "http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565" \o
"blocked::http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6604775898578139565

THE TIMES NEWSPAPER:
Jews speak out against the Gaza carnage

We the undersigned are all of Jewish origin. When we see the dead and
bloodied bodies of young children, the cutting off of water, electricity and
food, we are reminded of the siege of the Warsaw Ghetto.

When Dov Weisglass, an adviser to the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert,
talked of putting Gazans "on a diet" and the deputy defence minister, Matan
Vilnai, talked about the Palestinians experiencing "a bigger shoah"
(holocaust), this reminds us of Governor General Hans Frank in Nazi-occupied
Poland, who spoke of "death by hunger".

The real reason for the attack on Gaza is that Israel is only willing to
deal with Palestinian quislings.

The main crime of Hamas is not terrorism but its refusal to accept becoming
a pawn in the hands of the Israeli occupation regime in Palestine.
The decision last month by the EU council to upgrade relations with Israel,
without any specific conditions on human rights, has encouraged further
Israeli aggression.

The time for appeasing Israel is long past. As a first step, Britain must
withdraw the British ambassador to Israel and, as with apartheid South
Africa, embark on a programme of boycott, divestment and sanctions.

Ben Birnberg, Prof Haim Bresheeth, Deborah Fink, Bella Freud, Tony
Greenstein, Abe Hayeem, Prof Adah Kay, Yehudit Keshet, Dr Les Levidow, Prof
Yosefa Loshitzky, Prof Moshe Machover, Miriam Margolyes, Prof Jonathan
Rosenhead and 65 others

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 12/01/2009
07:04

Cynical Dragon mocks Ray Davies

2009-01-13T02:41:00.000-08:00

Cops club Ray Davies unconscious at Gaza protest « cardiff radical ...11 Jan 2009
Ray Davies, 79, is a familiar figure on the South Wales political scene whose commitment to the rights of Palestinians is unquestionable. On Saturday’s march against the invasion of Gaza he was amongst those protesting at the Israeli ...

But we have this eejit mocking Ray - and like a coward without the decency to reveal his ID!
SAD SICKO Cynical Dragon or Dave Raybould from Newport. He doesn't have any right to use this picture of Ray which he stole of another site. Nothing original there then.

THE CYNICAL DRAGON: Ray The Riot11 Jan 2009 by David
According to Ray Davies, anti-Israel protester and the South Wales Echo's most consistent letter writer, he was assaulted by Police whilst trying to negotiate between protesters and the authorities at the anti-Israel march in London. ...

Petition to Impose Arms Embargo on Israel

2009-01-12T09:37:00.001-08:00

Petition to Impose Arms Embargo on Israel

Sign the petition on the official site of the Prime Minister's Office, Number10.gov.uk, to encourage the government to impose an arms embargo on Israel following the war on Gaza.

Click here. http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Arms-embargo

This petition recognises that the government has taken positive steps to tighten weapons exportation to Israel since 2005. However, only a complete arms embargo will send a clear message to Israel that this government will not accept the prolonged armed conflict which is aggravating existing tensions in the region. Additionally this will ensure that the government adheres to the UK Export Control Act of 2002 and the EU “consolidated criteria” governing the export of military equipment. Equally such a stance would set a precedent showing that this government is committed to establishing peace in the region. This precedent will have a far reaching impact in terms of marginalising the ideologies of radical extremist groups.

Thousands of signatures are needed to ensure a response. Please circulate widely.

More GAZA events in Cardiff

2009-01-12T09:27:00.000-08:00


150,000 people marched on the Israeli Embassy on Saturday, joining demonstrators
across the world, more events are planned in Cardiff. Thousands of pounds for
urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza has also been raised in South Wales, if you
want to help out - in whatever way - get in contact!

EMERGENCY PUBLIC MEETING:
STOP THE MASSACRE IN GAZA
FREEDOM FOR PALESTINE

Wednesday 14 February at 7.30 pm, Main Building, Cardiff University
Park Place

Speakers include EHAB BESSAISO, Palestinian Journalist from Gaza.

Ehab Bessaiso is a Palestinian writer and poet born in Gaza. Involved in media
studies in the Arab world, he has contributed widely to literary events and
publications in the UK and Palestine. A collection of his poetry 'The Albatross
of the Blurred Skyline' was published in Beirut in 2004. He will be joined by
local anti-war activists to discuss what's going on in Palestine, the background
to the conflict, and what we can do to stop it.

STAND UP FOR GAZA
PROTEST FOR JUSTICE & PEACE

Saturday 17 February at 1 pm, Nye Bevan Statue, Queen Street

Please bring people, placards, drums, posters etc. We need to keep the pressure
up.

TWO SIDES - ONE STORY: GUANTANAMO FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE WIRE

Wednesday 4 February at 7 pm, Cardiff University (Full details to be announced
shortly)

Cardiff Stop the War Coalition and other organisations will be hosting this
major human rights conference. Guantanamo Bay stands as one of the most potent
symbols of unlawful detention in the world today. The detention of suspected
terrorists at the prison camps has evoked emotion from those seeking its closure
and continuance. This event brings those on opposite sides of wire at Guantanamo
together for the first time.

Speakers -

SAMI AL HAJ (Ex Guantanamo Detainee and Aljazeera Journalist)
CHRISTOPHER ARENDT (Ex-US Guantanamo Guard)
MOAZZAM BEGG (Ex-Guantanamo Detainee, Spokesman for Cageprisoners)

Ray Davies injured in GAZA demo

2009-01-11T04:06:00.000-08:00

100,000 people from all over Britain joined today's march in London, to protest at the Israeli Embassy against the continuing relentless attacks on Gaza's civilian population. Ray Davies, 79 year old Vice Chair of CND Cymru, sustained head injuries, concussion and cuts when he was trapped with hundreds of others against the Embassy gates by Metropolitan Police.

The march had gone peacefully until it reached the Embassy. Many shoes were thrown over the fence in a symbolic gesture of defiance, but the police claimed that the shoes were aimed at them , and began to lash out at the crowd. Three rows of police, in full riot gear and with heavy shields penned a section of the protesters in an alleyway beside the Israeli Embassy. Ray tried to negotiate between the protesters and the police; he explained that the police had not been the target of the shoes, and asked to be allowed to pass through in order to deliver a letter to the ambassador calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In response, the special riot police shouted obscenities at Ray, and told him to "get back with the rest of the scum".

Scuffles broke out, and the heavy steel barriers around the Embassy were pushed over. Ray, at the front of the march, was unable to escape, and two policemen hit him on the head with truncheons, cut him on the face with the sharp edge of the heavy riot shields, and proceeded to kick him to the ground, bleeding with cuts on his nose and hands. He suffered concussion for a while, and medics pleaded to take him to hospital ; but when he regained consciousness he wanted to get home on the bus rather than spend the night in a London casualty unit.
He was treated at the University Hospital of Wales, and discharged.
Ray said,
"I have experienced the war zones in the Occupied Territories; I have been shot at ,teargassed and beaten by the Israeli Defence Force; but I never expected such abuse and brutal treatment in Britain from our own police force."

The violent reaction to today's march was in complete contrast to the peaceful protests held throughout the past weeks in Wales. There have been two vigils in memory of the victims of Israel's bombing of Gaza; a fundraising concert with Frankie Armstrong, which raised £1200 for Middle East Childrens Alliance, and the enormously successful fundraising dinner at City Hall for the Islamic Relief Fund; and a march and rally on Friday, one of the biggest Cardiff has seen in many years, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza

Ray Davies
Wendy Lewis

Learn to kill training

2008-12-19T04:06:00.000-08:00

Kids Learn that Killing Is Fun at the Army's Lethal New Theme Park
By Penny Coleman, AlterNet
The Army's new recruitment tool lets high-tech video game centers desensitize, condition, train and even enlist America's youth. Read more »

UK Atomic weapons establishment sold Crazy

2008-12-19T00:54:00.000-08:00

Aldermaston

The UK Atomic Weapons Establishment, which makes and maintains the warheads for Britain’s nuclear missiles, has come under the control of US companies after the government sold its one-third stake. Ministers were accused Thursday night of trying to conceal the change in ownership after failing to make an announcement to parliament.

FT 19th Dec 2008

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30de8c18-cd59-11dd-9905-000077b07658.html

The UK Atomic Weapons Establishment, which makes and maintains the warheads for Britain’s nuclear missiles, has come under the control of US companies after the government sold its one-third stake.

Ministers were accused Thursday night of trying to conceal the change in ownership after failing to make an announcement to parliament.

Jacobs, an engineering company with headquarters in Pasadena, California, announced late on Wednesday in the US that it had bought the government’s holding in AWE. The stake was put up for sale last year after ministers decided to break up BNFL, the state-owned group, which included AWE.

The sale of the Aldermaston facility to Jacobs is likely to reignite controversy over the independence of the UK’s deterrent.

The US already supplies the technology for the weapons but it was the recognition that the UK needed an independent nuclear deterrent after the second world war which prompted the government to develop the facility.

However, there was no announcement from the government, which was accused of turning the matter into “a farce”.

BNFL only put up a short statement on its website Thursday afternoon confirming the sale. The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform had no official comment.

Gerald Howarth, shadow defence minister, described the decision not to announce the sale to parliament as “unacceptable”.

“It is consistent with the government’s unwillingness to share matters nuclear with parliament.

“It is not an issue about which we can be cavalier. We need to know what the implications are of this.”

Nick Harvey, Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, said: “The government appears guilty of concealing all this from parliament and the public. There has been a huge degree of suspicion over what has been going on at Aldermaston, particularly over recruitment and how this fits with our obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.

“None of this has been properly explained. Why are we bothering with the fiction of being independent and separate from the US when this is clearly not the case? It sounds to me like this is turning into a farce.”

AWE is jointly owned by the government, through its stake in BNFL; Serco, the British support services group; and Lockheed Martin, the US defence company.

Jacobs had been competing against another US engineer, Fluor Corporation, for the stake since January. The US company did not disclose the purchase price but estimates in January valued it at £100m ($150m).

Bob King, officer of the Prospect union for AWE, said Jacobs was well-known to staff and he hoped the company would provide some financial stability.

But politically he admitted it was “a sad day” that Britain’s nuclear deterrent was now majority US controlled.

Heroes?

2008-12-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

CAAT at "The Spirit of Christmas Fair"

2008-12-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

ol Saint Nick comes to town to take "Clarion Events" to task, as they have recently purchased contracts to run five of the biggest arms fairs on the planet. They also run " The Spirit of Christmas Fair." Helping facilitate the flow of weapons to government like Saudi Arabia, Columbia and China doesn't really sit well with the Christmas message of peace and goodwill to all men. Clarion have now been added to the naughty list for their unethical standards.

2008-12-12T03:40:00.001-08:00

New Videos from CMCInternational

* Cluster Bombs Banned!
* Oslo Signing Ceremony of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Armed & Dangerous,

2008-11-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

CAAT launches new campaign to End the Uncivil Service

CAAT's new campaign, UKTI: Armed & Dangerous, was launched at the
National Gathering on 8 November.

UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) is a government department which exists
“to help business succeed internationally.” As part of
this innocent sounding mission, it is now using tax-payers' money to
sell arms to conflict zones and repressive regimes, with little
regard for the devastating global consequences of its activities.
CAAT is calling for an end to government support of this deadly work.
We need your help!

Find out more, sign our online petition and order campaign materials
Sign the UKTI petition calling on UKTI to stop using tax-payers' money to help private companies proliferate arms.
Read CAAT's UKTI campaign briefing also available to download as a PDF

Sarah Waldron Core Campaigns Co-ordinator Phone 0207 281 0297

International Business Wales Trafalgar House 5 Fitzalan Place Cardiff Cf24 0ED

Tel (UK): 0845 010 3300 Tel (Overseas): +44 (0) 1443 845500

E-mail: ibw@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.ibwales.com

Wales and the Aerospace Sector

Wales has a vibrant aerospace and defence cluster with six of the World’s top ten companies based in Wales - Airbus, BAE Systems, EADS, GE Aviation, General Dynamics and Hawker Beechcraft.

The sector employs over 20,000 people directly, many others indirectly and comprises some 180 companies, of which more than 160 are small to medium size enterprises (SMEs).

A sophisticated supply chain, the location of the major primes such as Airbus UK and GE Aviation, combined with 1st tier suppliers like Doncasters, Magellan, Nordam Europe, Babcock Defence Systems, GE Aviation makes Wales one of the most important aerospace and defence regions in the UK. The industry makes a valuable contribution to the economic success of Wales.

How Aerospace Wales Forum can help

A unique partnership between the Welsh Assembly Government and industry through the Aerospace Wales Forum to provide a one-stop-shop to facilitate the success of your business. Wales has a vibrant aerospace and defence cluster – six of the World’s top ten companies are based in Wales: Airbus, BAE Systems, EADS DS, GE Aviation, General Dynamics and Hawker Beechcraft. If you are looking for new growth or expansion opportunities please contact us.

..............................

Wales is proving a successful and cost-effective base for over 180 aerospace and defence companies, employing 20,000 people. They include big names such as EADS DS, BAE Systems, GE Aviation, NORDAM Europe, General Dynamics, QinetiQ, Raytheon, SELEX Sensors & Airborne Systems, Qioptiq, British Airways and Airbus UK, and emerging new technology firms.

Find out what your company could achieve in this skilled, ready and resource-rich country

"Wales has something unique at St. Athan" here

Defence and homeland security...Our long-standing military connections mean Wales is home to some of the world’s leading defence and aerospace companies.

How International Business Wales can help

International Business Wales (IBW) is the international trade and inward investment arm of the Welsh Assembly Government. International Business Wales offers a wide range of services to assist Welsh companies achieve success in international markets. International Business Wales has an active network of Trade Advisors throughout Wales who engage with businesses on a 1-2-1 basis. Key services include:-

The International Trade Development
The International Trade Opportunities - In-market sales leads and support services
Business Development Visits
Supported Trade Delegations and Overseas Exhibitions
Access to the Commercial Sections’ Services in British Embassies and Consulates throughout the world

International Business Wales’ support network is global, able to unearth new opportunities and help convert them into real business.

Useful contacts

Contact: Paul Lindsay at Aerospace Wales Forum:paul.lindsay@aerospacewalesforumi.co.uk; Telephone +44 (0)1656 655210

Contact: Debbie Pritchard-Jones at International Business Wales: debbie.pritchard-jones@Wales.gsi.gov.uk; Telephone +44 (0)2920 898602

UK Trade & Investment Contact: debbie.pritchard-jones@wales.gsi.gov.uk
Publication date: 12/05/2008

UKTI

2008-11-12T10:36:00.001-08:00


Ending arms companies' influence in the corridors of power is crucial to
defeating the arms trade.

That's why CAAT's new core campaign focuses on UKTI, the government unit that
promotes UK exports.

Arms make up less than 2% of UK exports - but UKTI devotes as many staff to the
arms industry as to all civil sectors combined. 

This is an exciting time to campaign.  The last two years have seen a sharp rise
in public opposition to the arms trade in the wake of controversy over BAE and
Saudi arms deals.  Now we have a chance to build on this momentum and make a
difference.

Read more at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.caat.org.uk%2Fcampaigns%2Fukti%2F.

Sign the petition at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.caat.org.uk%2Fcampaigns%2Fukti%2Fpetition/.

And if you have any questions, feel free to email Sarah Waldron, CAAT's Core
Campaigns Co-ordinator, at sarah@caat.org.uk.

Blood at the Crossroads:

2008-11-01T00:12:00.000-07:00

Making the case for a global Arms Trade Treaty

amnesty usa. The world is reaching a crossroads in deciding how to control the arms trade. Governments must act now to create effective and robust regulation. This report shows through illustrative cases how that trade contributes to serious violations of human rights in different parts of the world. In particular, it seeks to help demonstrate why the establishment of a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is an urgent necessity and how an ATT could work to save lives, preserve livelihoods and enhance respect for human rights.

Read full report (PDF)

One Million Weapons to Iraq; Many Go Missing
Pratap Chatterjee September 22nd, 2008
An Alabama company controlled by a billionaire Kuwaiti family is the biggest supplier of guns to Iraq. Th ese weapons were paid for by the Pentagon which has lost track of them. A new Amnesty international report says that such unrestrained global arms trading schemes may have catastrophic human rights consequences.

MAKE CLUSTER BOMBS HISTORY

2008-10-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

www.stopclustermunitions.org/peoplestreaty
WATCH THE GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION ANIMATION AND SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION TO BAN CLUSTER BOMBS
With just five weeks until a groundbreaking new treaty banning cluster bombs opens for signature in Oslo, we are calling on all governments to put pen to paper and start saving lives. Add your name to the online petition and ensure your government signs the treaty. Your signature really can save lives.
Sign the petition here

The BAE bribery fiasco continues

2008-10-30T12:48:00.001-07:00

 The BAE bribery fiasco continues
<http://www.corporatewatch.org/?lid=3159>

Fresh allegations of misconduct have been made against arms company
BAE Systems in relation to Saudi arms deals, as the Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) condemned the UK
government for failing to tackle corruption.

OU Partnerships with armed forces?

2008-09-15T04:39:00.000-07:00

From 'the spark' newsletter of the OU branch of the UCU May 2008

UCU asks
Q. is the branch against partnerships with the armed forces?
A. UCA nationally and at Branch level , does not oppose students from the armed forces. The Metrix [partnership is different. It raises controversial issues regarding privitisation and the business methods of those we enter into partnerships with. One of the company's has been involved in a series of bribery and industrial espionage cases and another has been condemned for applying 'racial sterotypes' to trecruiting (and sacking) staff. Involvement with Metrix associates the University with the murky world of arms trading. what is the brand message there?

Q. what are the guidelines about
A. The guidelines focus on four main areas - arms trade, animal; welfare, ecological impact and corporate responsibility (including human rights) They set basic requirements that organisations wishing to partner with the University should meet. rather than 'reinvent the wheel' the guidelines are based on those successfully used by the co-operative bank.
They are set out as proposals in a preliminary Branch document which will be presented to senior management in the next month.

Q. Are other universities doing this?
A. while the OU heads into partnerships with arms manufactureres, other universities are going in the other direction. University College London has decided to withdraw all investment from arms companies. St Andrews University and Pembroke college, Cambridge have already done so. UCL has said it is conscious of the negative effect arms investment may have on alumni donations. New Hall and St Catherines colleges, Cambridge, have divested from companies doing business with the Sudanese government. The more 'commercial' universities become, the more strategic partnerships will come under the media spotlight, and influence the attitudes their stakwholders take to them.
http://ouandarmsdealers.blogspot.com/
http://caatcardiff.blogspot.com/
http://www.antimetrix.org/

Ten bombs or less?

2008-07-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

When is a cluster bomb not a cluster bomb although Rae McGrath says the article is wrong. CBU-97 he says is 40 bombs? CBU = Cluster bomb unit!

111 Countries Ban the Use of Cluster Bombs

Biggest producers and users, including Israel and US, do not sign treaty

Janes Defence Systems News here The problem was that, until mid-May, there was no agreed definition of a cluster munition. The treaty text as it now stands bans all cluster munitions except those containing fewer than 10 submunitions, each of which must weigh more than 4 kg. Each of these submunitions must also be able to detect and engage a single target object, be equipped with an electronic self-destruction mechanism and have an electronic self-deactivation feature for the weapon to be exempt.

Director of Landmine UK, Simon Conway, said that although he was pleased with the negotiations, it was now time for Brown to make a stand against the US in order to uphold Britain’s opposition to the weapons. “It is a terrible hypocrisy, on the one hand to say that these weapons cause unacceptable harm and ban them and on the other hand to give a sly nod to the US to continue using them.”

The Dublin conference here

OK google it ....The primary components of this 1,000 pound class weapon are the SUU-66/B Tactical Munitions Dispenser (TMD), 10 BLU-108/B submunitions, and 40 "hockey puck" shaped skeet infrared sensing projectiles...are they both right but is it banned under the new treaty?

Help Ban Cluster Bombs Now! Sign the People's Treaty
The Cluster Munitions Convention's signing ceremony will take place in Oslo, Norway, from 2-3 December 2008. That is only six months to ensure that countries – your country – will be ready to sign the treaty! To keep pressure on governments, sign the People's Treaty now. (02/06/2008, last updated: 04/06/2008) Read more »

CBU-97/CBU-105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon - Dumb Bombs- 11:34
Each CBU-97/B can cover an area of about 500 feet by 1200 feet. Test results indicate that CBU-97 submunitions have a propensity to cluster and that impact ...

CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon - Dumb Bombs- 29 Jun
The CBU-97 is a 1000-pound class weapon containing sensor-fused submunitions for ... Each CBU-97/B can cover an area of about 500 feet by 1200 feet. ...

Please note that the CBU-97 is also referred to as the CBU-105.

Ban Cluster bombs get out clause?

2008-06-12T04:13:00.000-07:00

Treaty piles on pressure to make cluster bombs smarter treaty piles on pressure to make cluster bombs smarter Can you build a "safe" cluster bomb? That is the question facing military...countries in Dublin, Ireland, last week. Cluster bombs scatter many small submunitions, or...

Cluster bomb get out clauseThe non-export version of JSOW is a cluster bomb. Australia has signed on to the new cluster bomb treaty but as New Scientist (7 June p25 Letting Go of Cluster Bombs) points out the cluster bomb treaty has some interesting clauses one of which is that high accuracy fragmentation warheads can be seen as meeting the guidelines of the treaty that allow for cluster bombs which engage single targets rather than a whole area.

Becky Maynard, No More Landmines, 4th Floor, Charles House, 375 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8QH.
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7471 5580
becky@landmines.org.uk http://www.landmines.org.uk/ http://www.dangerousground.org/ writes to say an enormous thank you for signing the No More Landmines’ petition calling on governments to ban cluster bombs. On May 31st the final text for this groundbreaking and comprehensive new treaty to ban cluster bombs was provisionally agreed in Dublin by the majority of the world's stockpilers, producers and past users of cluster munitions.

The fact that some of the key governments who were pushing for multiple exceptions, transition periods and loopholes to retain stockpiles have adopted the text proposed in Dublin is a real testament to those who stood up to say that they oppose these indiscriminate weapons. Your voice was joined by those of hundreds of thousands of others around the world and made a real difference to the creation of the most significant humanitarian treaty of the decade.

At the Dublin conference campaigners heard first hand of the terrible injuries that cluster bombs cause to innocent civilians. Soraj Ghulam Habib, pictured right, from the Herat Province of Afghanistan was only 10 years old when he lost both legs in a cluster bomb accident. Soraj said that cluster munitions destroyed his dreams - he could not go to school, he couldn’t play with his friends, people laughed at him and called him a beggar. Now 17 years old and back in education, Soraj will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair but is full of hope that this treaty will completely stigmatize the use of these weapons and that future generations of children will not suffer the same fate as him.

The treaty will be opened for signature in Oslo in December this year but will not come into force until 30 countries have signed and ratified. You can still make a big difference and help to keep the pressure on governments to sign and ratify the treaty as early as possible by signing the People’s Treaty. This is a petition that individuals and groups across the world will be signing to make sure that as many states as possible sign the new treaty from 2-3 December 2008. Just visit www.minesactioncanada.org/peoples_treaty/ if you would like to sign.

RAAF, JSOW and InteroperabilityBy admin ... is treaty consistent, even though Washington didn’t sign it. I am sure Canberra would accept such an interpretation, which means that the effect of this arms control provision is to outlaw cluster munitions for low technology states.Science & Global Security - http://scisec.net/

Raytheon Nine Prosecution collapses

2008-06-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

Judge thows case out -Maith thu!

At Belfast Laganside court today, the trial of the Raytheon Nine collapsed when the judge threw it out for lack of evidence. The trial of the raytheon Nine has collapsed.

The defendents from Derry Anti War Coalition walked free after the judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence. Throughout the trial the Nine have maintained that their actions were legitimate as an attempt to prevent war crimes. The judge was forced to concede this when he stated that the defendents had acted to prevent destruction in Lebanon. This is a major victory and vindication of the action of the Derry Anti War Coalition and the Raytheon Nine.

The development began to emerge yesterday when, bizarrely, the barrister for the Crown conceded that the 9 were genuine in their belief that Raytheon were active in supplying the US and Isreali war machines in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon and that sabotaging Raytheon's equipment would disrupt that supply. What the Crown was then asking the jury to do was convict on the strength of the evidence, whether, at the moment of entering Raytheon, the 9 had smashed computers out of anger and wanton destructiveness. barristers for the 9 petitioned the judge to dismiss the case as this was something the jury could not find, given that the Crown had already conceded that they had gone in there with the intention to sabotage in order to disrupt the supply chain. the Judge evidently agreed.

The crown have until tomorrow to decide whether to appeal or not. http://www.raytheon9.org/
send your messages of congrats to resistderry@aol.com

Kick Raytheon out of Wales - Show Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!

2008-05-28T06:32:00.000-07:00

Kick Raytheon out of Wales - Show Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!
Tuesday 27th May, Transport House T&G Building, Cathedral Road, Cardiff

UK helps US keep cluster bombs

2008-05-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

Cluster bomb ban would force issue - groups The News is ...
Raytheon Cluster Bomb Protest ! ... Cluster munitions or cluster bombs are air-dropped or ground-launched munitions that eject a number of smaller ...

Dear friends,

In the next 72 hours, 109 countries are negotiating to ban cluster munitions -- weapons that, like land mines, kill children long after wars have ended. Immediate pressure is needed, especially on the UK, so click below now to send your message to Gordon Brown:

BAN CLUSTER BOMBS

Final negotiations are underway right now in Dublin, Ireland on a treaty to ban cluster bombs. Arms manufacturers are pushing governments to riddle the treaty with loopholes and delays -- and the final text will be decided in the next 72 hours.

Cluster munitions don't just kill during war. They scatter small, shiny, unexploded "bomblets" on the ground that hold their deadly charge for years. When children pick them up, they are often maimed or killed. Most governments agree that these weapons should be outlawed, but back-room pressure is rising to undercut a strong ban. We're hearing the UK delegation is one of the problems -- so we need to send an avalanche of messages from UK Avaaz members to Gordon Brown (we know his advisers personally and will forward your messages to the heart of Downing Street!)

If enough of us act before the treaty is signed on Friday, we can drown out the weapons merchants and convince our governments, the UK included, to ban cluster bombs once and for all. Click below to send a message, and then forward this email to friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/ban_cluster_munitions/13.php?cl=91434666

The treaty to ban cluster munitions is the result of an inspiring, years-long campaign by citizens from around the world -- with victims and survivors of cluster bombs leading the way. One spokesman for the effort, Branislav Kapetanovic, lost his hands, legs, and some of his hearing and eyesight in a cluster-bomb explosion in his native Serbia. He is now in Dublin, pushing for the treaty -- but he took a moment to sent this message to the Avaaz community (you can see a video on the the Avaaz site):

Cluster bombs are one of the most dangerous weapons of today. The majority of their victims are civilians, affecting millions worldwide. They have absolutely no place in a conflict situation.

This week governments have gathered together in Dublin to outlaw this dangerous weapon. This is a historic meeting of the international community. Some governments are trying to undermine and weaken the treaty with loopholes and exceptions. They are trying to position the arms trade over the importance of lives of people like me.

Rich governments don't always listen to victims, but they will listen to you -- their citizens. Please send a strong message to your government now that calls for a treaty with no exception, no loopholes, and no delays.

Advocates like Kapetanovic have faced down enormous odds to reach this point, the brink of victory. Now, as citizens around the world, we can do our part, and raise a massive cry as the negotiators spar over the final text of the treaty. Watch the video, check out a map of countries that produce or use cluster bombs and send a message to your leaders, all from this link:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/ban_cluster_munitions/14.php?cl=91434666

In 1997, the people-powered International Campaign to Ban Land Mines won a victory for humanity, earning a Nobel Peace Prize by ending the barbaric practice of laying mines in conflict zones. It would not have been possible without the efforts of thousands of ordinary people. This week, we can take the next step towards a more just, more peaceful world -- a world safer for children, and for generations to come.

With hope,

Ben, Pascal, Ricken, Galit, Graziela, Paul, Iain, and Veronique -- the Avaaz.org team

PS: You can learn more about this issue at the Stop Cluster Munitions coalition website here:

http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/

And here are some news articles about the state of the negotiations:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL2629379720080526

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/26/news/Ireland-Cluster-Bombs.php

War is just a racket - stop the killing

2008-05-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

War is Just a Racket: Take a Stand; Dismantle the War Machine; Demilitarize the World! The weapons industry led by the so-called Military-Industrial Complex in the United States and the “Big Money” racketeers that own or control them are the largest and the most powerful terrorist organization in the world. In the last two generations alone, their nefarious weapons have killed more people than were ever slaughtered in the previous 5,700 years.

Sign this petition to stop the killing: here

Solidarity with the Raytheon 9! Kick Raytheon out of Wales

2008-05-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=15429138436
Lebanon burns - Raytheon earns

Palestine burns - Raytheon earns

Iraq burns - Raytheon earns Kick Raytheon out of Wales -

Kick Raytheon out of Wales - Show Solidarity with the Raytheon 9!
5.30 - 6.30, Tuesday 27th May, Transport House (T&G Building), 1 Cathedral Road, Cardiff information here

Called by Stop the St Athan Military Academy Campaign, supported by Cardiff Stop the War Coalition, Cardiff CAAT and other peace groups.

Raytheon - banned by Liverpool Council, the Norwegian and Belgian government, manufacturer of cluster bombs and lethal weapons - has been welcomed to Wales by our politicians with barely a murmer of dissent. They are a key part of the new, privatised UK Military Academy being built in Wales.

Let's be clear, Raytheon are directly implicated in war crimes: In 2003, a Raytheon device hit the Shu'ale market in Baghdad in 2003, killing at least 62 civilians. In 2006 a Raytheon device hit Qana in Lebanon in 2006, killing at least 28 civilians, including 16 children.
By welcoming Raytheon, our politicians are complicit with war crimes.

Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales has defended Raytheon and attacked anti-war campaigners as liars.

Raytheon Nine trial set to start The trial of the “Raytheon Nine” anti-war activists started this week in Belfast, and will last for up to six weeks.
The nine anti-war protesters, occupied and shut down the Derry offices of Raytheon, the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world, on Wednesday 9 August 2006 during Israel's war on Lebanon.

The action was part of a wider protest at Raytheon’s complicity in the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rush messages of support to resistderry@aol.com
For background see:

Unmasking the System - Exposing Welsh Politicians lies about Raytheon

'Who has the power to frame reality-- the power to describe things as they really are, the power to make clear the power relationships in a community, family or country?
To unmask the truth of a situation is to expose the fraudulence of the glowing phrases, the lofty claims, and the false promises of oppressive authorities and to make clear the human rights, the community obligations and the just relationships which the reality of the situation requires'.

Mark Steel's censored Raytheon article By Jim Jay(Jim Jay) Can be found here. The Independent decided not to print it -

Raytheon 9 Trial has finally started (Reibiliun) Here is a brief outline of the day: The trial of the Raytheon 9 finally got underway today at Laganside Court in Belfast. The day started well with about 50 people congregating outside the Courthouse. 28 of them carried placards with ...

Raytheon Nine trial set to start Socialistworker.co.uk - The trial of the “Raytheon Nine” anti-war activists is set to start this week in Belfast, and last for up to six weeks. The nine anti-war protesters, ...See all stories on this topic

Raytheon poisons folk!!
Raytheon Class Action LawsuitIf you are one of the many residents of St. Petersburg, Florida who have been affected by the Raytheon groundwater contamination, then it is vital that you contact Joe Saunders, at Saunders Walker.EasyArticles.com - http://www.easyarticles.com/easyarticles.com.rss

Human rights breached by photographing

2008-05-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

Police 'spying' powers challenged BBC News, 1 May 2008Andrew Wood, from Oxford, claims he was harassed by the Metropolitan Police for campaigning against the arms trade. He says they breached his human rights ...

Surveillance 'breached human rights'Oxford Mail, UK - 1 May 2008

Campaign Against Arms Trade member Andrew Wood was photographed while attending the annual meeting of publisher and arms fair organiser Reed Elsevier, ...
...Mr Wood says that when he left the meeting officers from the Metropolitan Police breached the Human Rights Act by photographing, questioning and following him and six other campaigners.

And he says they committed further breaches by storing the photographs on police computers even though none of the protestors was arrested or charged with any offence.
"The behaviour of the police was oppressive, bordering on harassment," Mr Wood said.
"A police surveillance operation like the one I experienced risks a real prospect of a chilling effect on democratic participation."

Perhaps you would like to give evidence from the st athan campaign and complain about police surveillance and the right to protest and human rights and military training and schools propaganda
EHRC Human Rights Inquiry -
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/projects/humanrightsinquiry/Pages/HumanrightsInquiry.aspx
Y dudalen yma yn Gymraeg
Claim they are carrying out an inquiry to find out how human rights works in Britain, in line with our powers under section 16 of the Equality Act 2006. The inquiry was launched on 21 April 2008 and we expect to complete the process by December. We are now at the stage of gathering evidence for the inquiry.
RSS feed: Human Rights Inquiry
On this page
Purpose of the inquiry
Gathering evidence
Terms of reference
How will the inquiry be carried out?
Purpose of the inquiry
For the Commission, this inquiry represents the starting point for our remit on human rights. Our goals for this work are to:
promote understanding of the importance of human rights
encourage good practice in relation to human rights
promote awareness, understanding and protection of human rights, and
encourage public authorities to comply with the Human Rights Act (section 9 of the Equality Act).
We hope that by the end of the inquiry we will have:
a reliable set of findings about the state of human rights in Britain, and recommendations to move the human rights agenda forward.

Gathering evidence
We will be gathering evidence for the inquiry using a number of methods. We are calling for evidence from individuals, organisations and service providers, based on their experiences, positive and negative. We are commissioning research on specific areas that we have identified will help with the inquiry. We also expect to use other methods, like inquiry panels to hear evidence from witnesses.
Find out more about our call for evidence
Find out more about the planned research
Read our press release about the call for evidence
Back to top^
Terms of reference
When we launched the inquiry the first thing we did was to consult people about the terms of reference for this inquiry. We had a good response to the consultation and the terms of reference have now been finalised.
Read about the terms of reference, the issues raised through consultation and how we will address these issues.
Back to top^
How will the inquiry be carried out?
We have appointed Dame Nuala O'Loan to chair the inquiry. She was formerly Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland, with experience of leading other investigations. Find out more about Dame Nuala O'Loan.
Francesca Klug is the lead commissioner representing the Commission. We are delighted to announce that Sir Bert Massie and Neil Wooding have now joined the inquiry as commissioners, to guide the inquiry process alongsite Nuala and Francesca..but can Neil be objective?

The inquiry will initially be restricted to England and Wales. Once the Scottish Commission for Human Rights is operational, we hope to extend the inquiry to Scotland.
The inquiry will investigate:public attitudes to the Human Rights Act
how the Human Rights Act is working how it is used by public authorities and other organisations where appropriate.

More Militarisation of Wales

2008-05-12T04:53:00.000-07:00

£6bn Piranha deal will bring new jobs boost???
ic Wales - 09 May 2008
... UK Government to award a multi-billion pound armed services training facility contract at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan to the Metrix consortium. ...
May 9 2008 by Sion Barry, South Wales Echo
THE economy received a major boost yesterday when after the Ministry of Defence awarded a £6bn contract for a new generation of rapid response military vehicles to a South Wales-based company.

US-owned General Dynamics, which employs 1,000 in the area, mainly at Oakdale and Newbridge, was last night named as the preferred bidder for the Piranha V, which will replaced the Army’s Saxon and FV430 rapid response battlefield transportation fighting vehicles.
General Dynamics, which also works with Cardiff University on its research, is now likely to create a significant number of jobs, but it cannot yet say how many.

General Dynamics is also in the running for two more FRES contracts, both worth around £6bn, which have yet to be awarded. If secured they would be another major boost to the Welsh defence sector.

Yesterday’s announcement follows last year’s decision by the UK Government to award a multi-billion pound armed services training facility contract at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan to the Metrix consortium.

General Dynamics has been operational in South Wales since 2001, when it won a contract to supply the MoD with a new state of the art battlefield communication system known as Bowman.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: “This announcement will not only help safeguard the future of the highly skilled employees at the company's state-of-the-art facilities in Wales, but sends a clear message that Wales has the skills and the infrastructure to produce high quality and internationally competitive products.”

Is this the only answer for Wales - is the only vision we have for Wales - more military
business -

Politics of cluster bombs

2008-05-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

News.....
The politics of cluster bombsAsia Times Online - Kowloon,Hong Kong
Guarantees of low failure rates given by big cluster munitions manufacturers, including the US's Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Textron, Gen Corp, ...

Cluster bombs for the British Armed Forces

2008-05-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

May 1, 2008Use of Cluster Bombs Missiles and Bombs The Guardian has reported that cluster bombs are to remain a part of the armoury available to the British Forces. Read More...Apr 21, 2008

Netherlands Destroying CBU-87 Cluster-BombsMissiles and BombsThe Netherlands are destroying their CBU-87 cluster-bombs. Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop has told the Lower House that they can cause too much unacceptable human suffering. Read More...Apr 10, 2008

US accused of pressing nations over cluster bomb treatyMissiles and BombsA leading group working on behalf of disabled people accused the United States Wednesday of pressuring European and African countries not to join a new treaty next month banning cluster bombs. Read More...

wreath Laying outside The Guildhall in Derry
The bomblets from each Raytheon made CBU-87 are typically distributed over ... have called for a global moratorium on use of cluster bombs because they have ...www.irishantiwar.org/archives/events/1361.html - 15k -

Cluster bombs are amongst the most lethal and indiscriminate of the arms made by Raytheon. Prior to their use in Iraq, they have killed civilians from Kosovo to Afghanistan. Each Raytheon-made CBU-87 cluster bomb contains 202 individual submunitions, also called "bomblets," Each bomblet has an antitank and antipersonnel effect, as well as an incendiary capability. The bomblets from each Raytheon made CBU-87 are typically distributed over an area roughly 100 x 50 metres. Human rights groups have called for a global moratorium on use of cluster bombs because they have been shown to cause unacceptable civilian casualties both during and after conflict.

EDO MBM' s Cluster Bomb Connection Indymedia UK - In all, ALM IPT manages some 14 major weapons projects or equipment groupings and following the partnering contracts with Raytheon, MBDA, ...See all stories on this topic

Backgrounder: Cluster Bombs in Afghanistan (Human Rights Watch ...
During the first week of the campaign, it is believed that Air Force B-1 bombers dropped 50 CBU-87 cluster bombs in some five missions. CBU-87 cluster bomb ...www.hrw.org/backgrounder/arms/cluster-bck1031.htm - 39k -

CBU-87 Combined Effects Munitions (CEM) - Dumb Bombs
The CBU-87 is a 1000-pound, Combined Effects Munition (CEM) for attacking ... During Allied Force the US dropped about 1100 cluster bombs, and most of these ...www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/dumb/cbu-87.htm - 8k -

[PDF] Top Ten Taglines
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTMLThe Air Force still has CBU-87 cluster bombs containing more than 20 million ..... Raytheon plans to replace the older, unreliable BLU-97 with a ...www.polity.org.za/attachment.php?aa_id=2302 -

Ireland does the right thing ..Sahme on Wales

2008-03-28T04:34:00.001-07:00

Shame on wales for welcoming Raytheon!
Ireland does the right thing…By mary The new policy is likely to be adopted in the lead-up to a major international diplomatic conference on cluster munitions scheduled for Croke Park on May 19th-30th. The Government has taken a strong stance in favour of a total ban on ...Stop Cluster Bombs - http://www.stopclusterbombs.org.nz/
Same on Rhrodri Morgan
John Smith MP

Attorney Genearal response out of date!!

2008-03-18T11:12:00.001-07:00

At a recent meeting of the Penarth CAAT group, one of our members shared a letter from the Attorney General's office which led us to believe that CAAT's court case to have the enquiry re-opened, had failed - that the Government had won. In fact, the two judges have not yet given their decision.

The most recent CAAT email bulleting includes the following:

'1. Attorney General is out-of-date

Those of you who sent CAAT's new Control BAE postcard to the Prime
Minister, have received a response from the Attorney General's Office
which is seriously out-of-date!

The letter talks of the "recent decision" of Mr Justice Andrew
Collins that CAAT's Judicial Review of the Government's decision to
end the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the BAE Systems Al
Yamamah deal with Saudi Arabia was "unarguable". Mr Justice Collins
actually made his decision in May 2007 after considering the written
arguments. However, CAAT and the Corner House were granted permission
to proceed to a Judicial Review by Lord Justice Moses after a hearing
on 9th November 2007. He said that the issue 'cries out for a
public hearing' because it involves 'matters of concern
and public importance'. Together with Mr Justice Sullivan, Lord
Justice Moses heard the full case on 14th and 15th February 2008 and
we are currently awaiting the result.

If you have received such a letter, please write back to the Attorney
General pointing this out and calling for the investigation to be
reopened.'

London University Students Vote to Ban Military From Campus

2008-03-09T05:39:00.001-07:00

London University Students Vote to Ban Military From Campus
3/7/2008

Open University students - come on!!!

After 50 Years, British Govt Finally Bans Nuclear Protest
3/8/2008

Call for OU to quit St Athan consortium with Raytheon

2008-03-05T02:05:00.000-08:00

Call for OU to quit St Athan consortium
ic Wales, United Kingdom - 3 Mar 2008 Peter Collins South Wales Echo
Members of the “No to the Military Academy” campaign have staged a demonstration outside the Cardiff offices of the OU as part of the National Day of Action ...

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/vale-glamorgan-news/2008/03/03/call-for-ou-to-quit-st-athan-consortium-91466-20545572/

OPPONENTS of St Athan’s defence training academy have called on the Open University in Wales to withdraw from the consortium behind the project.

The OU is a member of the Metrix consortium, which also includes multi-national training and research companies like Raytheon and Qinetiq, which made the successful bid for the multi-billion-pound academy to be built at RAF St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Members of the “No to the Military Academy” campaign have staged a demonstration outside the Cardiff offices of the OU as part of the National Day of Action for University Ethical Investment.

Anne Greagsby, spokeswoman for the campaign, said: “The proposed military training academy at St Athan will be built and run by a consortium which includes multinational arms companies. It will train not only British service personnel, but those from any regime or private military company willing to pay. We call on them the OU to withdraw.”

Rob Humphreys, director of the OU in Wales, met the campaigners outside his offices for a “useful and amicable discussion”.

He added: “As a partner in the consortium, the Open University is committed to delivering the highest quality support to this endeavour.

“The university has helped more than 100,000 services personnel and their families fulfil their potential through education. Participation in the St Athan project will help us to continue that work.”

Protest - OU - Blood on their hands

2008-03-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

OU Protest Cardiff

Cynefin y Werin (Common Ground) is an all Wales network of organisations which promotes equality, peace, justice, human rights and co-operation between nations, peoples and communities on the basis of sustainable environmental, economic and social development.

Does your university work for/with the milititary?
The proposed military training academy at St Athan will be built and run by a consortium which includes major multinational arms companies, and will train not only British service personnel, but those from any regime or private military company that can fork out the ready cash. This consortium includes the Open University and we call on them to withdraw. there will be a Protest today at 1pm at ou office 18 custom house street Cardiff.

This is part of the National Day of Action for University Ethical Investment - Coordinated events held at universities across the UK, in protest against university shareholding in arms companies. Anne Greagsby coordinator of the campaign against the privaitised military academy at St Athan said, "As a graduate from the opne university I am shocked that they could work with and profit from arms dealers such as Raytheon associated with cluster munitions and Serco and Qinetiq.

The Open University
"Our continued dedication to social justice and equality of opportunity is embodied in a set of commitments and principles. Through these commitments, we will strengthen our position as a university of choice."????

Military organisations - including arms companies and

the Ministry of Defence - annually sponsor hundreds of projects at UK universities.

The Study War No More report examines military involvement at 26 UK universities in order to highlight the impact military funding has on university departments. The report provides information about the funding of UK universities by military organisations, both governmental and industrial. It also intends to support students concerned about the impact their institutions have on international peace and conflict; and to encourage debate regarding the democratic deficit within academic institutions and the ends and ethics of research and research funding.

Study War No More: Military Involvement in UK Universities is a joint project between Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. The campaign website hosts full details of military involvement at 26 UK universities. You can download the Study War No More report, which exposes the ways in which the military sector is being pushed into UK universities, view in-depth data on each of the 26 universities we researched or find out more information on researching and campaigning in this area.
Read more

CAAT

For more info on national campaign, contact Andy at andy@caat.org.uk

http://www.studywarnomore.org.uk/documents/studywarnomore.pdf

Raytheon JSOWs - indiscriminate civilian death

2008-02-24T04:07:00.000-08:00

Wesleyan needs to get out of the carnage market of "moral war"
Wesleyan Argus - Middletown, CT, USA
Raytheon, in response to the international outcry against cluster bombs, now creates “JSOWs,” fragmenting missiles designed for soft (human) and hard .....
Weapons contractors manufacture products designed for indiscriminate killing. By indiscriminate, we mean without a specific target or rational goal other than destruction at large. Raytheon, in response to the international outcry against cluster bombs, now creates “JSOWs,” fragmenting missiles designed for soft (human) and hard targets which can be programmed for “blast and fragmentation effects.”

..............any old missile will do for causing indiscriminate civilian death, such as a Raytheon missile that killed 62 civilians in a Baghdad market in September 2003. Mytheos Holt ’10 argued in a letter to the board, that Raytheon and General Dynamics also manufacture “life-saving” or non-destructive products. This utilitarian logic of weighing GPSes against a body count is ruthless, disgusting and dangerous. If a murderer volunteers at a soup kitchen, s/he is still a murderer. The logic of massive weapons supply is such that weapons linger in society for generations, fueling conflict and violence far beyond their original purpose. The more weapons are dispersed, the more demand there is for better technology, bigger guns.

Norway may ditch Israel electric Bonds

2008-02-22T03:20:00.001-08:00

Why can we not have an ethical Wales?
Welsh politicians, even Plaid Cymru is prepared to welcome Raytheon, Serco to St Athan Wales and they have both been rejected by the Norwegian fund because of their connections to Cluster bombs and nuclear weapon. John Smith MP is one of the most obsequious lackey of the Arms Companies even prepared to use our children and schools to promote them.

Norway may ditch Israel Electric bonds
Jerusalem Post - Israel
The government has banned the 2.08 trillion-krone fund from investing in companies involved in nuclear weapons or cluster munitions, and companies that it ...

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund's ethical council is considering whether to recommend the fund sell its 107 million kroner ($20 million) of bonds in Israel Electric Corp. because of an alleged participation in a blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Kristin Halvorsten wants an ethics council to investigate Israel Electric over its role in cutting back electricity supplies to Gazans.

"Information that the Israeli government is using this company to cut electricity supplies to Gaza, and thereby worsening the situation for civilians there, has made Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen ask the ethics council to investigate the company," ministry spokeswoman Kaja Haldorsen said by e-mail Thursday. Israel Electric wasn't immediately available for comment.

The government has banned the 2.08 trillion-krone fund from investing in companies involved in nuclear weapons or cluster munitions, and companies that it says are guilty of human rights or environmental abuses. An ethics council investigates companies alleged to be breaking the investment guidelines.

Israel Electric is a state-owned monopoly power supplier.

Norway, the world's fifth-largest exporter of crude oil, places most of its petroleum revenue in the fund. The pension plan is the world's second-largest so-called sovereign wealth fund after the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. It is forecast to double in size to more than 4 trillion kroner by 2014.

The Church of Norway asked the government in January 2006 to review its investments and possibly withdraw from companies that "are active in the construction of the wall and Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank."

The ethics council concluded that there were no grounds for excluding companies active in Israel "or in areas under Israeli occupation," Finance Ministry senior advisor Aslak Skancke wrote at the time. "However, the possibility is not ruled out that information may be revealed in the future leading to closer examination and possible recommendations."

Companies that have been dropped previously by the fund include Poongsan Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co., European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., according to the Finance Ministry.

The Norwegian fund was established 11 years ago and is one of the world's oldest sovereign wealth funds. Yngve Slyngstad took over as head last month, succeeding Knut Kjaer, who managed the fund since its inception.

Tal Barak in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.

National Day of Action for Ethical Investment at Universities

2008-02-19T04:57:00.001-08:00

National Day of Action for Ethical Investment at Universities

Wednesday 27th February
Coordinated actions will take place throughout the day at
universities across the UK. Students will be dressing up as arms
dealers and selling (fake!) university-branded guns to raise
awareness about their Universities' shareholdings in arms companies.

Universities currently taking part include University College London
(UCL), Warwick, Manchester and Newcastle.

Students at all universities are welcome to participate. It just
needs a small group (5+) to set aside an hour or so on the day for
the action and alert the local student press.

There is still time to plan an action for the day! By forming a
united front, students can show they no longer tolerate their
universities' arms trade investments and demand change!

For further information, please contact Andy on
andy@caat.org.uk
[/URLTEXT]mailto:andy@caat.org.uk [/LINK]
This event is being coordinated with People and Planet.

_________

Saudi Arabia's rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London

2008-02-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

Spectre of 'another 7/7' led Blair to block bribes inquiry, high court told --BAE: secret papers reveal threats from Saudi prince 15 Feb 2008 Saudi Arabia's rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London, unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted, according to court documents revealed yesterday. Previously secret files describe how investigators were told they faced "another 7/7" and the loss of "British lives on British streets" if they pressed on with their inquiries and the Saudis carried out their threat to cut off intelligence.

Raytheon & cluster bomb in the news from Gwynedd to New Zealand

2008-02-15T01:41:00.000-08:00

North Wales pension funds linked to weapons trade Daily Post - Llandudno Junction,UK Examples will be given from the campaign against the planned St Athan Military Academy in south Wales, and to persuade Gwynedd council to dis-invest from ...See all stories on this topic

Greens call on Super to quit funding cluster-bomb makers
New Zealand Herald - New Zealand
... from $15.8 million to $21.9 million and Raytheon from $1.5 million to $2.3 million. He said both were involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs. ...

Time to stop loving the money from the bomb Scoop.co.nz - New Zealand
"It is blatant hypocrisy for the New Zealand Government on the one hand to take dividends from the manufacture of cluster bombs while on the other hand to ...
See all stories on this topic

The Frog Roars By Bomber(Bomber) Co-leader Russel Norman said the fund had increased its investments in Lockheed from $15.8 million to $21.9 million and Raytheon from $1.5 million to $2.3 million. He said both were involved in the manufacture of cluster bombs. ...
- http://tumeke.blogspot.com/

BAE enquiry

2008-02-15T01:37:00.000-08:00

There was an interesting piece on Newsnight yesterday about the BAE inquiry which you may like to watch. it is available on the web at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/default.stm
look under 'Watch latest programme' in the upper right of the page ("Court to study BAE decision"). enjoy!