Marking the 71st anniversary of the dropping of the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Centre of Bromley.
Anti nuclear activists and supporters
gathered in the centre of Bromley for a vigil and a silent march to mark the
anniversary of the dropping of the atom bombs on the Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Seventy one years on, the innocent civilians are today
still living with the consequences of the bombings in 1945, causing
unimaginably painful death, suffering and birth defects .
Contrary to common belief, Japan was on the verge of surrendering before the bombs were dropped. Today, the eternal peace flame that has been burning since 1964 in Hiroshima is still there. It will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been dismantled and destroyed.
Ann Garrett the secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said “ All countries that are signatories of the Non Proliferation Treaty are obliged to take meaningful steps towards disarmament. Instead we are witnessing modernisation and increase in nuclear weapons . Experts estimate that there are more than 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world today—capable of destroying the earth several hundreds of times over”. CND believe Nuclear weapons are very expensive, immoral and useless in facing today’s security challenges. Ann Garrett added “our government, invests in nuclear weapons and sends our soldiers in harms way while ill equipped.
BBCND at anti Trident protest in London 18/7/2016
Letter by the secretary to the local press Members of Bromley and Beckenham CND are appalled at the decision to renew the Trident missile system at a cost of £205 billion when money is badly needed for the NHS, education, public services and creating jobs in alternative industries and civilian ship building.
Contrary to common belief, Japan was on the verge of surrendering before the bombs were dropped. Today, the eternal peace flame that has been burning since 1964 in Hiroshima is still there. It will only be extinguished when all nuclear weapons in the world have been dismantled and destroyed.
Ann Garrett the secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said “ All countries that are signatories of the Non Proliferation Treaty are obliged to take meaningful steps towards disarmament. Instead we are witnessing modernisation and increase in nuclear weapons . Experts estimate that there are more than 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world today—capable of destroying the earth several hundreds of times over”. CND believe Nuclear weapons are very expensive, immoral and useless in facing today’s security challenges. Ann Garrett added “our government, invests in nuclear weapons and sends our soldiers in harms way while ill equipped.
BBCND at anti Trident protest in London 18/7/2016
Letter by the secretary to the local press Members of Bromley and Beckenham CND are appalled at the decision to renew the Trident missile system at a cost of £205 billion when money is badly needed for the NHS, education, public services and creating jobs in alternative industries and civilian ship building.
We’re now more vulnerable as a target and there is a constant danger of a
nuclear accident. The manufacture of nuclear weapons also causes pollution for
both workers and civilians.
A big thank you to the courage and wisdom of the 171 MPs who voted to oppose Trident renewal and shame on those who agreed. As the Tory MP Crispin Blunt said “ this a colossal investment in a system that will become increasingly vulnerable”.
Much of the technology of the 4 nuclear submarines is out dated, and launching the missiles is unwieldy. If Theresa May ‘ pressed the button’ as she said she would, the UK could already have been annihilated.
The Trident deterrent is a dangerous fallacy. Nuclear weapons are immoral and also illegal under the terms of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The UK should set an example to the rest of the world and would then be a position to influence negotiations for unilateral disarmament.
A big thank you to the courage and wisdom of the 171 MPs who voted to oppose Trident renewal and shame on those who agreed. As the Tory MP Crispin Blunt said “ this a colossal investment in a system that will become increasingly vulnerable”.
Much of the technology of the 4 nuclear submarines is out dated, and launching the missiles is unwieldy. If Theresa May ‘ pressed the button’ as she said she would, the UK could already have been annihilated.
The Trident deterrent is a dangerous fallacy. Nuclear weapons are immoral and also illegal under the terms of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The UK should set an example to the rest of the world and would then be a position to influence negotiations for unilateral disarmament.
PUBLISHED: 12:02 03 April 2017 | UPDATED:
12:02 03 April 2017
Campaigners
together outside Downing Street
Bromley and
Beckenham CND claim that human rights organisations have gotten involved after
a bomb killed 200 people in Mosul, Iraq on March 17 Campaigners gathered outside
Number 10 Downing Street on Saturday (April 1) to protest the scale of
casualties in Iraq.
The
Bromley and Beckenham CND say they are alarmed at the amount of civilians
injured or killed, and infrastructure damaged on Mosul, the second city in
Iraq.
They
claim that human rights organisations have issued statements urging the US led
coalition to exercise restraint when operating in densley populated areas,
after a bombing incident on March 17 on Al Jedideh neighbourhood in Mosul that
resulted in the death of 200 people.
Ann
Garrett the secretary of the campaign group said: “You cannot possibly fight
terrorism by dropping bombs from the air, we hear on the mainstream media that
800 Daesh fighters have already fled Mosul, but the civilians remain trapped.
“3.3
million Iraqi people are internally displaced since 2003 war encountering
inadequate facilities and poorly funded aid organisations. Peace campaigners
argue that terrorism thrive on conflict, displacement, desperation and
destruction.
“We are
also concerned that our armed forced are seen to be supporting sectarian
militia and an Iraqi army both implicated in war crimes during this fight
against Deash. This can only serve to add fuel to the fire, not bring about
peace and reconciliation.”
Fukushima disaster six years on
Six years on, Fukushima and the surrounding areas are not safe. On the 11th March 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor leaked radiation as a result of an earthquake and tsunami. This prompted the Japanese government to impose a 20km exclusion zone around the reactor. The estimated 160000 people who had to leave their homes in the wake of the disaster are still displaced today.
Fukushima disaster six years on
Six years on, Fukushima and the surrounding areas are not safe. On the 11th March 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor leaked radiation as a result of an earthquake and tsunami. This prompted the Japanese government to impose a 20km exclusion zone around the reactor. The estimated 160000 people who had to leave their homes in the wake of the disaster are still displaced today.
Members and supporters of Bromley and Beckenham CND took part in a march from the Japanese embassy to Downing Street, to commemorate this disaster remember the victims and warn against the rush for adopting nuclear power as the only solution for climate change.
Ann Garret the secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said "Fukushima's children like Chernobyl's before them will bear the brunt of this radioactive contamination. Nuclear power is not clean and safe as many would have us believe. Even when nuclear plants operate safely they produce dangerous radioactive waste. This waste is dangerous to handle, transport and dispose.
Save our NHS protest
Bromley peace campaigners joined 250 000 people who marched on parliament square calling on the government to preserve the NHS as a public service available to all people irrespective of their financial standings. Activists and campaingers fear that the NHS is being deliberately portrayed as 'not working' in order to break it up and privatise it.
The secretary of Bromley & Beckenham CND, Ann Garrett said "our NHS is the envy of the world, we must not allow it to be destroyed. This is such a vital public service, losing it would hit the most vulnerable people in our society the hardest. We wholeheartedly support diverting funds from wars and nuclear weapons to spend on vital public services such as the NHS".
The British government intends to replace the UK's nuclear arsenal in the near future at the cost of £205 billion
Ann
Garrett tribute to Guy Yeates, Intellectual and peace campaigner 4th April 2017
I am here today on behalf of Bromley and Beckenham CND to pay tribute to Guy who was over a period of many years, a committed campaigner opposing weapons of mass destruction and especially illegal wars.
I first met Binnie and Guy back in the 1970s and it was clear from the beginning that we shared the same ideals and ethical views.
Since they returned to Bromley it has been a great pleasure renewing our friendship, and I have appreciated Guy's insight and shrewd mind when discussing peace and political issues.
He was present on anti - war demonstrations and attended white poppy ceremonies at Bromley War Memorial on Remembrance Sundays. The last time I saw him was on this occasion and I remember thinking how courageous it was of him to be there when he was really frail.
His family can be truly proud of his influence and example, and our CND group offers Binnie and all the family our deep sympathy and condolences.
The following extract appears in the introduction to our last peace anthology ‘ Inherited from Pioneers ‘ : - ‘ As one generation of pioneers hands over to another, they leave a legacy of tenacity and courage, for those campaigners of the of the present and future ‘.
I would like to read the poem ‘ Earth’ on which the anthology is based, in memory of Guy. It was written by Kay Ekevall, a previous chair of Bromley CND.
I am here today on behalf of Bromley and Beckenham CND to pay tribute to Guy who was over a period of many years, a committed campaigner opposing weapons of mass destruction and especially illegal wars.
I first met Binnie and Guy back in the 1970s and it was clear from the beginning that we shared the same ideals and ethical views.
Since they returned to Bromley it has been a great pleasure renewing our friendship, and I have appreciated Guy's insight and shrewd mind when discussing peace and political issues.
He was present on anti - war demonstrations and attended white poppy ceremonies at Bromley War Memorial on Remembrance Sundays. The last time I saw him was on this occasion and I remember thinking how courageous it was of him to be there when he was really frail.
His family can be truly proud of his influence and example, and our CND group offers Binnie and all the family our deep sympathy and condolences.
The following extract appears in the introduction to our last peace anthology ‘ Inherited from Pioneers ‘ : - ‘ As one generation of pioneers hands over to another, they leave a legacy of tenacity and courage, for those campaigners of the of the present and future ‘.
I would like to read the poem ‘ Earth’ on which the anthology is based, in memory of Guy. It was written by Kay Ekevall, a previous chair of Bromley CND.
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