Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Peace activists held a vigil and a silent march through Bromley town centre to mark the 72nd anniversary of the dropping of atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima & Nagasaki in 1945. The bombings resulted in the complete destruction of the cities and the death of more than 300 000 people 95% of them were innocent civilians.
Ann Garrett, the Secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said " contrary to common belief the atom bombs did not end the Second World War, the Japanese were already on the verge of capitulation, as Dwight Eisenhawer confirmed at the time."Todate, the residents of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki are living with the consequences of the horrific bombing. "The arms trade is doing very well thanks to many conflicts around the world. We in CND think; The UK is less safe when it posses weapons of mass destruction. Nuclear Weapons are immoral, illegal and very expensive", Ann Garrett added.Nuclear weapons are absolutely useless in countering today's national security challenges. They divert funds from adequate supply of protective materials for our soldiers. We argue for getting rid of these expensive to posses and maintain weapons.Stand up to Racism rally outside Bromley South Station 4//11/2017
Since 1985 peace campaigners in Bromley have been marking rememberance Sunday every year with a silent march and the laying of a wreath of white and red poppies at the war memorial in Bromley, reflections and reciting poems for peace.
Bromley peace campaigners and their supporters marked remembrance Sunday, by remembering all victims of all wars. They reflected on the heavy cost of wars on people and on our planet.Modern warfare is more lethal than ever. Modern powerful bombs cause civilian deaths; maiming and destruction, they leave behind entire cities in ruins. Yet there is never enough resources for the civilians who flee.
Ann Garrett the secretary of Bromley & Beckenham CND said: “Our politicians seem to take the decision to go to war very lightly ‘taking part in military action’ as they call it, yet we are all ill informed about the heavy consequences of this ‘action’. At least 70 million people today are displaced/refugees. They lost everything and they are vulnerable to criminal gangs and armed militias. These are the consequences of our involvements in the war on Afghanistan and Iraq we made matters worse”
The cold morning event was attended by 30 people.
“I am alarmed to say the least that our politicians are justifying supporting and arming the odious regime of Saudi Arabia. This regime is committing war crimes on a daily basis in Yemen using our weapons. This regime is party to fuelling sectarianism in the Middle East and uses Islam as a cover for repression and intolerance. With allies like KSA who needs enemies?” said Richard Hart, the co Convener of Bromley Peace Council.
"The only thing that is certain about war is, the enrichment of arms dealers and manufacturers. The Arms Trade has a great deals to answer for." he added.
Outside Bromley South on 4th Nov 2017 leafleting about Nuclear Waste Trains.
Raising awareness about the Global Ban Treaty on Nuclear weapons 1/2/2017 in the centre of Bromley
Raising awareness about the Global Ban Treaty on Nuclear weapons 1/2/2017 in the centre of Bromley
On the 70th Anniversary, the NHS is facing its worst crisis ever this winter. Ann Garrett the Secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said “Sources put the cost of Bombing Iraq and Syria at £2 million a day only to add destruction to misery. Renewing our Nuclear weapons will cost £205 billion. How come we never hear our government officials say: we cannot afford to go to war, or we cannot afford to renew our costly and useless nuclear weapons arsenal? The NHS is the pride of Britain, dismantling it or privatising it will only affect the majority ordinary people of this country and benefit a handful few. CND’s central slogan has always been NHS not Trident. Save our NHS!”
Seven years on, in Japan, Fukushima and the surrounding towns are ghost towns abandoned in a hurry after the 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck followed by a Tsunami on the 11th March 2011. 18200 people died in the disaster and 42000 people were evacuated. Not forgetting those whose life expectancy has been cut short because of the disaster. Bromley peace campaigners joined others from all over the UK in a rally outside parliament on 11/3/2018 to mark this anniversary.
Ann Garrett the secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND said: “Chernobyl and Fukushima are lessons we cannot ignore about the very high environmental and human cost of nuclear power let alone its financial costs even without disasters.”
Ann is referring to the numerous articles carried by the Financial Times newspaper criticizing the enormous costs of the UK government’s plans to build a new generations of nuclear power stations. “If nuclear power is modern, clean and harmless, how come we do not get to hear of any banks investing in it? How come nuclear power stations can only be constructed with huge subsidies from the tax payers’ money? The UK should become a leader in renewable energy technology, this is the clean energy of the future, this is a very sound investment in the future of our children”.
It was Easter Sunday in 1958, when hundreds of thousands of protesters first marched from all over the country and converged at Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment (1), in Berkshire to express their alarm and opposition to Nuclear weapons and the policies of whoever possessed them.
On Sunday 1/4/18, Bromley Peace campaigners joined several hundred others from all over the UK, at the gates of Aldermaston also known as the Bomb Factory. Not only to mark the 60th anniversary of this traditional Easter Sunday protest, but also to express alarm that the threat of a nuclear weapons fall out is as a present threat as ever!
CND believes nuclear weapons are very expensive to possess, maintain. Moreover they are illegal and immoral.
They exacerbate rather than improve world peace and security and are useless to counter terrorism with. Moreover, the fact that the our UK's nuclear armed missiles are leased, directed and maintained by the US, so referring to them as our ‘Independent deterrent’ is totally inaccurate.
Ann Garratt, the secretary of Bromley Borough CND, has many memories of being on this annual protest several times in the past.
She said “It is extremely worrying that the threshold of use of nuclear weapons has been lowered and a nuclear arms race to ‘modernise’ these deadly weapons is currently underway.
It is madness that nuclear weapons states possess enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times over. The term ‘nuclear regional conflict’ is a myth. People all over the world will suffer for generations to come from any use of nuclear weapons anywhere. It will destroy the ozone layer in our atmosphere and trigger a nuclear winter” (2)
It is estimated that the replacement of Trident, (UK’s nuclear arsenal) will cost the taxpayers, £205 billion, money CND argues that should be invested in our education and NHS services.
The UK is also a signatory of the Non Proliferation Treaty. Article 5 of this treaty clearly states that the signatories must report annually on actively disarming from Nuclear weapons.
Richard Hart the convenor of Bromley Peace Council said “It is absurd that we are going to spend billions of pounds on immoral weapons with an outdated technology. With the advent of underwater drones, nuclear submarines can no longer claim to have the element of surprise.”
(1) The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons.
Financial Times: “A report published in January by the UK’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, raised questions over the affordability of the MoD’s £178bn equipment plan and highlighted how the cost of building Britain’s new Dreadnought and Astute-class attack submarines had risen by £941m since 2016.”
It was Easter Sunday in 1958, when hundreds of thousands of protesters first marched from all over the country and converged at Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment (1), in Berkshire to express their alarm and opposition to Nuclear weapons and the policies of whoever possessed them.
On Sunday 1/4/18, Bromley Peace campaigners joined several hundred others from all over the UK, at the gates of Aldermaston also known as the Bomb Factory. Not only to mark the 60th anniversary of this traditional Easter Sunday protest, but also to express alarm that the threat of a nuclear weapons fall out is as a present threat as ever!
CND believes nuclear weapons are very expensive to possess, maintain. Moreover they are illegal and immoral.
They exacerbate rather than improve world peace and security and are useless to counter terrorism with. Moreover, the fact that the our UK's nuclear armed missiles are leased, directed and maintained by the US, so referring to them as our ‘Independent deterrent’ is totally inaccurate.
Ann Garratt, the secretary of Bromley Borough CND, has many memories of being on this annual protest several times in the past.
She said “It is extremely worrying that the threshold of use of nuclear weapons has been lowered and a nuclear arms race to ‘modernise’ these deadly weapons is currently underway.
It is madness that nuclear weapons states possess enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world several times over. The term ‘nuclear regional conflict’ is a myth. People all over the world will suffer for generations to come from any use of nuclear weapons anywhere. It will destroy the ozone layer in our atmosphere and trigger a nuclear winter” (2)
It is estimated that the replacement of Trident, (UK’s nuclear arsenal) will cost the taxpayers, £205 billion, money CND argues that should be invested in our education and NHS services.
The UK is also a signatory of the Non Proliferation Treaty. Article 5 of this treaty clearly states that the signatories must report annually on actively disarming from Nuclear weapons.
Richard Hart the convenor of Bromley Peace Council said “It is absurd that we are going to spend billions of pounds on immoral weapons with an outdated technology. With the advent of underwater drones, nuclear submarines can no longer claim to have the element of surprise.”
(1) The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons.
Financial Times: “A report published in January by the UK’s spending watchdog, the National Audit Office, raised questions over the affordability of the MoD’s £178bn equipment plan and highlighted how the cost of building Britain’s new Dreadnought and Astute-class attack submarines had risen by £941m since 2016.”
Bromley Peace Council press release and picture from the Anti racism rally in London
were published in the local Bromley Times Newspaper.
"Members of Bromley Peace Council attended the Stand Up to Racism demonstration in London on March 17th They also held their own ‘ Celebrate Diversity’ event in Bromley Market Square on March 22nd as part of The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. - promoting tolerance and respect for diversity.
Placards stated No to Racism, Refugees and Migrants Welcome Here, Unite Against Fascism and Black Lives Matter.
Although there is now more awareness of diversity issues, there is still a serious refugee problem and a rise in fascism and institutional racism.
Our local Peace Council group is proud to be involved in working towards ‘ building bridges ‘ and a new mass movement against racism."
Ann Garrett
"Whilst condemning the chemical weapons bombing of civilians whoever the perpetrators are, there was no urgent humanitarian situation that justified a military strike. We live in a parliamentary democracy, hence a parliamentary vote should have taken place before the use of force by our armed forces is sanctioned. Iraq taught us that we should not take part in a legally dubious military adventure, just because Mr Trump decided to tweet about it."
Richard Hart, the convener of Bromley Peace Council said: "The solution to the Syrian crisis is political not military, this was a statement of Boris Johnson our Foreign Secretary. We commend members of the clergy and the House of Lords who visited Syria in the wake of the US/UK/France bombings to conduct reconciliation prayers. There is no justification for bombing Syria on the very same morning the OPCW (Organisation of Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) inspectors were due to arrive to start their investigations. We should have waited for the proof if it exists (*), instead of rushing headlong into military action that has inflamed cold war tensions and achieved nothing for the Syrian people."
photo attached Bromley peace campaigners at market Square in Bromley on Saturday 21/4/18
(*)
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Bromley Borough CND marked the 32nd anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, by holding a stall at Market Square, Bromley Town centre. They distributed leaflets regarding the perils of nuclear energy and drawing attention to the local issue of nuclear waste trains travelling on commuter routes through Bromley.
Members and supporters of Bromley Borough CND stages a silent vigil at Bromley Market Square to protests the Israeli army's killing of peaceful protesters in Gaza.
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