White poppy Ceremony 11/11/2018

Bromley peace campaigners and their supporters once again converged on the Cenotaph in Bromley on Remembrance Sunday as they have been doing since 1985. They stood in silence, they read poems and spoke up about the futility of war in our present day.

On the hundredth anniversary of the end of WWI, there was remembrance for those who were brave enough to reject war and suffer the ultimate punishment for their principled stance.

The peace campaigners are alarmed and distressed with regards to the catastrophic situation in Yemen. This poor country home to 250 000 Somali refugees is on the verge of an unprecedented famine. 22.2 million people in that country are dependent on aid. However Saudi Arabia our close ally is bombarding the port of Hudaydeh that receives the humanitarian supplies. KSA has repeatedly committed war crimes with bombs and weapons that the UK government have supplied! [£50 billion worth of weapons and equipment].

Ann Garrett, the secretary of Bromley Borough CND said “on the 100th Anniversary of the war to end all wars, we demand that our government, uses its strong leverage to instigate an immediate ceasefire. All military cooperation and sale of arms to KSA must cease immediately. The UK must also advocate a resolution at the UN Security Council for a ceasefire and an immediate start of negotiations for a permanent peace. “

Richard Hart, the co convenor of Bromley Peace Council said “ I despair at the fact that we are in the 21st century and disputes between states are resulting in lethal wars and deaths of innocent men, women and children. This is a stain of shame on the conscience of the member states of the UN Security Council. The UK government must uphold our British values in our dealings with odious regimes such as Saudi Arabia.”

The campaigners think that the Arms dealers and profiteers have a great deal to answer for in encouraging and prolonging violent conflicts around the world.

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Bromley Borough CND News

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