events | ukwatch.net

Bring Binyam Back to Britain

Ellie Keen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:10:47 +0000

Where: Trafalgar Square, in front of the National Gallery

When: 3 pm, Sunday 15 June

Who: Reprieve Director Clive Stafford Smith, former Guantánamo prisoners, Barney the Dinosaur and other special guests

On Sunday 15 June, US President George W. Bush is visiting London as part of his valedictory world tour, and will be having tea with the Queen and dinner with Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Reprieve, the legal action charity that represents over 30 Guantánamo prisoners, is using this opportunity to highlight the suffering of Binyam Mohamed, the London resident who remains in Guantánamo Bay. The US military has announced that it wants to put him through its discredited Military Commission process, and a final decision will be made in the next two weeks. The commission system is so corrupt that Col. Morris Davis recently quit as the chief military prosecutor, because of the system’s many flaws, one being that evidence derived from torture was going to be used against the prisoners.

Nothing could be more true of Binyam, who was taken to Morocco where his genitals were razor-bladed for 18 months. After that he was rendered to more abuse in the CIA-run “Dark Prison” in Kabul, where he was tortured psychologically, hung up and subjected to incredibly loud music for 20 days at a time. He has been imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay since September 2004.

The timing of President Bush’s visit to London is fortuitous but only if his supporters can make sure that he gets the message. The “Bring Back Binyam” initiative starts at 3 pm outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and Reprieve is working towards a finale outside the Southbank Centre, where Massive Attack are hosting a series of Reprieve events as part of Meltdown 2008, at 4.30pm.

Throughout this initiative, Reprieve will dramatize the torture-by-music that Binyam and other prisoners have suffered. Barney the Purple Dinosaur will be making a personal appearance, as the theme tune to this popular children’s show has been one of the US torturers’ favourite pieces of torture music. Reprieve is also hoping to involve other creative “cartoon characters”: Katy the Kangaroo Court, and even Roger the Razor Blade. Cosmetics firm Lush, who have been supporting the work of Reprieve, have kindly agreed to bring along their massive “Fair Trial My Arse” orange underpants, to highlight the nature of the unjust process that Binyam is facing. Brighton’s Save Omar campaigners — having effortlessly shifted their focus to Binyam’s plight — will be turning up with their typical creative energy, and Reprieve will also be supported by Cageprisoners and the London Guantanamo Campaign.

Reprieve notes that supporters of Binyam don’t have to sing the Barney theme song (although they’re welcome to), and also suggests that supporters can dress up in any outfit that they think dramatises Binyam’s torture over the past six years.

For further information, please contact Reprieve on 020 7353 4640.

A pair of handcuffs for George Bush

Ellie Keen — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:18:59 +0000

“Who’s the last visitor Gordon Brown needs at a time like this?” asks The Independent newspaper. “Step forward George Bush.” During his state visit on Sunday 15 June, Bush will be “entertained by the Queen at Windsor Castle” and “have dinner with Gordon Brown at Downing Street”.

He will also face a national demonstration organised by Stop the War Coalition and CND. As Andrew Murray, national chair of Stop the War told The Independent, “George Bush should be in The Hague facing war crimes charges over the hundreds of thousands of civilians killed in Iraq since 2003, not being entertained in Downing Street. Gordon Brown doesn’t need a policy brief for this meeting, just a pair of handcuffs.”

The demonstration, which assembles in Parliament Square at 1pm, will include the delivery to Downing Street of numerous handcuffs, attached to which will be quotations from leading voices in the world of politics and the arts, giving their reasons why mass murderers like Bush are not welcome here (see below).

The United States’ government says George Bush’s visit is “to strengthen the transatlantic partnership and to celebrate the enduring friendship between our nations”. Our demonstration will represent the vast majority in this country who have always opposed the Iraq war and we will be
saying loud and clear that rather than welcoming George Bush, the British government should be denouncing his war crimes and Gordon Brown should be fulfilling his promise to develop an independent foreign policy by withdrawing British troops.

Please publicise the demonstration as widely as you can and encourage your friends, work colleagues, fellow students etc to join the demonstration on Sunday 15 June. Leaflets and posters are available from the Stop the War office (telephone 020 7278 6694).

GEORGE BUSH NOT WELCOME HERE
DEMONSTRATE SUNDAY 15 JUNE, 1.00PM
PARLIAMENT SQUARE, LONDON
http://www.stopwar.org.uk/
Called by Stop the War Coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Join the Peace Chain

Ellie Keen — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:03:55 +0000

Join the Peace Chain around Faslane on June 14th!

From the website of Scottish CND

When? Saturday 14 June 2008 – 11.30am assemble,12 noon march off to form Chain

Why? All the nuclear weapons held by the UK are based in Scotland. The Peace Chain is a peaceful protest against the UK Government’s plan to build a new nuclear weapon system (‘Trident replacement’), which would be at Faslane until 2055. Opinion polls show that 72% of the Scottish people are against the plan. The new system would cost £75 billion. What else could £75 billion buy? There are better ways to use the money.

The Peace Chain date marks several important anniversaries:

One year ago, 14 June 2007, the Scottish Parliament voted against the UK Government’s plan for a new nuclear weapon system.
The day of the Peace Chain also sees the celebration of the 26 th birthday of Faslane Peace Camp.
40 years ago, 14 June 1968, the first British nuclear patrol – HMS Resolution – sailed from Faslane.
This year is also the 50 th birthday of CND and its struggle against nuclear weapons.

In SCND’s history never before has there been such concerted and widespread opinion against nuclear weapons in Scotland – both amongst elected officials and the general public – and so with this Peace Chain we intend to mark not only anniversaries of past events but a real hope for the future.

Where? We will assemble at Faslane Peace Camp, which is close to Helensburgh (35 miles from Glasgow). See Transport to Peace Chain.

How? We will be forming a chain of people and banners along the main perimeter fence at Faslane, which is about 2000m long. The fence has about 64 panels which will be divided into sections, with a marshal responsible for making sure each section is covered: setting people in place, keeping them in place and spaced out for the duration of the demonstration and distributing people/materials to cover the entire length.

As much as possible we want to link everyone, at least all the people in the same section, by a common chain. This can be made from anything that you like (that you think has a chance of withstanding the elements)! Bunting, rope, old sheets, washing line... SCND will bring as much material like this as possible but we need you come along with whatever you can. We welcome organised groups to sign up with us beforehand and to take responsibility for a certain length of the fence, whether this is 10m or 100m.

We are looking for the strongest possible participation on the day, but from those who are not able to attend we would welcome some kind of representation to be sent to us or brought by someone else on the day – for example decorate your own personal CND peace sign, or put your name to a big banner representing your local area. There will be an opportunity to make/sign these at CND local meetings and street stalls which will be happening across Scotland in the next few weeks. Or you can send us items to slot onto the Peace Chain: SCND, 15 Barrland Street, Glasgow, G41 1QH

Join in Please use our online form if you would like to take part

Need to know more ?
Visit the SCND website
email: scnd@banthebomb.org or phone: 0141 423 1222.
Download information pack