Category Archives: Posts

VFP ARRESTED OUTSIDE DRONE BASE IN NEW YORK STATE

On Sunday 22 April, three members of Veterans For Peace — Russell Brown, John Amidon, and Elliott Adams — were among 33 peaceful protesters arrested on Sunday outside Hancock Air Field in New York State. Almost all of the 33 were arrested preemptively, as they walked single-file and silently along a road, prior to reaching the military base, at which they intended to approach the gate and deliver a written statement.

Here is video of the walk: http://youtu.be/xq8xEisjbSA

And of the arrests: http://youtu.be/VzvNYIlASTc

Here is a news story featuring a photo of Elliott Adams being arrested: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/military_protesters_turned_awa.html

The Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones reported that the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department made the arrests in Mattydale, NY, two blocks from the entrance to the base. “Those arrested included an 87 year old woman in a wheelchair, parents (accompanying their children), a member of the press, and the group’s attorney Ron Van Norstrand. Cameras, camcorders and phones were confiscated by the Sheriff’s Department.” http://blog.upstatedroneaction.org

Elliott Adams is Past President of Veterans For Peace, and current Nonviolent Training Coordinator. He had also been arrested in 2011 as one of the Hancock 38 protesting at the same base. Adams commented after this weekend’s arrest:

“Once again local law enforcement obstructed me from complying with the Nuremberg principles. As a veteran of several war zones I understand the importance of international law like the Geneva conventions and the remarkable UN Charter. But as I tried to serve an indictment to those committing war crimes I was arrested preemptively.

“As veterans we know how important international laws like the Geneva conventions are. We know that weaponized drones are continuously being used to commit war crimes and even crimes against peace. The Nuremberg Principles obligate us, as citizens, to stop our government from committing these crimes. Our arrest on Sunday was a clear case of trampling on our 1st Amendment right to ‘petition our government for a redress of grievances.’

“It is outrageous,” Adams remarked, “that on the other side of this fence people are being murdered, albeit at long distance, and the Sheriff will not even investigate. On this side of the fence we are arrested for a ‘violation of permit requirement.'”

Three women succeeded on Sunday in reading aloud at the base gate an indictment addressed to “the Service Members of Hancock Air Base.” The Indictment states, in part:

“By giving material support to the drone program, you as individuals are violating the Constitution, dishonoring your oath, and committing war crimes. We charge the chain of command, from President Barack Obama, to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, to Commander Colonel Greg Semmel, to every drone crew, to every service member supporting or defending these illegal actions, with the following crimes: extrajudicial killings, violation of due process, wars of aggression, violation of national sovereignty, and the killing of innocent civilians.”
http://warisacrime.org/content/indictment-drone-warriors

Adams’ statement, made in court at the trial of the Hancock 38 last November is available online:
http://warisacrime.org/content/elliott-adams-member-hancock-38-and-new-hancock-34-made-statement-trial-november-1-2011

As is his statement at the sentencing hearing:
http://warisacrime.org/content/elliott-adams-sentencing-statement-november-11-2011

Adams told the judge: “I am proud to accept the consequences of my acts and any jail time. I do not want any suspended sentence. If you give me one, also please let me know how I can violate it before I leave the courtroom.” The judge, however, gave Adams a suspended sentence and probation conditions. Adams has not ceased protesting drone wars.

Veterans For Peace was founded in 1985 and has approximately 5,000 members in 150 chapters located in every U.S. state and several countries. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) by the United Nations, and is the only national veterans’ organization calling for the abolishment of war.

REPORT: THE RADICALISATION OF BRADLEY MANNING

The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning opened last night in Tasker Millwood School, Haverford West, Wales. This is the school that Bradley Manning (BM) attended during his teenage years. I have been in West Wales this week along with other activists to organise around the play in an effort to raise the issue of BM. There is a general awareness in the area that BM went to school here and that he is facing serious charges in the US but this is yet to form into a wider campaign of solidarity. It is my hope that this play will help to humanize BM and spur people into action.

The play has been written by Tim Price. I met Tim last year at Occupy London during a talk given by Michael Ratner on the plight of BM. He was obviously passionate about the case and we met up again outside the Supreme Court during a vigil for Julian Assange and again outside the US Embassy at a vigil for BM.

The performance begins as soon as the audience enters the school with sounds of the playground mixed in with the sounds of army training. On entering the school hall actors in combat dress with helmets and weapons distribute polyprop seats and commands to sit in designated positions. The stage is in the centre of the hall with a tall CCTV pillar in each corner. At the base of each pillar monitors are piled up which are used to convey messages and footage throughout the play. The seating is arranged into four banks around the stage and the whole scene reminded me of a boxing arena.

The play is not chronological with the action moving at a fast pace between BM’s school years to Army training, Iraq, Incarceration and back again.The cast is constantly in view with costume changes worked into the action. The actors are completely immersed into the story.

The school scenes build an argument that BM could have been influenced by radical Welsh movements like the Rebecca Riots and Chartists. The pressures applied to the young BM are the hypocritical authority of the teacher and the bullying peer pressure of his classmates. These two pressures from authority and peers are constant throughout the play and build into an almost unbearable intensity.

There are scenes depicting BM working in mundane jobs in the US and wishing that he could afford to go to college.  This leads him to turn to his father with a request for help with college fees.  The father convinces Bradley to join the Army by telling him that they will pay his college fees. The scenes with his father bring out the wider issue of how young people from economically depressed areas are recruited into the military. West Wales is a prime recruiting ground for the British Army.

The scenes depicting Army training and service in Iraq are authentic. The chaotic nature of the war in Iraq ring true, I served in Iraq in 2005 with US forces in Baghdad. I particularly like a scene in which BM works out that some detainees labeled as insurgents are in fact political protesters, his superior tells him that his job is to find more insurgents not reduce their numbers.

The pressure on BM builds and builds as he goes round after round with authority and peers with their lust for perpetuating all that is wrong in the world fueling his sense of duty to do the right thing. The play climaxes with a wonderfully uplifting scene. BM is on the computer downloading what will become the Collateral Murder Video, Afghan War Diaries, Iraq War Logs and Cablegate. The rest of the cast launches into a Lady Gaga number which culminates in hundreds of pieces paper with classified information printed on it being hurled into the air. I was genuinely moved by this scene.

Scenes portraying BM’s incarceration are disturbing and highlight the inhumane treatment amounting to torture that this young man has been subjected to.

The play is in essence a celebration of a small  (BM is 5’2″ and 105 lbs) young (22 when fist incarcerated) homosexual man who won’t accept the world as it is and does something truly incredible about it.

The play is running in Haverford West, Cardiff and Conors Quay. It will also be live streamed from saturday. More details can be found on the NTW Website

Veterans for Peace UK is campaigning for the charges against Bradley Manning to be dropped and for his immediate release.

VETERANS FOR PEACE UK OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED

Veterans for Peace UK held its inaugural meeting on Easter Sunday. 11 veterans attended the meeting. The meeting was started with the reading of The Statement of Purpose. We then had an extended check in where there was a good exchange of experiences.

The aims of VFP UK were laid out;

1) To resist war through non-violent action.

2) To support war resisters.

3) To counter militarism and educate on the true nature of war.

A clarification of our committment to acting non-violently was made, Gerry Condon (VFP USA) explained that  even though there are many pacifists within VFP it is not a pacifist organisation. Bruce Kent enlightened us with some stories of resistance from within the British Army that are not well known.

 

The public launch was well attended. Barry Ladendorf who served in Vietnam with the US Navy talked about the true costs of war. Jim Radford who was at D-Day and served in the Royal Navy spoke about his long history within the peace movement and also performed two songs.Gerry Condon who refused to deploy to Vietnam after training as a Special Forces Medic spoke about the work of VFP and the plight of Bradley Manning.

Mike Lyons who served as a medic on submarines in the Royal Navy spoke about being a conscientious objector and being jailed for refusing to serve in Afghanistan. Matthew Horne who served in Iraq with the Scots Guards spoke about his experiences at Occupy London. Scot Albrecht who served in the US Air Force during the cold war spoke about his work with refugees and his history of resistance to war. Danny Martin who served in with the Royal Signals in Iraq read us two of his poems, one of which is already published on the VFP UK website. John McClean sang us some very powerful songs.

Rob Green a former Royal Navy Commander who served at Northwood HQ during the Falklands war spoke about how important it was for veterans to organise themselves for peace. Also present were Adnan Sarwar who served in Iraq with a bomb disposal unit and was also attached to the USMC and John Lyons who was conscripted into the British Army in 1946 and has a long history within the peace movement.

Thanks to Roland, Sue, Alan and Ross for preparing the food. Thanks to London Catholic Worker for hosting the event. Thanks to John McClean for his music. Thanks to Jason Gleeson for filming. Thanks to Barry, Gerry and Helen from VfP in the USA and thank you to the VfP UK members.

 

Check out our Facebook page for more pictures.

LAUNCH EVENT: VETERANS FOR PEACE UK

Veterans for Peace UK – Our Stories, Our Aims, Our Actions.

Celebrate the launch of Veterans for Peace UK.

Easter Monday 09 April 2012 1400hrs (2pm)

Speakers

Michael Lyons – Royal Navy Veteran
After reading WikiLeaks’ Afghan War Diaries (that Bradley Manning is charged with disclosing), Michael refused to deploy to Afghanistan and was sentenced to seven months in Colchester Military Prison.

Gerry Condon – US Army Veteran
Refused deployment to the war in Vietnam, went underground in Europe and Canada. Gerry is a prominent organiser for Veterans for Peace and the Bradley Manning Support Network.

Matthew Horne – British Infantry Veteran
Matthew served in Iraq with the Scots Guards and spent over 100 consecutive nights on the ground at Occupy London.

Ben Griffin – SAS Veteran
Ben left the Army after refusing to continue serving in Iraq; he is the founder of Veterans for Peace UK.

Jim Radford – WW2 D-Day Veteran
A celebrated folk singer, Jim has been involved in veteran’s peace groups since the days of Ex-Services CND.

DETAIL

FREE ENTRY: ALL WELCOME (Donations appreciated).

Location: Giuseppe Conlon Hall, 49 Mattison Road, London, N4 1BG.

Transport: Tube – Piccadilly Line – Manor House.
Bus – 29, 341, 141 – Mattison Road Bus Stop.

Timings:
1400hrs – Arrive from 2pm.
1500hrs – Launch of Veterans for Peace UK with speakers / music.
1700/1900hrs – Party BYO drink and some food to share.

For more information / RSVP
Phone – Ben 07866 559 312
Email – veteransforpeaceuk@gmail.com
Website – http://veteransforpeace.org.uk/

VETERANS VIGIL FOR BRADLEY MANNING

Today Veterans For Peace UK and supporters held a vigil for Bradley Manning at the U.S. Embassy in London. Bradley begins a pre-trial hearing on Friday at Fort Meade, Maryland  and faces charges that could lead to a lifetime in prison.

Michael Lyons spoke about how reading the Afghan War Logs had confirmed his doubts about the legality of the actions carried out by coalition forces in Afghanistan. In 2010 Michael applied for Conscientious Objector status refused to carry out rifle training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. He was sentenced to 7 months in military prison and was released in November 2011. Michael  travelled up from Plymouth to show his support for Bradley Manning who faces a lifetime in prison.

Ben Griffin spoke about the importance of supporting war resisters. “If we are not actively engaged in war resistance then we should be offering our support to those that are. If it is true that Bradley Manning leaked The Afghan War Logs, The Iraq War Logs and the Collateral Murder video then the last place he should be is in prison. As far as I am concerned he is a Hero. Our countries have committed terrible crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and it is only right that we should all know exactly what has been happening.”

An International day of action has been called for Saturday 17th December. See here for more information www.bradleymanning.org

A further vigil in London has been called by Veterans for Peace UK, London Catholic Worker, Payday and other supporters of Bradley Manning, for Saturday 17th of December, 1400hrs at the U.S. Embassy. Please join us.

UPDATE: DOWNING STREET PROTEST

On the 10th anniversary (07/10/11) of the war in Afghanistan six peace activists blockaded the front entrance to Downing Street preventing any vehicles from leaving or entering. Red paint was poured onto the ground to symbolise the blood spilt in Afghanistan. All six were bailed to appear at West Central Police Station.

Today 08/12/11 at 0900hrs the six answered bail. Ciaron O’Reilly, Mya Evans John Lyons (VFP), and Ben Griffin (VFP) were told that there would be no further action taken. Fr Martin Newell and Chris Cole were charged with Criminal Damage and will appear at Marylebone Magistrates Court on 19/12/11 at 1000hrs .

Martin has been taken into custody on an old warrant relating to nonviolent anti-war resistanceand is due to appear in court tomoorow (09/12/11).

 

 

ARMISTICE DAY 2011

On the 11th of November 2011 Veterans For Peace UK and Occupy activists held an alternative Armistice Day Memorial outside of The Bank of England.

The location was chosen to highlight the role The Bank plays in financing our wars. Also The Bank is a symbol of the financial industry which profits so handsomely from war.

We started with an hour long vigil at Occupy London holding the banner “Mourn The Dead, Heal The Wounded, End The Wars”.

Approxiamately 20 people then walked in single file from St Paul’s to The Bank. Fr Martin Newell lead the way followed by D-Day veteran Jim Radford. Jim carried the Ex-Services CND banner not seen in action for many a year.

Once in place outside The Bank the names of the dead both British and Afghan were read out.At 1100 two minutes silence was observed.Jim Radford then gave us a rendition of “And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda“.Martin Newell gave a sermon. Ben Griffin talked of his own experiences and the futility of violence. Matthew Horne spoke about the disturbing plight of some veterans in the UK specifically about homelessness and substance abuse. Jim Radford sang another song “Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye” . Jim also stated that soldiers do not sacrifice themselves, they are sacrificed.

ASSANGE LOSSES APPEAL

Today at The Royal Courts of InJustice Julian Assange was unsuccesfull in appealing against the decision to extradite him to Sweden over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Julian is being extradited in spite of the fact that no charges have been brought against him and that he has offered to speak to the Swedish prosecutor here in London.

Veterans for Peace UK alongside other activists maintained a vigil for throughout the hearing. Our aim was to give Julian support in 3D outside the court and to put this hearing in the context of the war’s in Iraq & Afghanistan.

Julian is responsible for shining a light on events in Iraq and Afghanistan that our governments would rather not let us know about, for example the Collateral Murder video. For veterans like myself he is a hero. A shrine was erected to remind us all of two young men, Bradley Manning and Michael Lyons who currently languish in prison for resisting these war’s.


MICHAEL LYONS LOSES APPEAL

Today at the Royal Courts of inJustice Michael Lyons was unsuccessful in overturning his conviction for refusing to carry out rifle training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. He was also unsuccessful in arguing that his seven month sentence was excessive.

The judges sided with The Navy opinion that Michael Lyons was required to carry out rifle training  even though he had applied for conscientious Objector status. I am certain that if Michael had carried out the rifle training The Navy would have used that against him in his appeal.

The judges sided with The Navy view that the charge was aggravated because someone else deployed to Afghanistan in place of Michael. That someone else did not have a moral objection to the war in Afghanistan.

It was noted that Michael’s Commanding Officer had supported his application. It was an advisory panel which had never met Michael that decided to reject his application.

Through this whole affair Michael has acted in a calm and polite manner. He has been consistent throughout. He could have gone AWOL, or taken drugs, or feigned injury to avoid being deployed to Afghanistan. He did none of these things. He told his superiors that he wanted to be discharged as a conscientious objector and stuck to his position.

Michael’s fate has been decided by officers and judges with no combat experience (firing missiles from a ship hundreds of miles away from any danger into Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya is not combat it is manslaughter). They wanted Michael to deploy to a patrol base in Afghanistan whilst they sat behind desks rattling their sabres.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks to Hollywood
When you showed me John Rambo
Stitching up his arm with no anaesthetic
And giving them “a war they won’t believe”
I knew then my calling, the job for me

Thanks also to the recruitment adverts
For showing me soldiers whizzing around on skis
And for sending sergeants to our school
To tell us of the laughs, the great food, the pay
The camaraderie

I am, dear taxpayer, forever in your debt
You paid for my all-inclusive pilgrimage
One year basking in the Garden of Eden
(I haven’t quite left yet)

Thanks to Mum and thanks to Dad
Fuck it,
Thanks to every parent
Flushing with pride for their brave young lads
Buying young siblings toy guns and toy tanks
Waiting at the airport
Waving their flags

A Poem by Danny Martin who served in the British Army and is now a member of VFP UK.

VETERANS ARRESTED AT DOWNING STREET PROTEST

 

On the 10th anniversary (07/10/11) of the war in Afghanistan 6 peace activists blockaded the front entrance to Downing Street preventing any vehicles from leaving or entering. Red paint was poured onto the ground to symbolise the blood spilt in Afghanistan.

“Today, 7 October 2011, marks ten years of non-stop war. For a decade British, US and NATO forces have been engaged in an on-going war in Afghanistan which has caused the deaths of thousands , wounded countless numbers, destroyed local communities and uprooted families.

The war has been going on so long we have forgotten the reason it started. Was it to capture Bin Laden? To remove the Taliban? To bring peace and human rights to the people of Afghanistan? To make the world a safer place? All these reasons – and more – have been used to try to justify the death and destruction.

The reality of course is that war cannot bring peace, nor armed violence solve political problems. Just the opposite in fact. Ten years is much more than enough time to learn this lesson. Let us bury the dead, heal the wounded and end the war.

By coincidence today also marks the 500th day of U.S. Army Specialist Bradley Manning’s imprisonment. Bradley has been accused of releasing footage of a U.S. helicopter gunship massacre of civilians in Iraq (see the footage at www.collateralmurder.com). We call for the immediate release of Bradley Manning and also for the release of British military refusenik Michael Lyons.”

The six are – Ciaron O’Reilly, Martin Newell (London Catholic Worker), Chris Coles (Drone Wars UK) , Maya Evans (Hastings Against War), John Lynes and Ben Griffin (Veterans for Peace UK).

All six were arrested  and held at Westminster Central Police Station until midnight.

Watch a video of the action here.

 

 

MICHAEL LYONS COURT HEARING

Thursday 13th October 2011
From 0900hrs
Royal Courts of Justice

On Thursday 13th October Michael Lyons will be appearing before the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

Mike is currently incarcerated at Colchester Military Prison for refusing to carry out rifle training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. At the time Mike had already applied for conscientious objector status.

His lawyer will argue for his release.

Join us in supporting Mike at the Royal Courts of Justice from 0900hrs on Thursday 13th October 2011. The hearing is expected to go on all day.

VETERANS ATTEMPT ARREST OF RUMSFELD

 

On Monday 26 September, three members of Veterans For Peace and a member of Code Pink confronted Donald Rumsfeld at a Boston stop of his book tour. I attempted to make a citizen’s arrest. Police hustled all four of us out, while a hostile rightwing crowd shouted and jeered. To get in, we had to dress nicely, pay $50 and give Rumsfeld a standing ovation so that we did not stand out from this crowd. The $50 got you a copy of his book, which I could not stomach taking. Once Rumsfeld started talking, at two-minute intervals, one of us got up to confront him.

Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice and the rest of this crew are war criminals, according to international law. They lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They lied about Saddam Hussein being linked to 9/11. They lied about mobile weapons labs, yellowcake from Niger, how painless a war would be and countless other things. They instigated a program of torture in Guantánamo, Bagram and who knows how many other black sites. These lies were used as a pretext for initiating a war of aggression against a sovereign nation – an international war crime.

They are also guilty of violating the UN convention against torture (ratified by the US) and are responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and 5,000 Americans. Iraq has been devastated to the extent that, years later, many of its people still do not have 24-hour access to electricity. Much other infrastructure is destroyed in one of the oldest civilisations on the planet. Millions of Iraqis are refugees in other countries.

War criminals such as these need to be confronted at every opportunity. This is already happening. They cannot travel freely in Europe for fear of being arrested. However, the problem is not restricted to the Bush administration. Barack Obama is also guilty of war crimes, as he has continued and expanded the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. In all these countries, war and/or drone strikes have killed thousands of innocent people while doing nothing good and creating more people who hate American policy.

The real problem is the corporate-controlled government here and the military-industrial complex that President Dwight Eisenhower warned us about in 1961. The multinational corporate elite need to continue this policy of endless war, for profit, for resources like oil, and for global economic control. The military-industrial complex and the national security apparatus set up after 9/11 consume more than $1 trillion a year, while pensions, social security and Medicare are under attack. Rarely if ever mentioned by the corporate-controlled mass media is the enormous cost to taxpayers of war, the military and the national security state.

I became an activist in college at Harvard in 1968, at a time when there was a huge antiwar movement that, along with GI mutinies, stopped the Vietnam war. After being drafted into the US Army, I co-founded an underground GI newspaper in Germany. Militant mass nonviolent resistance – people demanding and creating real participatory democracy – is rising again against militarism and corporatism, and for human needs not corporate greed. Events in Tahrir Square have sparked the occupation of Wall Street in New York. An occupation of Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, will begin on 6 October. As Bob Dylan wrote many years ago, “the times they are a-changin’.”

By Nate Goldshlag

A MESSAGE FROM LILLIAN LYONS

It is important for both Michael and I to let you know how much we appreciate your support whilst my husband is locked up in Military prison. Every message, letter and show of face means the world to us and is really helping us to get through this crazy time in our lives.

I am sure most of you know why Michael has been punished by the Royal Navy so I won’t waste your time regurgitating the details of his case, the intimidating Court Martials or the legality of his defence.Instead I will tell you a bit about how Michael’s conscience led him to a incredibly unjust sentence.

Mike has served as a Medic in the Submarine Service for nearly 7 years. It sounds cliche but he really did join up because he thought he could help people. In fact he saw an advert on TV of a Navy Medic jumping out of a helicopter giving humanitarian aid in an unnamed war zone. The medic wasn’t carrying any weapons just a box with a big red cross on it. He was sold.

He had just turned 18, he had no knowledge of current affairs, the legality of the war or any war for that matter. I guess you could say he was naive and he’d probably agree but who isn’t at that age?

Mike was never going to stay in the Military, and as he grew up and matured this was certain. Slowly he developed a keen interest in the issues facing the countries involved in these invasions and i guess you could say this snowballed, the deeper he dug, the more he read the more detached he became from his job, his employers and his colleagues.

In 2009 he started to ask his superiors about notice periods and was told February 2011 would be the earliest time he could give a years notice to leave the Navy. I think this was somewhat prompted by his initial learning of the political reasons behind the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In march 2010 he was given an order to deploy to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan leaving the 30th March 2011. His initial reaction was shock as he had made it quite clear to his superiors that he was planning to give notice to leave. They also knew Mike’s opinion on the Afghan War but despite this he still felt he had a sense of duty and so we started to plan for his deployment.

In the next couple of months he discovered Wikileaks, he read and read about the 76,000 military documents that had been leaked on the internet and published in analysed form in various newspapers. These documents detailed the military’s under-reporting of civilian casualties caused by NATO troops, both in the air and on the ground.

Examples included the convoy of US marines driving down a six-mile stretch of highway firing at everyone they saw, 19 unarmed civilians were killed and a further 50 wounded. Closer to home there were the allegations that Royal Marines had shot innocent drivers and motorcyclists on eight separate occasions over a six-month period, and that Ghurkha’s had called in an air strike on a family compound, leaving seven innocents dead. These were just some of the reports.

Within days Mike had to attend a 2 week advanced medic course to prepare him for deployment to Afghanistan so he didn’t have time to gather his thoughts about the leaked documents or analyse how he felt. The only way I can describe Mike’s reaction to this information is sickened.

On the last day of the course he had a heated argument with an Army doctor who was giving scenarios of when a Royal Navy Medic would need to administer aid. One scenario was of a Afghani Child that had been carried to the Military hospital by her family, the child had a birth defect and was in pain. Mike was the first to speak up saying he would treat the child. The army doctor answered quickly ‘the child’s birth defect is not treatable Lyons, how would you approach this?’ Mike answered back even quicker, well if after I have covered all possibilities and still I cannot treat the condition I would at least offer pain relief, support and compassion to her and her family. The doctor wasn’t happy, this would be a waste of resources, you would have to turn them away, she said.
This was the first thing Mike told me when he got home that night. I just cried. We both got very upset and he said I don’t agree with what’s happening, I don’t agree politically and I don’t agree morally, I cannot be part of it, I can’t be in the Military knowing this is what they stand for. I guess I am a Conscientious Objector. These were his exact words, they are ingrained on my memory because this was the moment I have never been more proud in my life.

He told his superior and they asked for it in writing, he did this immediately and the captain accepted the statement and agreed that Mike was a conscientious objector. However as it was passed up the chain of command something went very wrong. A few days later the decision had been overturned by someone, we still don’t know who further up the chain. Mike was furious and advised his chief he would be appealing the decision. He handed his second statement to his chief the next day and detailed the reasons why he was a conscientious objector, the chief promptly handed this back to Mike and said he would not pass it to the appeals court until Mike had toned it down and written in a less emotional way!

Whilst we were waiting for a date for the appeal Mike was due to attend a weapons training course, here he would learn how to use an SA-80. Mike called it a learning to Kill course. Mike’s conscience would not allow him to complete the course and he asked to be put on non-combatant duties whilst his appeal was pending, he explained why he was a conscientious objector in detail. He was returned to unit.

On December 17th 2010 Mike’s appeal was unsuccessful, we were all in shock, he was honest sincere and correct. The judge even had to adjourn the court half way through as Mike got so upset when speaking about the details of the casualties of this war.They gave no reason why they had chosen not to believe Mike and we have yet to receive any. Technically the appeal is still pending because Liam Fox secretary of defence has the final say and Mike has not received any formal decision in writing.

Just after the appeal the Navy chose to charge Mike with wilful disobedience for refusing to complete the learning to kill course.

Since then It has been a very hard journey, we have both lost a lot of friends through this, Mike has received threats and been the subject of bullying from his colleagues, getting into arguments on a daily basis about the legality of war and reporting back to me every night about how astonished he is by the level of racism within the navy.

His chief called him a cancer worried that he would spread his message of love and peace among the ranks!Michael has however been very discreet about his views and has never tried to push them on to anyone else, he has simply defended the afghani people when they often became the subject of race hate within the office where Mike worked.

Despite the difficulties Mike has faced he is completely at peace with all of his decisions. He says that he has a clear conscience and if he had done anything differently he wouldn’t be able to live with himself so he is happy and proud of what he has made a stand against.

I am so proud of my husband, he is the most compassionate, kind, loving and moral man I have ever known. I agree with everything he has done and I am appalled by the way the Navy have treated him.

One thing sticks in my mind about this last year and it’s really personal but I want to share it with you because it shows how strong Mike’s convictions are. He said to me just before the sentencing that if he hadn’t had stood up for what he believes in, or if he had gone to war or stayed in the Military he wouldn’t have been able to start a family with me. He said I would never want my children looking up to me if i had been part of this destruction, this death and greed And I couldn’t be the husband that you deserve either.

One day Michael and I will start a family and our children can be proud of their father. Michael is locked up unjustly for having a conscience but i feel like the luckiest woman in the world simply because that man is my husband.

Lillian Lyons

IRAQ VETERAN CONFRONTS TOTTENHAM MP

Tonight I attended the “Call for Peace Vigil” in Tottenham. Local community leaders spoke well of the responsibility we all have to promote peaceful solutions to the problems of society.

The MP for Tottenham David Lammy was then given the platform and he echoed the call for non-violence in the aftermath of the Tottenham riots. As he was speaking all I could think of was this mans complicity in the war in Iraq. He voted very strongly for the war and very strongly against an inquiry into the same war.

After the vigil I approached Mr Lammy and told him that  I agreed with his call for peace. I then asked him to reflect on his previous decision to support the war in Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of vital infrastructure. I also asked him whether he agreed that violence always breeds more violence and that in supporting war in Iraq he was sending out a message that violent action was acceptable.

for a moment Mr Lammy looked racked with guilt as the depth of his hypocrisy sank in. Then after an awkward silence he responded with relief “as a christian I agree with your message“. But not it seems as an MP.

Ben Griffin, Veterans For Peace UK

MICHAEL LYONS IN GOOD SPIRITS

SOLIDARITY VISIT WITH MICHAEL LYONS

Today I visited Michael Lyons in Colchester Military Prison. He is currently serving a seven month sentence for refusing to carry out weapons training in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. Michael had already applied for conscientious objector status. With me were Martin Newell from London Catholic Worker, Stephan Gillies a local activist and Jill, Michael’s mum.

The visit lasted two hours and Michael was found to be in good spirits. He is being held with soldiers being discharged from the Army so that he can’t “infect the others that are staying in the Army”.

His main concern is the well-being of his wife Lillian, who is based in Plymouth. Michael is not being paid by the Navy whilst he is serving his sentence so his wife is struggling to meet the bills whilst working in a low paid job. She is also finding it difficult to make the long journey from Plymouth to Colchester to see Michael.

Michael is keen to become involved with the Peace Movement in the future. He has shown other servicemen with objections to the war in Afghanistan that they have a choice. Six months in Afghanistan taking part in the further destruction of that country or six months in prison with a clear conscience. As a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan I know which option I would take.

Michael is spending a lot of his time in prison in the library. When not in the library there is a lot of pointless ironing and cleaning to be carried out prior to inspections. This is just the sort of training that will be useful in civvie street to Michael and the others being discharged after their sentences!

VIGIL IN SUPPORT OF MICHAEL’S ACTION

Whilst visiting Michael a vigil was held outside the main gate to celebrate his action and to encourage further resistance from inside the military. 27 people from London, Colchester and the surrounding area were present.

A shrine was erected by members of London Catholic Worker.

Giorgio Riva from the organisation payday spoke about the need for solidarity and inclusiveness in the peace movement in order to support refuseniks internationally.

Gwyn from the organisation at ease spoke about the details of Michael’s case and the work that she does in supporting soldiers who have a crises of conscience.

Ciaron O’Reilly of  london catholic worker  told of his own experiences of being in prison as a result of his peace activism. He also told us how valuable solidarity from the outside was in keeping him going whilst in prison.

Michael’s mother Jill thanked everyone for supporting her son and told us how proud she was of him.

Naomi Colvin from uk friends of bradley manning updated us on the persecution of Bradley Manning, currently held in a US military prison for allegedley leaking collateral murder to wikileaks.

The local Stop the War convener told us about an upcoming march in London and about meetings they were holding.

Martin and myself gave a report about our visit and encouraged others to write to Michael and visit him.

The visit and the vigil outside went very well. On the way back to London I phoned Michael’s wife Lillian to let her know how Michael was doing. We are planning to go back at the start of September, more details to follow.

HELP LILLIAN VISIT MICHAEL

Michael Lyon’s is presently being held in Colchester Military Prison. It is a 700 mile round trip for his wife Lilian to visit him.  If you would like to make a donation to alleviate travel expenses make a cheque out to “London Catholic Worker”, write “Lyons” on the back of the cheque and send it to “Michael Lyons Support” c/o Giuseppe Conlon House, Harringey, London N4 1BG

SUPPORT FOR WAR RESISTOR MICHAEL LYONS

Veterans for Peace UK will join local and London anti-war activists in staging a solidarity vigil outside of Colchester Military Prison this Saturday August 6th 3pm-5pm.  The vigil is being called in support of the courageous action taken by Michael Lyons in refusing to deploy to Afghanistan and to encourage further nonviolent resistance to the war from within the military.

Navy medic Michael Lyons is presently being detained in Colchester Military Corrective Training Centre since his sentencing in July. At his court martial Lyons testified that information on the nature of the war released by WikiLeaks led to him taking a moral position against the war on Afghanistan.

Ben Griffin of Veterans for Peace UK stated,

“Michael Lyons has taken a courageous stand in refusing to deploy to Afghanistan. He joins a growing number of servicemen who have listened to their conscience and refused deployment to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are holding this vigil in support of Michael’s action and to encourage other servicemen to do the same.”

Ciaron O’Reilly a peace activist organising the vigil stated,

” We are now ten years into these wars on the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.  The pretences and lies that justified the invasions have long been exposed, the major perpetrators have left the stage of public life, but the killing and dying goes on.  There is no popular support for sustaining these invasions, but unfortunately little visible opposition presently coming from civil society.

It is obvious that marches, lobbying and pontificating are not enough to stop these wars.  What will be significant in bringing these wars to an end is nonviolent resistance, such as Michael Lyon’s refusal to deploy to Afghanistan. Whenever and wherever this nonviolent resistance emerges, we are obligated to be proactive in our solidarity towards those taking the risks and in jeopardy.   I have spent two years in various prisons for  nonviolent resistance to war.  I know from personal experience the significance of the smallest acts of human solidarity in sustaining the resister and the resistance.”

THE SUBVERSION OF ARMISTICE DAY

 The Poppy Appeal is once again subverting Armistice Day. A day that should be about peace and remembrance is turned into a month-long drum roll of support for current wars. This year’s campaign has been launched with showbiz hype. The true horror and futility of war is forgotten and ignored.

The public are being urged to wear a poppy in support of “our Heroes”. There is nothing heroic about being blown up in a vehicle. There is nothing heroic about being shot in an ambush and there is nothing heroic about fighting in an unnecessary conflict.

Remembrance should be marked with the sentiment “Never Again”.

Ben Griffin (Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq)

Ben Hayden (Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq)

Terry Wood (Northern Ireland, Falklands)

Ken Lukowiak (Northern Ireland, Falklands)

Neil Polley (Falklands)

Steve Pratt (Dhofar, Northern Ireland)

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

We, veterans of the armed forces, having dutifully served our nation, do hereby affirm our greater responsibility to serve the cause of world peace.

To this end:

a. We will work toward increasing public awareness of the costs of war

b. We will work to restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations

c. We will work to end the arms race and to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons

To achieve these goals, members of Veterans for Peace pledge to use non-violent means and to maintain an organisation that is both democratic and open with the understanding that all members are trusted to act in the best interests of the group for the larger purpose of world peace.

We urge all veterans who share this vision to join us.