I went thru to protest at the Ark Royal today, but immediately got depressed and came home. I've never seen an aircraft carrier before. Susans of police protecting it, susans of dock workers loading munitions anna susans of parents saying goodbye to their wains off to kill or die. I could've gret.
I got no impression of militarism, it wis mair like a wake. I'm not going back there. I'm going to the Scottish Parliament all day Thursday to protest the real villians and watch my own representative misrepresent me.
SCND:
LOBBY OF SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT DEBATE ON IRAQ, THURSDAY 16th JANUARY
If you can - join the picket / lobby of the Scottish Parliament from 9am in Parliament Square or the small rally there at 1pm after the debate has finished.
People are going in to the public gallery to witness the debate. You need to reserve seats to do this. You can reserve up to 5 seats (subject to availability) by contacting the Scottish Parliament Visitor Centre on 0131 348 5411 (minicom 0131 3485415). Tickets are free.
If you can't make it please contact your MSP to urge them to oppose the use of military force.
The motion has been put down by the SNP. While the wording could be stronger, there is more chance of achieving a majority vote around this stance. Please let your MSPs know your personal opinions on the current situation.
Email addresses of MSPs can be found in their biographies at:
www.scottish.parliament.uk/msps/msps.html
The motion for debate is:
S1M-3760 Mr John Swinney: The Current International Situation-That the Parliament endorses United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 on the basis that it provides a mandate for weapons inspection in Iraq; welcomes the legal opinion of Matrix Chambers on behalf of CND which concluded that Resolution 1441 does not provide an authorisation for military action in Iraq and that any such use of force would breach international law; believes that UN weapons inspectors must be afforded total freedom of access in Iraq and to all evidence in the possession of other states, together with sufficient time in order to produce a comprehensive report for the consideration of the Security Council on the state of Iraqi compliance with the resolution; believes that no commitment of UK forces should be made without a specific mandate for military action in Iraq in the form of a further Security Council resolution based on clear, published and compelling evidence provided by the UN inspectorate of a material breach of Resolution 1441, and expresses its deep and serious concern that Her Majesty's Government is currently pursuing an inevitable path to war.
2. ARK ROYAL PROTESTS CONTINUE
Protests will continue at Glen Mallan where the aircraft carrier Ark Royal is currently loading stores and munitions for the war on Iraq. On Wednesday morning meet at 10.00am outside Partick Station, Glasgow.
We have received strong rumours that the Ark Royal will sail at 11am on Thursday morning. To join the protest on that day meet at Partick Station 9am (an hour earlier that on Wednesday) to get out there in time.
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