Scottish CND News Faslane Peace Camp
VICTORY !
The first few weeks of spring 1998 have brought a sense of triumph to Faslane Peace Camp. The climax came on Monday April 6th at the eviction hearing in Dumbarton Sherrif Court. Sherrif Frazer ruled that Argyll and Bute's eviction notice refered to Faslane Peace Camp as unincorporated body of persons. This implied that the campers were trading as a business. The Sherrif noted that the only thing campers had in common was their opposition to nuclear weapons -this was a proof of a shared believe not an organised business. Thus the eviction notice was ""incompetent" and the case was dismissed. Ecstatic campers immediately called for a full public inquiry to investigate the running of Argyll and Bute council, and on 9th April wrote the Scottish Office asking for an inquiry to be set up.
EVICTION THREAT REMAINS
Argyll and Bute council has been given 14 days in which to appeal the Sheriffs ruling. Even if it chooses not to appeal Independent councillors have made it clear that they are studying other options, including serving eviction notices against named individuals. For this reason all the defences at the camp will remain in place. The camp is grateful to all the groups and individuals who have supported us thus far. However we still need a lot of support thru these testing times. We also desperatly need money to cover incurred debts and to help us plan for our future.
DELIBERATE DECEPTION
Argyll and Bute has never discussed the problems it has with the camp with the actual residents of the camp - nor with the residents (and voters) of Argyll and Bute. It has never made clear where it will get the hundreds of thousands of pound necessary to forcibly remove the camp. The people of Argyll and Bute want the Council to concentrate its money, time, and resources on saving local jobs and services, in particular local schools. Until the Council publicly justifies its eviction policy people will be left to draw their own conclusions as to its motives.
Are the Councils actions an attempt to silence peace activists connected to the Ministry of Defence's attempt to sell off woodlands adjacent to Faslane Peace Camp. Montagu Evans property developers have been trying to sell this land on behalf of the M.O.D. According to Montagu Evans' prospectus the front 9.5 acres of land is designated for residential development. Somebody, somewhere is going to make a fortune if the land is sold. Unfortunately for them the camp is right in front of this area. Phone Montagu Evans on 0141 204 2090 and demand answers. Phone up Argyll and Bute Council's Chief Executive Office on 01546 604 263 and ask them tricky questions as well.
CORRUPTION AND LIES
Councillors have suggested that Peace Campers would get council houses if they left Faslane Peace Camp quietly. Campers have made it clear that they would turn down any such offer - there are many people in Argyll and Bute already waiting for council houses. For councillors to suggest council house queue jumping as a solution to political problems that councillors themselves have created is an insult to the homeless and smacks of corruption.
The Independent Councillors have said that residents in Argyll and Bute believe the camp is ugly. They have said that there is a petition against the camp signed by over nine hundred residents of Argyll and Bute. They say a lot but they have never shown any concrete proof to back up their statements. In fact a two petitions do exists. One is thirteen years old, signed by 970 people, and is against a different camp that doesn't even exist any more. The other petition is a current one supporting Faslane Peace Camp - which has been signed by over 8,000 people.
BUSINESS AS USUAL
On Friday 20th March the camp celebrated the spring equinox by holding a greening week. New gardens were established in the camp, trees were planted in M.O.D. land, a disused car was turned into a green house, and workshops where held covering a variety of subjects; permaculture, creative writing, trident nuclear weapons, non violent direct action (NVDA). Over the weekend of Sat 21st/Sun 22nd of March contractors for the M.O.D. attempted to cut down trees and build a fence around woodlands separating the camp from the Gareloch. A frantic outburst of pixie missions ensued. Trees had "S" painted on them and frayed polyprop wrapped round their trunks. Deep holes dug for fence posts vanished overnight. Eventually the M.O.D. gave up and settled for a sad wee metal fence that winds its way round the woodlands, bending round the trees that had originally been destined for felling.
Regardless of the eviction threat Campers have been carrying on their campaign against trident nuclear weapons. Following the U.K.'s threat to bomb Iraq in February, Faslane Peace Camp, Scottish CND, and NukeWatch set up an International Weapons Inspectorate (Scotland) to demand access to Britain's weapons of mass destruction. On Monday 4th March the International Weapons Inspectorate (Scotland) sent a letter to Faslane Naval Base stating that an inspection would be held on 27th March and the inspection teams would like unrestricted access to the base. On 18th March Faslane Naval Base wrote back to formally refuse access. Demonstrations immediately began at the bases gates and have been going on nightly ever since. Campers have got into Faslane Peace Camp on four seperate occasions since the 18th of March. On Monday 30th March campers disrupted the sailing of a trident for over five hours. Five campers where detained.
BE PART OF THE VICTORY! JOIN US NOW!
Scottish CND News Faslane Peace Camp