8/7/2019 GDAMS in Wales
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The Wales We Want and the Wales We Dont Want
A letter is being sent to each Welsh member of the
WestminsterParliament demanding an end to the waste of military
spending andinvestment in Wales. Cynefin y Werin the all-Wales
activist Networkis calling for our Westminster and Cardiff
governments to disengagetheir vision for Wales from the global
fortunes of arms companies andthe British military and think about
genuinely valuable alternatives forour country and the world.
This coincides with the first Global Day of Action on Military
Spending and publicationof the figures for global military
expenditure by Stockholm International PeaceResearch Institute. In
2009 the world spent $1.5trillion on war and war preparations,at a
time when we should be moving from military deeds to human needs.
Thisinvestment is being made at a time when resources should
instead be allocated toaddressing climate change, earthquakes,
global poverty, nuclear proliferation, humanrights and the careful
and fair distribution of resources.
In Wales, concern is being expressed that the rhetoric of
devolution, in which Walesearned a distinctive identity committed
to social justice and the health of theenvironment, to its
historical values of community, voice, collectivism and
socialdemocracy - is being lost. While the St Athan Defence College
project has failed,
taxpayers money continues to be spent on promoting defence and
offenceinvestment in Wales.
At a recent Aberystwyth Conference* for those campaigners
dedicated to halting thedevelopment of military aerospace projects
in Wales learned of the waste of moneyspent on promoting St Athan
and on other projects such as at the UAV Centre ofExcellence
Aberporth. Over 14 million of Welsh taxpayers money has been spent
topromote the development of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) at
Aberporth,Ceredigion and possibly Llanbedr , Meirionydd for remote
surveillance and killing. **
As armament-related companies are welcomed and young, unemployed
people,especially in unemployment hotspots are being encouraged to
join the military in
Wales, many wonder how this can be happening in a country that
prides itself on itscommitments to sustainable development, fair
trade and international citizenship.Cynefin y Werin is working with
other groups including Cymdeithas y Cymod and CNDCymru to create a
Wales Peace Institute which could have a role in
examiningalternatives to military investment, in the prevention or
resolution of conflict and war.
Jill Gough of Cynefin y Werin said today:Every pound of public
money spent on the military is a pound that could have spenton
genuinely sustainable jobs. No money is being invested in
addressing the long-termresolution of the root causes of insecurity
and conflict.We will thinking further ahead than the next five
years - to our childrens and
grandchildrens futures and asking our National Assembly
candidates the hardquestions about true sustainability.
ENDS
