On Wednesday 24th October around 50 people
attended this public meeting organised by by Newcastle Stop the War and
Newcastle University's Power/Space/Politics. Alex Snowden from
Newcastle Stop
the War Coalition set the context and Dr Kyle Grayson - Senior lecturer
in
international politics spoke about the turn to drone warfare, a
defining
feature of on-going 'overseas contingency operations' in 'ungoverned
spaces'.
The meeting was chaired by Hazera Begum. Following the presentations
there was
a lively question and answer session.
Naming of the Dead Monument
Newcastle
October 7th 2012 marks the 11th
anniversary of the invasion
and occupation of Afghanistan. Newcastle Stop the War Coalition marked
this
event on Saturday October 6th as part of international protests against
the
continuing carnage caused by the occupation of Afghanistan and to
oppose the
new threats of the NATO powers to intervene in Syria and attack Iran.
Film of
some highlights of the event embedded below.
TSWC Meeting - Drone warfare
terrorising populations by remote
control.
Photo: Getty Images
On Monday September 3 2012, Dr Tomasz
Piersclonek presented
his research in progress to the Tyneside Stop the War Coalition monthly
meeting
on what drones are, why they matter, and the death and destruction they
cause.
He gave insight into the criminal aims behind the US, Britain and
Israel who
are the only powers using drones to kill and maim and terrorise
populations by
remote control in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Palestine.
Discussion Forum: Syria - No
More Wars in the Middle East
On Thursday July 19th 2012, Newcastle Stop
the War Coalition
held a forum in Newcastle Bar Loco: Syria - No More Wars in the
Middle
East, which was attended by about 20 people.
Speaking at the forum was Gari Sullivan, who
has reported
for the The Wire Radio in Australia from Syria earlier this
year. He
showed some slides of his visit to Syria and asked people to think
about the
propaganda war, particularly by the BBC, calling for intervention on
behalf of
Britain and other western powers which is actually the real threat of
unjust
intervention and war.
Andrew Murray, Deputy President of Stop
the War
Coalition then spoke at some length about the context for the
interference
and threatened intervention by Britain and other powers in Syria
elaborating it
from the question of the the "Arab Spring" and the war on terror. In
particular he elaborated the position of the anti-war movement in
Britain and
its work to oppose intervention by Britain and other powers and to
uphold the
right of the people of Syria and other countries to settle their own
affairs
without interference from outside.
A lot of interesting and sometimes
challenging discussion
followed which the speakers dealt with calmly. Then Gari Sullivan
concluded his
points by saying that the tragic deaths occurring in Syria on both
sides could
not justify people saying here that the conflict should not be resolved
peacefully in favour of the Syrian people. Andrew Murray concluded by
condemning Britain's role in supporting the civil war and the need for
the
anti-war movement to challenge the pro-war consensus at Westminster in
order to
oppose any further interventions against Syria, Iran and anywhere else.
Our thanks were given to the speakers and to
Councillor Dipu
Ahad who ably chaired the forum.
May 19th Protest
Hands off Syria and Iran!
Troops Out of Afghanistan!
No Intervention in the Middle East!
Britain Out of NATO!
Newcastle Stop the War Coalition held a
protest at the
Monument on Saturday May 19th, 2012 to mark the international day of
action
with demonstrations in London and Chicago against the NATO conference
in
Chicago. The protests were to oppose the continued occupation of
Afghanistan
and the growing threats against Syria and Iran in recent weeks that
have been
backed up with increased sanctions. As we know from Iraq, these threats
are a
prelude to war, not an alternative to it. There are signs of covert
intervention already in Iran, as there are in Syria. The protest
opposed all
covert and overt military intervention from the western powers in the
region,
for which there is absolutely no justification.
Newcastle Stop the War Coalition
Addresses May Day Rally
On Saturday, May 5th 2012, Newcastle
Stop the War Coalition took part in the May Day March as several
hundred
workers and their families marched through Newcastle and held a Rally
in
Exhibition Park afterwards. Many people attended the Newcastle Stop the
War
Coalition stall at the front of the Marquee and NSWC convener Roger
Nettleship
gave a short intervention to the rally on the work of the anti-war
movement. May
Day Rally Intervention
Saturday Vigil - Hands Off
Syria and Iran!
Naming of the Dead in Afghanistan!
Introduction,
reading of the names and tolling of the
bell.
Newcastle ‘Naming the Dead’ vigil took place
at
Newcastle Monument on March 24th 2012, as more than 400 hundred British
soldiers and 100,000s of Afghans have died as a result of the
occupation of
Afghanistan by NATO powers over 10 years. This action is part of Stop
the War
Coalition’s national day of action - and to mark the anniversary of the
invasion of Iraq. The action read aloud the names of 40 soldiers and 40
Afghans
and how they were killed in Afghanistan as representative of this
destruction
of human life by the occupation. After each name a bell was tolled.
This event
also warned against further wars and bloodshed in the Middle East and
to demand
that the British government be brought to account for its crimes
against peace
and war crimes against the people of so many countries. These wars are
“Not In Our Name!" one of the activists declared.
The protest demanded ‘Hands off Syria and
Iran!’,
opposing the sanctions and intervention which are not an alternative to
war as
they claim but are preparations for more illegal wars as with Iraq.
Introducing
the rally the chair spoke about the nearly one thousand British
soldiers and
over one million people killed by these wars in Iraq, Libya and
Afghanistan. He
said the anti-war movement is aimed at bringing the Coalition
government to
account for its pro-war stance towards Syria, Iran and other countries.
Our
contribution, he said, is to fight here for an anti-war government so
that
Britain stands for peace and stability in the world instead of war.
Don't Attack Iran! - Newcastle
Monument
National Stop the War Day of Action
On Saturday, February 25th, the Tyneside
Stop the War
Coalition organised an action at the Monument as part of the national
Stop the
War Coalition day of action to oppose the British government's criminal
warmongering stance towards Iran and to demand hands off Syria and
Iran.
Hundreds signed the petitions and people joined the protest to make it
very
clear that they area opposed to an attack on Iran by the USA, Britain
and
Israel, or any other power.
Photos:
Newcastle Stop the War Coalition
(RSN)
Don't Attack Iran - Stop the
War public meeting in Newcastle
A public meeting took place in Northumbria
University on
Thursday, 16 February 2012 to oppose the British government's criminal
warmongering stance towards Iran. Nader Naderi a stop the war activist
of
Iranian origin, John Snowdon convenor of the Tyneside PSC and John Rees
National Officer from Stop the War Coalition addressed the meeting and
answered
questions. Hazera Begum a post graduate chaired the meeting.
UNISON Northern Region Council
Passes Motion -The Alternative
to War
On January 18th 2012, Unison Northern Region
Council
comprising Unison delegates from the public sector workers across the
northern
region passed a motion calling for co-operation with other trade
unions, the
TUC and with the Stop the War movement to promote and fight for the
alternative
to these wars.
Moving the motion Roger Nettleship delegate
of Unison South
Tyneside Health Branch pointed out to the delegates: "I like many
unison
members have been involved with the Tyneside stop the war coalition and
like
Unison is affiliated to the Stop the War Coalition our branch is
affiliated to
the local stop the war group. However, there is now increasing concern
from
members that their families are being more and more involved in these
wars. And
not only in Afghanistan that is one of the longest wars of occupation
since the
second world war where nearly 400 British soldiers, and tens of
thousands of
Afghan people killed." He continued that "it is prescient that trade
union movement can and should bring better organisation and get
involved to,
not only support the anti-war movement end the current wars, but also
to oppose
further ones, with the threat to Syria and Iran and the danger that
this brings
us closer to a new world war. The British people and our members have
been sold
the lie that justifies these wars and the murdering of tens of
thousands of
people when every time there is an alternative to these wars." he said.
The motion will further enable the union in
the region to
further the discussion and recommendations in line with its policy that
represent the interests of its members in promoting and fighting for
the
alternative to these wars.
Don't Attack Iran - Stop the
War public meeting in Newcastle
Thursday, 16 February 2012.
5.30-7pm
Where Room 204, Lipman Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon
Tyne
'Stop the War: A Graphic
History': Book launch
15 February at 19:00 at People's
Bookshop..Durham
Join Stop the War
Newcastle demonstration
against the invasion of Afghanistan, October 2001
You can join
and/ or donate to the Stop the War
Coalition: Here
(National Website)
To keep
informed or Join in the work here in the North East
Click the tab for the Mailing List and register
your email address with us and we will keep you informed of activities
and meetings. Also, you can
email us at: office@northeaststopwar.org.uk
