Cuba Solidarity Campaign statement on the loss and legacy of Fidel Castro
August 13, 1926 – November 25, 2016
The
Cuba Solidarity Campaign is deeply saddened by loss of Cuban
revolutionary leader Fidel Castro Ruz who died at 10.29 on Friday 25
November, aged 90.
For
more than 50 years the Cuban Revolution has been an inspiration for
countries fighting for independence and equality. Cuba’s remarkable
achievements in health, education, women’s rights and social justice
were gained under the leadership of Fidel Castro.
Fidel’s
commitment to internationalism leaves a lasting legacy throughout the
world. From Cuba’s support fighting against Apartheid forces in
Southern Africa, to training doctors from in Latin America, and its
international medical brigades caring for the victims of earthquakes
from Pakistan to Haiti, Cuba has shown that another world is possible.
The
Cuba Solidarity Campaign sends it’s sincere condolences and solidarity
to the family and friends of Fidel Castro and the Cuban people in their
time of mourning.
The
best tribute we in Britain can make is to continue the struggle to end
the immoral and unjust blockade of Cuba and for the return of the
illegally occupied land at Guantanamo Bay.
Hasta Siempre Comandante.
Newcastle
People For Corbyn Demonstration & Rally
On Saturday July 30 2016
Newcastle, Sunderland and South Tyneside Stop the War took part in
a demonstration and rally to support the anti-war, anti-austerity and
anti-racist stand of Jeremy Corbyn and wish every success to the
campaign of Labour party members to retain him as the leader of the
opposition in Parliament and open up the question of building a social
movement to empower the people.
Short You Tube film of demonstration and rall
Newcastle Vigil to Mark the
Release of the Chilcot Report
On Wednesday July 6 around 70 people
gathered at Newcastle Monument to mark the release of the Chilcot
report. Speakers from Newcastle Stop the War, Sunderland Stop the War,
Newcastle Trades union council and Veterans for Peace said that the
Chilcot report is a damning indictment of Tony Blair and those around
him who took us to war in Iraq. The report highlights most of what we
have been campaigning for over the years. Some of the main points are:
Military action was “not a last resort,” the Chilcot Inquiry
has found. The report says there was no imminent threat from Iraq’s
Saddam Hussein in 2003. The report says the threat was "deliberately
exaggerated".
Decided before to
go to war before weapons inspections were concluded. In July 2002
before, well over six months before the invasion of Iraq, Blair wrote
to then-US President George Bush promising him that the UK would be
there with him “whatever,”Chilcot says. Weapons of Mass
Destruction presented ‘with a certainty that was not justified’. Tony Blair to George
Bush, 28 July, 2002. "I would be
happy to try to put all this together... But it needs a huge
commitment in time and energy. So it's only really worth doing if we
are all on the same page. On timing, we could start up after the
(summer) break. A strike date could be Jan/Feb next year (2003). But
the crucial issue is not when, but how."
Chilcot
says it is now clear that policy on Iraq was made “on the basis
of flawed intelligence and assessments. They were not challenged and
they should have been.”
Chilcot
says the inquiry has not expressed a view on whether military action
was legal, as that must be resolved by a properly constituted and
internationally recognized court. “We have, however, concluded that the circumstances in which it
was decided there was a legal basis for UK military action were far
from satisfactory.”
Following the release of the report speakers called for Tony Blair and
others involved in the Anglo-US criminal invasion to be brought to
account. The rally also called for an anti-war government that ends
the cycle of wars and violence by Britain’s interference in other
countries throughout the world.
Tyne & Wear May Day
Photo: Chronicle Live
On Saturday, 30 April,
more than 300 people representing Trade Unions, political parties and
campaign groups took part in the Tyne & Wear May Day march from
Princes Square, Newcastle to Exhitition Park. At the park the May Day
rally was held with speakers and music. Newcastle Stop the War was
represented with activists carrying the banner on the march and the
convener Roger Nettleship speaking at the rally.
On Tuesday, March 22, at
Broadacre House, Newcastle Stop the War Coalition (NSWC) hosted a
meeting with the support of Unison Northern Region on why we should
scrap Trident. Around 20 people took part.
Clare Williams, Unison Northern Region Convener spoke about Unison's
policy and concern in the unstable world conditions created by the big
powers and their added concern against Trident. She said we need to organise
to have a different type of world that brings peace and not war and
brings people together. She said that from a union
perspective it made no sense to say that Trident would "protect" jobs
and outlined how the whole austerity programme, which was linked to
this policy of nuclear weapons was destroying both manufacturing
and public services. She explained Unison's strategy for an alternative
to austerity. She concluded by saying there needs an atmosphere of
ongoing discussion in Unison and other unions on these issues and a working together with Stop the war,
CND, and other organisations and utilising information and facts
from all these organisations in the future.
Alex Snowdon, Newcastle Stop the War concurred with the previous
speaker and the chair around "project fear" that was increasingly being
used to stop serious discussion of these vital issues of Trident as
well as other issues in society. There was a need to take these
issues up in the movement and he spoke about the recent mass
demonstration in London, the first for many years, which showed the
increasing opposition to the renewal of Trident. He said
especially when, you have leaders of SNP, Greens and the leader of the
opposition, Jeremy Corbyn speaking there and in Parliament against
Trident. He pointed out how Trident was totally dependent
on the US. That for the government, Trident was about
prestige and global standing. It was ludicrously expensive, dangerous
and useless in addressing the 21st century security issues. He
concluded by saying that what needed to be done was firstly to put the
arguments across, support Corbyn and campaign and lobby MPs for the
vote in Parliament and secondly to create a broader vision in the
movements of the people for peace and justice and work for a world
without endless war.
Dave Webb, Chair of CND complemented the other speakers giving some
detailed accounts of the nuclear weapons systems, the costs and the
legal frameworks. He pointed out that one submarine which was on duty
all the time could hit 40 targets with nuclear weapons and that 3
million people could be killed with one strike. He pointed that to
target civilians in war was illegal in international law and then gave
facts on how Britain was in breach of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty
it had signed by its actions to renew Trident. Talking about the costs
he said the latest figures that been worked out by a Conservative MP
and put the figure at £180 billion over 30 years, £6 billion a
year. He concluded by also calling for CND working together with
other organisations and it was agreed by all that there needed to be a
new branch of CND set up in Newcastle.
Contributions and discussion were very much focused on developing
discussion in the trade unions and in Labour Party circles and amongst
MPs as well as broadly in society. The meeting was chaired by Roger
Nettleship Convener of NSWC.
Newcastle Stop the War Annual
General Meeting 2016
One of the vital future events discussed
at the AGM
Newcastle
Stop the War Coalition held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday
February 2nd.
The context of the AGM is the continuing
dangerous situation coming from the Anglo-US warmongers stepping up
their covert and overt military intervention in Syria, Iraq, Libya,
Ukraine and elsewhere using the pretext of a "war on terrorism". Equally
dangerous is the attempt to criminalise the Muslim community and
to attack the rights of all the people in Britain under the guise of
opposing terrorism. Present at the AGM were members of Stop the
War and one guest. A new steering committee was elected and the
officers were re-elected. A report was produced on the activities
over the last year and the convener gave a report on the work of
Newcastle Stop the War Coalition over the last year which generated
some important discussion. There were no motions. The AGM then
discussed and agreed future activities for this year including
national events of Stop the War.
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
