EPJC says Cameron Wrong: Korea Nukes not Threat to UK: Scrap Trident Demonstration & Blockade 13 – 15 April

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Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre Press Release: For Immediate Release

Anti – Trident Groups Say Cameron Wrong, N Korea Nukes not Threat to UK; Scrap Trident Coalition to Demonstrate 13 – 15 April

As David Cameron visited FaslaneNaval Base today and announced the nuclear threat has “increased since the Cold War” the broad based Scrap Trident Coalition [1] argued his remarks were ludicrous scaremongering and called for investment in green jobs and human services instead of immoral and wasteful nuclear weapons.

Scrap Trident activists protested at the North Gate of Faslane as the Prime Minister visited Victorious, one of the Vanguard class submarines which carries up to 40 Trident nuclear weapons each 8-10 times the destructive force of the Hiroshima bomb.

Brian Larkin, Coordinator of the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre, speaking for the Scrap Trident Coalition said “David Cameron’s assertion that the UK is threatened by North Korean nuclear weapons would be laughable if it was not so deadly serious. Anti-nuclear activists and former military officers have been making the point for some time that Trident is an outmoded Cold War relic. Cameron is attempting to play down that argument with the ridiculous suggestion that Europe and even the UK is threatened by North Korea’s attempts to develop ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The truth is North Korea does not have the ability to put a nuclear warhead on long range missile. It is nowhere near being able to strike the mainland US with a nuclear weapon and has no prospect of striking the UK at all.

Yet Cameron’s claim that the UK needs Trident to protect it from this so-called threat reveals the very real danger we do face. So long as the UK and and the other nuclear weapons states continue to rely on nuclear weapons for their“ultimate security” other states will seek to acquire nuclear weapons for their security. Eventually that approach will lead to the use of nuclear weapons with the horrible deaths of millions of innocent civilians and vast environmental devastation. Instead of replacing Trident the UK should fulfil its obligation under the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and achieve worldwide nuclear disarmament at last. Then states like North Korea would not feel they need to invest precious resources in developing nuclear weapons.
“At the same time Cameron is arguing that Scotland needs UK defense jobs. Our blockade of Faslane will be part of a Global Day of Action Against Military Spending. [2] With global military spending reaching $1.7 Trillion worldwide the UK is the 4th largest producer of weapons in the world [3]. The world is awash with weapons. But who profits? Not the people of Scotland but corporations like US based Lockheed which makes massive profit building Trident missiles. Let’s invest the £100 Billion currently earmarked for Trident replacement in green jobs, in education and the NHS.  Investment in these sectors will generate far more jobs per pound for Scotland and the UK than spending on Trident and other military spending.
The Scrap Trident coalition is organising a national demonstration in Glasgow 13 April with 5,000 people expected and a mass blockade of Faslane Naval Base which organisers say will shut down the base 15 April.  Whether Scotland gains independence or not the Scrap Trident coalition is calling on the UK to disarm Trident, not replace it with any other nuclear weapons system and instead fund human needs. [4]
Therewill be nonviolent direct action training and workshops on legal support, singing disability rirghts struggles and, international disarmament campaigning on Sunday 14 April in Glasgow. Anyone considering joining the nonviolent blockade and risking arrest on the Monday should register for the training on www.scraptrident.org. But supporters are welcome to join the peaceful non-arrestable demonstration. There are buses from Edinburgh, Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland and England. Details are at Getting to the Blockade on www.scraptrident.org To book places on buses from Edinburgh and Glasgow people should ring the Peace and Justice Centre on 0131 229 0993 or email registration[at]scraptridetn.org. To book a place from other cities see Getting To the Blockade on www.scraptrident.org.
Photos attached

For further details contact:

Brian Larkin (Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre) 0131 229 0993 Mobile: 07584492257

[1] The Scrap Trident Coalition is a diverse broad based coalition. For details see:http://scraptrident.org/

[2] For more information on the Global Day of Action Against Military Spending and actions throughout the UK and worldwide on 15 April see: http://demilitarize.org/

[3] http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/milex/sipri-factsheet-on-military-expenditure-2011.pdf

[4] For more information on the Scrap Trident weekend of Protest & Action 13-15 April see:http://scraptrident.org/

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