02/09/2011

DRONES PEACE CAMP – Support from Cymru to England


CYNEFIN Y WERIN
The all Wales activist network on peace, justice, human rights and environment
PRESS RELEASE
September 2 2011
DRONES PEACE CAMP – Support from Cymru to England
Cynefin y Werin, the all Wales activist network on peace, justice, human rights and environment, is supporting the creation of a new peace camp being established tomorrow, 3 September, by campaigners in Lincolnshire, England.
RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire is the new base for pilots of the RAF’s Reaper drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Drone technology enables people who are many thousands of miles away to operate UAVs, which can be used for surveillance and spying or include bombs in their payload. British drones have been active in warfare in Afghanistan and the Pakistan border regions, and there is evidence that drones have been used in the Libya conflict too.
Cynefin y Werin is concerned about the growing connections between Wales and this form of remote killing. There have been significant investments of taxpayers’ money in drone technology developments at Aberporth in recent years. Since July 28th this year, a 500 square mile airspace over Wales is being used to test the MoD ‘Watchkeeper’ drones flown between Aberporth (Ceredigion) and Mynydd Epynt (Carmarthenshire and Powys).
It has recently been revealed that Llanbedr military airfield, near Harlech in Snowdonia may also be used for testing such vehicles. There are also close links between the ‘special forces’ unit housed at MOD St Athan and electronic warfare in Afghanistan.
Stephen Thomas, a spokesman for Cynefin y Werin, said: 
‘The increasing militarisation of Wales – in arms manufacture and trade, low level flying, development of new military technologies, military training in our countryside and in the provision of young people to train in the British military forces is of great concern to those who had hoped to live in a Wales which would contribute to a truly just and sustainable future.’
‘The Welsh Government should inform the public how far the 'special forces' based in St Athan are engaged in this remote 'drone' technology, which is such a worrying development in modern warfare’.
ENDS 
Contact: 
Stephen Thomas: 02920 6666 45 
Jill Gough: 01239 85 11 88