A Trail of Tears for Afghanistan

A path from resistance from London to Colchester in support of Joe Glenton

25 June – 1 July 2010

Indymedia: http://tinyurl.com/2bot392
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/347nb4s

SATURDAY 26 JUNE: ARMED FORCES DAY
Meet 10.30am, Ministry of Defence, for a day of counter-recruitment activity and informing soldiers of their legal right to object to war.

SATURDAY 26 JUNE: DISSENT, RESISTANCE AND THE MILITARY
How should the peace movement engage with ordinary soldiers? Discussion with Mike Marqusee, Gwyn Gwyntopher (At Ease), and ex-soldier Ben Griffin. 6-8pm, Housmans Bookshop, N1.

SUNDAY 27 JUNE: UNARMED FORCES DAY
Meet 10.30am, Ministry of Defence, for the start of five-day walk to the military prison in Colchester where soldier Joe Glenton is in prison for refusing to fight in Afghanistan.

Other related events:
Friday 25 June, London: Forces Watch briefing on British Army recruitment practices.
Saturday 26 June, London: Counter-recruitment actions at Army Contact Points (aka ‘Arcades of Death’) in Dalston, Hounslow and Bromley.
Sunday 27 June, Huddersfield: Unarmed Forces Day screening of the film ‘Soldiers of Peace’ (2008).

See here for more events

See here for more information on the peace walk

report & pictures of the 5 day peace walk

On a day of searing heat, peace campaigners assemble in London to begin a five day peace walk from London to Colchester to continue to oppose the war in Afghanistan and to bring attention to the detention of Joe Glenton, currently serving a military sentence for refusing to serve in Afghanistan. See the reports and pictures (Photos by D. Viesnik and Terence Bunch)

See more photos on twitter

Information on the peace walk: a Trail of Tears for Afghanistan

BACKGROUND INFO

“When I went to Afghanistan I was proud to serve the Army and to serve my country, but before long I realised the government was using the Army for its own ends. It is distressing to disobey orders, but when Britain follows America in continuing to wage war against one of the world’s poorest countries I feel I have no choice. Politicians have abused the trust of the Army and the soldiers who serve” – Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, jailed for 9 months for refusing to return to Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan is currently costing British  taxpayers £5 billion a year, and though the Government claims that British troops are fighting there to keep us safe, 80% of the public simply don’t believe them. In reality, British troops are killing and dying to protect one of the most corrupt governments in the world: a government that condones marital rape, tortures its own citizens, and was elected by massive fraud, and their presence there increases – not decreases – the risk of terrorism to us here in the UK.

The overwhelming majority (77%) of the British public want British troops withdrawn from Afghanistan “within a year or so”. Yet, despite this, voters have been deprived of any meaningful choice at the ballot box. Indeed, 70% agreed that the three main parties did not offer “any real choice of policies” on Afghanistan.

PLEASE JOIN US this June to demand an end to the war, and to show solidarity with those soldiers, like Joe Glenton, who refuse to fight in this illegal and immoral war.

Film showings and other activities along the way. Accommodation available in London on the nights of 25-26 June. Please let us know if you will be needing accommodation on either or both of these nights: 0845 458 2564 or afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com.

Walk Initiated by Justice Not Vengeance (www.j-n-v.org) and others. Contact: 0845 458 2564, afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com

WE NEED YOUR HELP!
First and foremost we need walkers, so please join us if you can. But we also need help with publicity and money!

PUBLICITY
Please forward this email to any relevant e-lists or to anyone you think might be interested

If you’re on Facebook, then please invite people to take part: http://tinyurl.com/347nb4s
Can you distribute and / or mail out leaflets about the Walk over the next four weeks? If so, then please contact us to let us know how many you need and where we should send them: 0845 458 2564, afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com

MONEY
We still haven’t covered the costs of organising the Walk. If you can help, then please send donations:
1. by cheque, payable to ‘JNV’, to: JNV, 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN38 0HE (please write ‘Peace Walk’ on the back)
2. or by electronic transfer: see http://www.j-n-v.org/whatisJNV.htm for details.

For more info contact 0845 458 2564 (before 26 June) or 07503 488 949 (during the walk) or 07973 484 202 (during the walk) or email afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com

events around the country 2010

Add your event by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page.

FRIDAY 25 JUNE, LONDON: FORCESWATCH BRIEFING
Briefing on British Army recruitment practices by ForcesWatch (www.forceswatch.net).
7-9pm, The Crypt, St Peter De Beauvoir Church, De Beauvoir Road, London, N1 5AT (map: http://tinyurl.com/323zukc)

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: COUNTER-RECRUITMENT & OUTREACH TO SOLDIERS ON “ARMED FORCES DAY”
Meet 10.30am, Ministry of Defence (Main Building), Horse Guards Avenue (off Whitehall, Map: http://tinyurl.com/32t4b8v). Please bring Oyster card with £5 on it.

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: COUNTER-RECRUITMENT VIGILS ON “ARMED FORCES DAY”
Vigils will be taking place at London’s three Army Contact Points (aka “Arcades of Death” – see http://tinyurl.com/2ena5ug):
Hounslow: 11am – 1pm, Hounslow High Street, outside the Treaty Centre (map: http://tinyurl.com/36kjayt). Org. by Hounslow Stop the War. 07774 936 556
Dalston: 1.30pm, Kingsland Shopping Centre, Kingsland High Street, E8 (opposite Dalston Kingsland train station. Map: http://tinyurl.com/394kafr). Org. by Hackney Stop the War.
Bromley: 1pm – 4pm, Market Square, Bromley, BR1 (5 min walk from Bromley North station. Map: http://tinyurl.com/32qzgk3). Org. by the Trail of Tears Peace Walkers. Contact 0845 458 2564

SATURDAY 26 JUNE, LONDON: DISSENT, RESISTANCE AND THE MILITARY
How should the peace movement engage with ordinary soldiers? Discussion with Mike Marqusee (Redemption Song), Gwyn Gwyntopher (At Ease) and ex-soldier Ben Griffin.
6-8pm, Housmans Bookshop, 5 Caledonian Rd, N1 9DX, (tube: King’s X). Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/2vkb86a
www.housmans.com

SUNDAY 27 JUNE, HUDDERSFIELD: ‘SOLDIERS OF PEACE’ SCREENING ON “UNARMED FORCES DAY”
Special “Unarmed Forces Day” screening of the ‘Soldiers of Peace’, featuring stories of peace from 14 countries around the world (www.soldiersofpeacemovie.com). Free admission but PLEASE BOOK A PLACE. 6.30pm refreshments – film at 7.00pm. Quaker Meeting House, Church Street HD1 4TR Wheelchair accessible. To book e: cara[AT]cooptel.net t: 07982 079 451

SUNDAY 27 JUNE – 1 JULY, LONDON TO COLCHESTER: FIVE-DAY PEACE WALK FROM LONDON TO COLCHESTER IN SUPPORT OF JOE GLENTON
Meet 10.30am, Sunday 27 June, Ministry of Defence (Main Building), Horse Guards Avenue (off Whitehall, Map: http://tinyurl.com/32t4b8v) for the start of five-day walk to the military prison in Colchester where soldier Joe Glenton is in prison for refusing to fight in Afghanistan. The route will pass through Ilford, Brentwood, Chelmsford, and Maldon, arriving in Colchester on 1 July. Crash-pad accommodation and vegan food provided en route. Typical daily walk length: 12 miles. Support vehicles will be available each day to ferry sleeping gear etc… Details of daily start times and locations, evening events etc… below. For more info contact 0845 458 2564 or e-mail afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com

Please Note: If you’re planning to join the walk along the route, then please ring the night before to confirm the details below (07980 748 555):

DAY ONE, SUNDAY 27 JUNE: 10.1 MILES – CENTRAL LONDON TO ILFORD
Start: EITHER meet 10.30am for a 10.45am start at the Ministry of Defence, Horse Guards Avenue, Whitehall, London SW1 OR meet 10.45am, 453 Strand, WC2R 0RH (outside the SOCPA zone – see 6. below)
End: approx 5.30pm. Near Ilford train station.
Public meeting: 7.30pm, Wanstead Friends Meeting House, Bush Road, Wanstead, E11 3AU.

DAY TWO, MONDAY 28 JUNE: 11.5 MILES – ILFORD TO BRENTWOOD
Start: 9am. Ilford army careers office, 180a Cranbrook Road, IG1 4LR (near Ilford train station).
End: approx 5.30pm, Brentwood Cathedral Hall, Ingrave Road, Brentwood, CM15 8AT (a 15 min walk from Brentwood Railway Station)
Public meeting: 7.30pm, Shenfield Friends Meeting House, 49 Hutton Road, Brentwood, CM15 8LA

DAY THREE, TUESDAY 29 JUNE: 15 MILES – BRENTWOOD TO CHELMSFORD
Start: 9am. Brentwood Cathedral Hall (see above).
End: approx 5.30pm. Chelmsford War Memorial (outside council headquarters) CM1 1JE (near Chelmsford train station).
Public meeting: 8pm, Chelmsford Friends Meeting House, 82 Rainsford Rd, Chelmsford CM1 1QL

DAY FOUR, WEDNESDAY 30 JUNE: 12 / 20 MILES – CHELMSFORD TO MALDON / TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS (TWO OPTIONS)
Start: 9am. Chelmsford War Memorial (see above).
End: approx 7pm. EITHER Maldon Friends Meeting House, Butt Lane, Maldon CM9 5HD OR Corner of Barnhall Road and Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights CM9 8HA.

DAY FIVE, THURSDAY 1 JULY: 14 MILES – TOLLESHUNT KNIGHTS TO COLCHESTER
Either – Start: 9am. Friends Meeting House, Butt Lane, Maldon CM9 5HD. (Car to Tolleshunt Knights.)
Or – Start: 9.30am. Corner of Barnhall Road and Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights CM9 8HA.
End: Meet 6pm at the War Memorial in Colchester Town Centre (see http://tinyurl.com/373zorz) for rally and 3.5 mile walk to the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester, CO2 9NU, with Colchester Stop the War and others. Rally likely to end after 8.30pm.

For more info contact 0845 458 2564 (before 26 June) or 07503 488 949 (during the walk) or 07973 484 202 (during the walk) or e-mail afghanpeacewalk@googlemail.com

Poster and leaflet

Unarmed_Forces_Day_Leaflet

Unarmed_Forces_Day_Poster-72dpi

Unarmed_Forces_Day_Poster

Unarmed Forces Day declared

Unarmed Forces Day is an initiative of Peace News, a London-based radical magazine. It is a celebration of the power of nonviolence, and a protest against an attempt by the British government to shore up support for its unpopular wars in Afghanistan and Iraq by rallying the British public around the armed forces.

Unarmed Forces Day and Armed Forces Day take place on 27 June.

You can download a poster, a smaller file size poster or a leaflet from this website.