Rochdale
and Littleborough Peace Group travelled to Lincolnshire on
Saturday (27 April 2013) to join the national demonstration
against the growing use of military drones which are causing
civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Gaza and
elsewhere. The demonstration at RAF Waddington, near Lincoln was
called by War on Want, the Stop the War Coalition and the
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
The
Ministry of Defence had earlier admitted for the first time that
armed drones have been operated remotely from RAF Waddington and
used in attacks in Afghanistan (see http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/25/uk-controlling-drones-afghanistan-britain
).
On 6 April 2013, in a single incident, a drone attack ended up in killing 18 people including at least 10 children in the Shigal district of Afghanistan (http://www.asiantribune.com/node/62242 ).
On behalf of Rochdale
and Littleborough Peace Group, Philip Gilligan said,
“It was very important
for Rochdale to be represented at this demonstration. We were
pleased to join fellow campaigners from throughout Greater
Manchester and other parts of the country. We all travelled to
Lincoln to make our voices heard against these unacceptable
weapons. The killing of civilians by weapons controlled from an
air-conditioned bunker in the East of England is not ‘collateral
damage’ in a ‘game’ played on a computer screen. Each death and
injury is a murderous war crime.
Over the past four
years, the USA has launched hundreds of drone strikes in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Libya. Drones have
killed thousands of people, including hundreds of children. They
are indiscriminate killers. Drones make the world a much more
dangerous place.
In our own country,
the government’s willingness to use drones has grown rapidly in
recent years without any public consultation or debate. This
spring they will double the number of Reaper drones in
Afghanistan and begin operating them from Waddington where we
have been protesting today.
Drones are killing
civilians who play no part in war. They are violating human
rights and increasing the risk of conflict. We need to bring
their use under control.”
