UK: 2011 Day of Action Against DU weapons

Report on speaker event
The event titled ‘The Environmental Realites of War’ sought to widen the debate around DU to a broader one around the relationship between the environment and conflict. Speakers included; Ben Amunwa from Platform London, Doug Weir from ICBUW, Martin Chulov from The Guardian, Thomas Nash from Article 36. The meeting was chaired by Rae Street from CADU.

The evening brought diverse issues together. Ben talked passionately about the oil curse in Nigeria and the devastating impact this resource has had on people and the environment when exploited and controlled by corporations and corrupt governments. Doug outlined an exciting new direction in DU weapons campaigning that explores the wider issue of toxic remnants of war. Martin gave a thorough and distressing account of the the disastrous long term health impacts that toxic weapons may have had for women and children in Fallujah (Iraq) since the 2003 invasion. Our final speaker Thomas did a brilliant job of invigorating the audience, talking through his experience as a key part of the movement that achieved a cluster munitions treaty ban in 2008, giving top tips on how to run successful and powerful campaigns.

Action on the MoD’s doorstep
The next day CADU headed down to the MoD to deliver a symbolic 2.3 tonnes of imitation ‘depleted uranium (DU) dust’ with them. They placed this dust on the MoD’s doorstep to remind them of their responsibility for contaminating areas of Iraq and Kuwait, during the 1991 and 2003 conflicts.

Along with the DU dust, campaigners delivered a letter to the MoD, signed by eight organisations including the Campaign Against Depleted Uranium, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Pax Christi, and Campaign Against the Arms Trade, and the notable figure, award winning film-maker and journalist John Pilger. The letter condemns the use of DU, asks the MoD to publicly recognise the risks from DU weapons and calls for a stop to the CHARM3 Life Extension Programme.

Campaigners argued that it is completely irresponsible for the MoD to use weapons that leave toxic remnants which put the health of civilians at risk. They also note that according to the UK’s own environmental protection regulations these weapons would not be acceptable to use within the UK. They called on the MoD to recognise the unacceptability of the use of these weapons overseas.

Due to the draconian SOCPA legislation, which restricts demonstrations in the vicinity of Wesminister, our protest was less distruptive than we had planned. However we managed to talk to MoD staff coming in and out of the building about DU weapons and gave a white peace poppy to a police officer!