Home | Friday 20th March 2008 | Issue 625

Back to the Full Issue

BLIX-PLOITATION

Unofficial Weapons inspectors paid a visit to the weapons testing range at Dundrennan, Scotland, on March 13th , following the recent government announcement that new Depleted Uranium tests would take place there (see SchNEWS 624). They entered the site from a public footpath and although monitored, no action was taken to stop them. Unfortunately (well, fortunately actually – perhaps the heavy rain had stopped play) no tests were being carried out at the time and the activists were able to have a good old nosey round the site.

Among the treasures uncovered was a burnt-out tank that the military had previously promised to remove due to its high levels of radioactivity. Obviously the MOD had forgotten ( a possible side-effect of radiation poisoning maybe). Other sights on offer for the intrepid team were a 6 foot wide bomb crater, not spotted on the previous visit in 2003, and a friendly sign advising: “AVOID PICKING UP ANY DEBRIS AS IT MAY EXPLODE AND KILL YOU.” Well, that's informative and to the point...

For more equally frank information about the effects of DU used in war, see www.savewarchildren.org

* The international campaign to ban the weapons is at www.bandepleteduranium.org

Subscribe to SchNEWS: Send 1st Class stamps (e.g. 10 for next 9 issues) or donations (payable to Justice?). Or £15 for a year's subscription, or the SchNEWS supporter's rate, £1 a week. Ask for "originals" if you plan to copy and distribute. SchNEWS is post-free to prisoners.

SchNEWS, c/o Community Base, 113 Queens Rd, Brighton, BN1 3XG, England
Phone: +44 (0)1273 685913
email: schnews@brighton.co.uk

@nti copyright - information for action - copy and distribute!