KPC/CND Report for year ended February 2007

Campaigns and Meetings

The year has been dominated once more by dreadful events in the Middle East. Iraq is virtually in a civil war, while US and British troops continue to occupy the country. The situation in Palestine deteriorates, the wall is nearing completion and Gaza resembles a prison camp.

We have campaigned against the occupation of Iraq and against war between Israel and Lebanon, attending London marches and leafleting from our twice-monthly market-place stall. We have endeavoured to publicize the danger of an American attack on Iran, and had a speaker, Professor Abbas Edelat, from CASMII (Campaign against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran) at a well-attended meeting in the Quaker Meeting House.

Another planned speaker was Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park, who had to cancel due to her husband’s serious illness. We were grateful to Jeanette James for stepping in and telling us about recent progress in trade, justice and development issues. Susan later met a small group of members including our secretary Noel Hamel

and they had a long and productive discussion.

Carol Clisby visited Israel and Palestine at Easter, meeting Mordecai Vanunu, and seeing the desperate situation of the Palestinians. She gave a very moving description of her visit at the June meeting.

At our November meeting we heard about the activities of SSAW (School Students against War) which has two active local members, Sam and Simon, who we were very pleased to welcome to our group. On 2^nd December Jim McCluskey spoke on the work of the Ministry of Peace.

In August we held our usual commemoration of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on the river bank at Canbury Gardens. Our deputy mayor, Sheila Griffin, gave an uncompromising speech. The weather was fine and about 50 people took part.

Individual members joined protests at Deso, Aldermaston, BAE AGM, and Faslane. Rosemary and Jim took part in the Vancouver World Peace Forum in June. We have kept in touch with MP Edward Davey and have pressed him to vote against the replacement of Trident in the forthcoming debate. We are grateful to him for his dedication to the case of Bisher-al-Rawi, still in Guantanamo Bay.

We are very lucky that our two newsletter editors, Harry Davis and Gill Hurle have continued to produce our excellent monthly Kingston Peace News, which receives many compliments. Many thanks to them. Thanks must also go to Johann Martin and Ed Evans for organising the stall rota – not an easy task!

Fundraising.

Thanks go to Maggie Rees who organised Clutter Sales, Garage Sales and the wonderful Green Fair stall, also stalls at New Malden and Sutton. We could not carry on with our many activities or give donations to good causes without her and her many helpers.

Membership

This has remained fairly constant, thanks to Hilary for this and for her work as Treasurer. We were sorry to hear of the death of one of our oldest members, David Oakeshott, during the summer.

The Future

The big challenge now is to try and prevent the Labour government committing us to the renewal of Trident. We must also support CAAT in their legal action against the dropping of the investigation of bribery by BAE. We still have to campaign to get Britain and the USA out of Iraq and to prevent the US attacking Iran, with or without British help. As ever, we must try to increase local awareness of the issues, and of our work.

Rosemary Addington (chair)