It’s that time of year again – and a great opportunity to campaign against armed drones in your local area. To help you campaign we have a range of new resources to download, as well as news of a fun competition we hope you’ll join in with.
Resources:
- To help you call for an end to the secrecy which surrounds drones and proper parliamentary control, we’ve produced:
-a letter to MPs
– and a petition. Please print it out and collect as many signatures as you can. - a new A5 flyer outlining the main issues
- new design tee shirts and badges – because the use of non military drones has increased so much we have redesigned our popular tee shirts and badges to clarify that we mean armed drones
Competition time! Rebrand Reaper
This year Drone Campaign Network have teamed up with the ‘Art Department’ of the MOD, who have been working hard to rebrand the Reaper Drone after concern that its current name and reputation for killing civilians is giving off the ‘wrong’ impression.
So far ‘Protector Drone’ is the best we’ve come up with, however we think YOU, good members of the public, could do A LOT better so we’re running the competition.
Please print out this template and write your new name on it, snap a picture (with you in it if possible) and submit your entries via twitter @RebrandReaper @DefenceHQ #RebrandReaper
You can also send entries to rebrandreaper@gmail.com
Get your thinking caps on and your creative juices flowing, your country needs YOU to ‘Rebrand Reaper’.
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Previous weeks of action
Drones Week of Action 2016
RAF Waddington, 1/10/16 . Binoculars & telescopes convey message: We are watching you
Report on the Week of Action 2015
On Saturday 3rd October over 60 people of all ages took part in the Scones not Drones demonstration at RAF Waddington near Lincoln. They came from Sheffield – including some brilliant young Quakers, London, Oxford, Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Leicester, Hastings, Bristol and of course Lincoln. We flew kites and shared a delicious picnic, listened to passionate and informed speeches and poetry, talked with young people in Afghanistan and made a ring with the blue ‘no borders’ scarves outside the gate of the base. BBC Look North interviewed several people. Earlier that morning there had been the terrible US attack on the hospital in Kunduz. The next day Cameron announced at the conservative party conference that ten more armed Reapers would be bought and renamed Protectors. Here are some of us
On Wednesday 7th October there was a prayer vigil outside the Elbit drone engine factory in Shenstone near Lichfield. Organised by theology students from the Queens Foundation in Birmingham, people came from Coventry, Leicester, Lichfield, Birmingham and Shenstone to say no to drones and to remember both the victims of drones and also Professor John Hull who had been loved by students and an inspiration at so many previous vigils at the factory. Flowers were left at the fence in their memory.
At Friends House in London, Quakers launched the Fly Kites Not Drones education resource with images of kites and drones in their garden opposite Euston Station, through which many people walk.
Drones Week of Action 2015 (3rd to 10th October)
This will include a big demonstration on Saturday 3rd October at RAF Waddington, base of the Reaper pilots and. a prayer vigil at Shenstone on Wednesday 7th October
Let us know if you are planning an action during the week where you live (via About Us)
Anyway during the week you could encourage people to sign the new petition we have launched about targeted killing – see campaigning news – or order the Fly Kites Not Drones education pack – see resources page.
Saturday 3rd October – Scones Not Drones!
CLICK FOR THE FLYER
The Saturday demonstration, called ‘Scones not Drones’, will be from 12pm – 3pm. There will be lots of activities, including Skyping with campaigners in Afghanistan, a picnic, flying ‘kites not drones’, and speeches. There are minibuses going from Sheffield, Birmingham and Leicester.contact Penny on 07414 465695 if you want to book a seat
Facebook page about Saturday 3rd
NB. If you would like us to send you some flyers, please get in touch with us by email via About Us
Draft Programme: Scones Not Drones
12.00 – 12.30 kite flying
12.30 – 1.00 shared picnic
1.00 – 1.45 speeches and poetry
1.45 – 2.00 joining blue scarves in a huge circle*
2.00 – 2.15 talking with young Afghan peace volunteers through Skype (more info here)
2.15 – 3.00 more kite flying
*The young Afghan Peace Volunteers make blue scarves with ‘borderfree’ written on them in English and Dari because:
“The Borderfree Blue Scarf represents our collective wish as a human family to live without wars, to share our resources and to take care of our earth under the same blue sky” (Read More Here)
NB. Although British Reaper drones are no longer in Afghanistan, the US are continuing drone strikes there. Now the British Reaper drones are being used in Iraq and Syria where they are killing and injuring men, women and children. Our links with the inspiring young Afghan Peace Volunteers have relevance for all people affected by drones wherever they live.
Wednesday 7th October – 10.30am prayer vigil at Elbit factory, Shenstone
The factory is a 4 minute walk from the train station (come up onto the road and turn left). Organised by Queens anti-drones group at the Queens Foundation Birmingham. We will gather to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Elbit drones, and all victims of war, as well as honouring the memory and influence of John Hull. Everyone welcome.
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Drones Week of Action 2014
A fantastic range of events happened across the country. For a comprehensive report on the Afghan conference on October 11th, see here
For photographs of ‘Fly Kites not Drones’ see here
The week of action ran from Saturday 4th October until Saturday 11th October. Please let us have your events to publicise here by emailing penny.dcn@gmail.com. If you would like a drones resource pack for your event see the resources page.
EVENTS
Exhibitions longer than one day:-
Thursday 9th October until Saturday 11th October Bristol. The Beautiful drones quilt made by the Fellowship of Reconciliation with the names of civilian drone victims will be displayed at John Wesley’s Chapel, 36 The Horsefair Bristol BS1 3JE open 10am -4pm. Plus a Child Victims of War stall with information on drone warfare and the Fly Kites nor Drones Campaign.
Thursday October 9th 2pm until Friday October 10th 2pm Arnold Methodist Church, 54 Front Street Arnold Nottingham NG5 7EL Peace installation including Drone awareness. Installation to encourage reflection on peace and encourage empathy with victims of violence including those hurt by drones. This will be in the main church. Also 24 hours of prayer and visualization of peace and a non-violent future. This will include activity and experiential prayer. This will take place in the small hall. For further information please phone Gary Eagling on 07541446744 or Rachel Eagling on 07718915491
Events each day:-
Friday 3rd October 5.30pm – sunset vigil at General Atomics offices, Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1HQ nearest tube Liverpool St.Bring, if you can some flowers and a candle. General Atomics makes armed drones that have been responsible for the deaths of thousands, including many hundreds of children. We will remember the deaths of so many in drone warfare with poetry, a short multifaith ceremony, and readings. We will also leaflet passers by to let them know about the arms company in the area. Join us! find out more:FB event:Stop the Arms Fair: http://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk @stopthearmsfair /stopthearmsfairNational drones week: For transport from Bristol contact Jo 07890 651970 or info@childvictimsofwar.org.uk
Saturday 4th October March and rally at USAF Croughton in Northamptonshire from 12 noon until 3pm. This national event falls on the International Drones day of Action as well as starting Drones Week of Action. More details here
Saturday 4th October 12pm ‘Gadewch i ni Plu Barcud’ – Lets go Fly a Kite. Drone Network Cymru will be flying kites at Poppit Sands near St. Dogmaels in a symbolic ‘Stop the Drones’ demonstration more details 01239 851188 or 07810 566919
Saturday 4th October 2pm Falmouth Fly Kites Not Drones Kite Flying on Gylliyngvase Beach Falmouth Cliff Road TR11 4PA organised by Falmouth Quakers Waging Peace Group. Kites provided or bring your own
Monday 6th October 6pm – 8pm Bristol. Showing of Jemima Khan’s excellent documentary on the effects of Drone Warfare in Pakistan. The Art’s House, 108A Stokes Croft Bristol BS1 3RU
Monday 6th October 5.15pm and 7.30pm Queens College Birmingham Vigil in Queens Foundation Chapel see poster
Wednesday 8th October Drone Cafe 2pm – 6pm drop in to Green Oasis, London Road, Leicester for information on drones then 6pm -7.30pm music and poetry. more details contact Penny on 07414 465695
Wednesday 8th October 7.30pm Friends Meeting House, Horsefair, Banbury OX16 0AH, talk by Paul Mobbs ‘Phones, Drones and RAF Croughton:pervasive technology and the ‘surveillance state’.
Wednesday 8th October Arms Fair Protest in Cardiff at Masterpoint Arena, Mary Ann Street, Cardiff CF10 2EQ from 8.30am – the Defense Procurement Research, Technology and Exportability 2014 conference – DPRTE – more info The event website: www.dprte.co.uk Facebook: No Arms Fair of Death! – Protest & “Die-in”
Thursday 9th October 7.30 -9pm. Bristol Talk by Joanne Baker, Child Victims of War: The Impact of Drone Warfare on Children and Communities at The New Room, John Wesley Chapel, 36 The Horsefair, Bristol BS1 3JE
Thursday 9th October 5.30pm protest outside City Hall Bristol where the CEO of Qinetiq will be speaking to UWE students. seehttp://info.uwe.ac.uk/events/event.aspx?id=16015and Watchkeeper drones connection at Wales Parc Aberporth http://www.qinetiq.com/services-products/air/Pages/west-wales-uav-centre.aspx
Friday 10th October 10.45 -11.45am Vigil for Worship at Elbits Systems factory, Shenstone near Lichfield, ((5 minutes walk from train station going away from the village) for more details see poster
Saturday 11th October 11am -1pm Vigil for Peace at the Guild Hall Steps, Cardigan, SA43 1JL more information here
Saturday 11th October Conference at Friends House, Euston, London about the legacy of Afghanistan including the impact of drones.
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Drone Campaign Network 