Scottish Peace Activists Prevail.Greenock, Scotland On October 20, 1999, anti-nuclear protesters scored a legal victory when three women who destroyed military equipment at a Scottish naval base A naval base primarily for support of the forces afloat, contiguous to a port or anchorage, consisting of activities or facilities for which the Navy has operating responsibilities, together with interior lines of communications and the minimum surrounding area necessary for local were aquitted. The judge, Sheriff Margaret Gimblett, accepted the women's defense that they were acting to prevent a larger crime. She cited the 1996 International Court of Justice ruling that declared the threat to use nuclear weapons illegal. "This is the boost the nuclear disarmament nuclear disarmament: see disarmament, nuclear. movement needs," says Rob Green, retired commander of the Royal Navy and U.K. Chair of the World Court Project, an international citizen network that helped bring about the 1996 International Court of Justice ruling. On June 8, Angela Zelter, Ellen Moxley, and Bodil Ulla Roder, all Ploughshares
This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. activists, took hammers to some equipment on the Maytime, a floating acoustic research barge moored near the Faslane Naval Base on Loch Goil Loch Goil (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Goill) is a small sea loch in Scotland. It is an arm of Loch Long. The village of Lochgoilhead stands at its head. It is used for exercises by Trident submarines from HMNB Clyde at Faslane. in Argyll. The base houses Trident nuclear submarines. The three activists cleaned out the laboratory of computers, faxes, telephones, and monitors. They also damaged the machinery and electronic circuitry of a model submarine used in experiments. Activists who participate in direct action against nuclear weapons typically end up in jail because judges refuse to consider international law and treat the cases simply as destruction of government property. But these three defendants impressed the judge because they carried out their action during the Balkan war, when the nuclear missiles on British Trident submarines were in a state of readiness See: defense readiness condition; weapons readiness state. . "It is a breakthrough in the search for a legal approach to nuclear weapons," says Peter Weiss Peter Ulrich Weiss (November 8, 1916 – May 10, 1982) was a German writer, painter, and artist of adopted Swedish nationality. He is particularly known for his play Marat/Sade and his novel The Aesthetics of Resistance. , president of the U.S.-based Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy. Gimblett's ruling will be appealed by the Lord Advocate in Scotland early next year. The case will be heard by the Court of the Justiciary JUSTICIARY, officer. Another name for a judge. In Latin, he was called justiciarius, and in French, justicier. Not used. Bac. Ab. Courts and their Jurisdiction, A. , the highest for appeal of criminal matters in Scotland, which means its decision will be final. "I find it affirming that here's a judge who is saying the Trident submarine is an illegal weapon," says Elizabeth McAlister, a member of the Baltimore Jonah House, a community that dedicates itself to fighting nuclear weapons with direct action. "I think that's absolutely stunning." For more information, contact the Lawyer's Committee on Nuclear Policy, 211 E. 43rd Street, Suite 1204, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10017, or call (212) 818-1861, or check out the web site at www.lcnp.org. --KAREN CHARMAN |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion