On July 7th, CND Cymru and Cynefin y Werin held a meeting in Cardiff about the proposed ‘Military Academy’ at St Athan. Individuals and representatives of diverse groups including Quakers, Pax Christi, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Cymdeithas y Cymod, Councillors from The Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Gwent Anarchists, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and Cymdeithas Annibynwyr Heddwch, along with individual peace activists from South and North Wales, were there.

Whose decision?

Stuart Tannock from the Social Sciences Department of Cardiff University who has researched the subject outlined the history of the plan and the thinking behind it. His report can be found here.

In January 2007, the Westminster government had announced the success of the St Athan and Metrix bid to establish a new military training academy in the Vale of Glamorgan. In Wales, the first Minister Rhodri Morgan and the economic minister Andrew Davies sprayed Champagne outside the Senedd in celebration. The impression given in the Western Mail newspaper was that this was just about the best thing that had ever happened to Wales: £15 billion worth of contract and around 5,000 jobs (the reality is far fewer).

Stuart Tannock indicated that clearly that the whole issue raises a number of important questions. It was as surprising to him as to many of us that not one single politician had raised a voice against this plan. Arms companies involved in this PFI plan include the arms manufacturer Raytheon which, as well as making cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions and selling arms to dodgy regimes, also supplies the electronic guidance systems for the British nuclear weapons system Trident. Many countries have already banned investment in Raytheon, but in Wales it seems that we just can’t wait to jump into bed with them.

Who is to benefit?

The delight of the ministers reveals some Alice in Wonderland type nonsense: just how can this military academy contribute to the Assembly’s proud goal of achieving sustainable development? What exactly is Wales committing itself to when it signs onto the St Athan deal:

• A future based on militarism?
• A stand against the international victims of British military aggression?
• A commitment to selling Welsh youth for military work?
• An acceptance of ‘green-washing’ over genuine environmental accounting?
• A commitment to military privatisation?
• A welcome mat for the world’s largest missile manufacturer?

What will be the impact of the academy on local quality of life – on traffic congestion, for example, and housing affordability? As one woman at the meeting asked– what will be the social effects of a population of young men and women who are spending their days learning how to kill, as they go out into the streets of towns in the Vale of Glamorgan? What will be the impact on Welsh education, and the social and political values that are taught to Welsh children and youth?

Mad as hatters

Stuart Tannock also revealed that Metrix have expressed their wish to home in on the environmental sensitivities of young people and build and run the Academy in an environmentally friendly way, for reasons clearly motivated by profit rather than ethics. Metrix CEO Mike Hayle explains, “We are dealing with teenagers who are very much more environmentally aware than 20 or 30 years ago when I joined the armed forces. We have to make sure we fit in with their views on environmental issues.” Young people will be trained in a craft which murders people, totally destroys environments, has no respect for communities and can lay waste huge areas forever. You have to blink hard to make certain this is actually Wales and not Wonderland. Tannock’s report is scathing about the contradictions: “We may not give a damn about children in Iraq – over 260,000 of whom are thought to have died since the 2003 invasion – but we can be happy to know that the Metrix Consortium is taking great pains to safely relocate a colony of great crested newts that has been nesting in the St Athan site before they commence construction.”

Trident – a Welsh connection

Those who are committed to a nuclear-free Wales should be aware that the Royal Navy’s Maritime Engineering School, which contains the Nuclear Systems Group, is projected to move from HMS Sultan to St Athan by 2017. The Nuclear Systems Group trains the Naval Officers responsible for operating the nuclear submarines that are the cruel heart and bitter soul of Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system.

Someone has to say ‘No’ to this ‘School for Slaughter’.

JOIN US

Meetings are planned to discuss the way forward for campaigning on this issue.

The next meeting is at 2pm on July 28th at The Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff.

Contact Cynefin y Werin for more information on how to get involved or see the Cynefin y Werin website.

There’s no need to wait for the next meeting to start taking action though.

People might like to ask some questions of their Assembly Members, preferably when they’ve got the press along for some PR exercise, so that their views on the Academy can be shared as widely as possible.

Studying with the Open University? Might be interesting to ask why they’ve entered into a partnership with a bunch of murderers and criminals.

Belong to a union affiliated to Wales TUC? Did your union support this plan? Did anyone ask your opinion? Raise the issue in your local union meetings.

The more uncomfortable and embarrassing this project becomes for all those involved and supporting it, the less likely it is to turn into reality. Help keep up the pressure.