Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
A Blog About Human Rights
UN human rights chief calls for priority action ahead of climate summit Sat Oct 30, 2021 17:18 | Human Rights
5 Year Anniversary Of Kem Ley?s Death Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:34 | Human Rights
Poor Living Conditions for Migrants in Southern Italy Mon Jan 18, 2021 10:14 | Human Rights
Right to Water Mon Aug 03, 2020 19:13 | Human Rights
Human Rights Fri Mar 20, 2020 16:33 | Human Rights Human Rights in Ireland >>
Church Tribunal Clears Clergyman Who Called Trans Archdeacon ?a Bloke? Fri Mar 29, 2024 15:00 | Will Jones A clergyman who called the Church of England's first trans woman archdeacon a "bloke" should not be punished, a disciplinary tribunal has ruled.
The post Church Tribunal Clears Clergyman Who Called Trans Archdeacon “a Bloke” appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Climate Change is ?Slowing the Earth?s Rotation? Fri Mar 29, 2024 13:00 | Sallust If you weren?t already gibbering in your boots at the prospect of devastating climate change, it's time to think again. Apparently, the movement of water from the 'melting icecaps' is slowing the rotation of the Earth.
The post Climate Change is “Slowing the Earth’s Rotation” appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Hancock Fails to Have Bridgen Libel Case Thrown Out Paving Way for Full Trial Fri Mar 29, 2024 11:00 | Sally Beck Matt Hancock, the ex-Health Secretary, has failed in his bid to have Andrew Bridgen's libel case thrown out after Hancock branded him antisemitic, paving the way for a full trial.
The post Hancock Fails to Have Bridgen Libel Case Thrown Out Paving Way for Full Trial appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
DEI Wokery is Swallowing Small Businesses Too Fri Mar 29, 2024 09:00 | C.J. Strachan It's not only large corporations with hyperactive HR departments that are succumbing to efficiency-sapping wokery, says C.J. Strachan. Small and medium-sized enterprises are being swallowed up by DEI as well.
The post DEI Wokery is Swallowing Small Businesses Too appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Are We Being Gaslit Over the Cause of the Princess of Wales?s Cancer? Fri Mar 29, 2024 07:00 | Melissa Kite First Charles and then Kate ? it's hard to ignore the soaring cancer rate when two members of the Royal Family are diagnosed within weeks. But are we being gaslit about what's behind the surge, asks Melissa Kite.
The post Are We Being Gaslit Over the Cause of the Princess of Wales’s Cancer? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Moscow attack reminds us of the links between Islamists and Kiev's fundamentalis... Tue Mar 26, 2024 06:57 | en
Failure to assist a people in danger of genocide, by Hassan Hamadé Tue Mar 26, 2024 06:32 | en
Yugoslavia March 24, 1999 The Founding War of the New Nato, by Manlio Dinucci Sun Mar 24, 2024 05:15 | en
France opposes Russian Korean-style peace project in Ukraine Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:11 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°79 Fri Mar 22, 2024 11:40 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
Confronted by WikiLeaks Revelations-Plymouth Royal Navy medic refused to deploy to Afghanistan
international |
anti-war / imperialism |
other press
Sunday April 03, 2011 08:28 by Ciaron - Giuseepe Conlon House, London Catholic Worker Plymouth, England
They're in the Dock for Us, We're on the Loose for them!
As was the case with Gulf War 1, more serious resistance to the present wars on Afghanistan and Iraq has come from within the military in the United States & Britain than from the anti-war movements in civil society. A culture of solidarity is not evident in either countries anti-war movements. Military resisters often end up isolated and demoralised by anti-war movements that incite them to resist and then abandons them! Support those who are offerig solidarity to military resisters "Courage to Resist" www.couragetoresist.org "Bradley Manning Support Group" www.bradleymanning.org ENGLAND SAT APRIL 2 -Confonted by WikiLeaks Revelations - Plymouth Royal Navy medic refused to deploy to Afghanistan
Plymouth Royal Navy medic refused to deploy to Afghanistan
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/medic-refused-Afgh....html
Saturday, April 02, 2011, 07:00
A ROYAL NAVY medic appeared before a court martial yesterday on a charge of wilful disobedience after he refused on "moral grounds" to deploy to Afghanistan.
Leading Medical Assistant Michael Lyons, of Plymouth, refused to carry out rifle training ahead of deployment, stating that he was a conscientious objector.
Last December, the 24-year-old became the first person to appear before the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors (ACCO) for 14 years.
It is understood that the committee rejected his claim but the court martial heard yesterday that he was still awaiting formal notification from Defence Secretary Liam Fox.
The hearing was told that his was only the third court martial to be held with conscientious objection as a defence.
The ACCO heard that Lyons decided he could not serve in Afghanistan after he read the Wikileaks' revelations about the conflict.
Lyons, who comes from a military family and was the great-grandson of a decorated Second World War hero, told the committee: "I was unable to find a real, just and noble cause to go out but I still had a sense of duty to my country.
"It was a big dilemma. Soon after, a large number of military documents were leaked by WikiLeaks.
"Examples included a convoy of marines tearing down a six-mile highway, firing at people with no discrimination.
"Being in the military, most people's view was you just have to go out there and do what you're told to do.
"I came to the conclusion I couldn't serve on a moral ground and I couldn't see any political reason for being there."
He said that he was further put off when he learnt he might not be able to treat everyone, regardless of who they were.
He said: "It seems from previous testimony and courses I've done that even going out as a medic with all good intention, if you're at a patrol base or forward operating base, it's likely you'll have to use your weapon and will have to turn civilians away who are in need of medical aid."
He added: "If more people in my position stood up, there would be a lot less innocent lives lost around the world."
The court martial hearing at Portsmouth Naval Base, Hampshire, was adjourned for a further preliminary hearing on April 14.
The previous court martial cases involving conscientious objection as a defence are Muslim reservist Mohisin Khan, from Ipswich, who refused to serve with the RAF as a medic.
He lost his appeal for going absent without leave (Awol) in 2004.
In the other case, Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, from York, last year lost his appeal against a nine-month jail sentence after he went Awol prior to his second deployment to Afghanistan.
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (2 of 2)
Jump To Comment: 1 2Hi
In my experience as an anti-war prisoner (2 years..U.S. NZ, OZ, Ireland) and 30+ years organising solidarity around anti-war trials and prisoners....the courts and the prisons are desgined to isolate, break, destroy, make invisble the dissident (ideally to get him/her to recant). Most important thang right now is to make his name of Michael Lyons heard - scrawl it, mention it, celebrate his resistance wheneever ya at an anti-war event anywhere, bring a placard with his name on it celebrating his resistance, (if ya faithbased pray out loud at church, temple, mosque)
When ya sitting in jail, and court, ya need to be hearing that there are brothers and sisters on the outside acting up and speaking out against the war (not a lot of that happening at the moment...this 10 year war lost its sex appeal on this site, in @ scene, in the churches, NGO's on "the left" aong time ago...the war/s is/are speeding up and the anti-war movement (more like remnant!) slowing down!
If ya'd like to start a letter writing campaign (a postcard is enought to break the isolation for the resister) send it now care of Giuseppe Conlon House...I'll try and find a present address on the outside down there in Plymouth - if not I'll save 'em up and send them on once he hits the brig, lock up whatever the Navy calls it over here?
Army folks go to Colchester (listen to Joe Glenton about the significance of receiving mail when he was there last year)..not sure where British Navy dissidents go...this might be the first one for this war...maybe they're not sure where to ut him yet either?
Michael Lyons
Peace Prisoner
c/- Giuseppe Conlon House (for eventual redirection)
49 Mattison Rd.
London
N4 1 BG
ENGLAND
Ciaron - Giuseepe Conlon House, London Catholic Worker
home Homepage: http://www.londoncatholicworker.org
Previous posting: "Headed to prison today, activist explains
nonviolent witness: A journey from the U.S. Navy to Duluth FPC" NCR -
Mark Kenney reports for six month jail sentence for Aug 9 "line
crossing" at STRATCOM
http://groups.google.com/group/offitt-list-one/browse_t...9cbc0
Got a letter from Mark Kenney today. Will type and publish it around
later but soon.
Here is his address for postal mail writing:
Mark Kenney #140 18-047
FPC Duluth
6902 Stebner Road
Duluth, MN. 55814
USA
+++ Down since April 27 - Mark welcomes letters
Jerry Ebner & Omaha CW - Support Community for Mark Kenney