Trident Ploughshares

Trident Ploughshares

Trident Ploughshares originally named Trident Ploughshares 2000 is an anti-nuclear-weapons group, founded in 1998 with the aim of "beating swords into ploughshares" (taken from the Book of Isaiah). This is specifically by attempting to disarm the UK Trident nuclear weapons system, in a non-violent manner. The original group consisted of six core activists, including Angie Zelter, founder of the non-violent Snowball Campaign.

The group has attracted media attention for both its high profile "disarmament" actions, and mass civil disobedience at the gates of Royal Navy establishments with connections to the UK's Trident weapons systems.

the Trident nuclear missile system and international law

The foundation of Trident Ploughshare's various disarmament actions is the 1996 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, "Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons", [For the full text of the Advisory Opinion, see [http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idecisions/isummaries/iunanaummary960708.htm] ] in which it found that 'the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict'.

In addition to this, Trident Ploughshares also argues that, since the United Kingdom Government is not actively negotiating nuclear disarmament - and since the UK Government is actively considering upgrading the Trident nuclear missile system - it is in violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1968.

Trident Ploughshares activists argue that since the UK Government has not responded to their various communications regarding the legal status of the Trident nuclear missile system, they must take individual responsibility for disarmament.

Disarmament actions

One example of a high profile "disarmament" action is an action on 27 April 2001 when three women members of the campaign boarded the research vessel "Maytime" in Loch Goil and destroyed scientific equipment. They were acquitted at the subsequent trial in Greenock [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/481385.stm BBC News | Scotland | Sheriff dubs nuclear programme illegal ] ] , which was later appealed to the Scottish High Court with the Lord Advocate's Reference 2001. Although under Scottish Law the High Court did not have the power to overturn the acquittals, their judgement was that the basis of the defence case should not have been admissible. [ [http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/opinions/11_00.html LORD ADVOCATE'S REFERENCE NO. 1 of 2000 BY HER MAJESTY'S ADVOCATE REFERRING FOR THE OPINION OF THE HIGH COURT ON POINTS OF LAW (TRIDENT) v. ANGELA ZELTER+BODIL ULLA RODER+ELLEN MOXLEY, 30 March 2001, Lord Prosser+Lord Penrose+Lord Kirkwood ] ]

Much of the mass civil disobedience has taken place at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) where the UK Trident submarines are based. Other actions have happened at nearby RNAD Coulport and Loch Goil, Downing Street, the Scottish Parliament, Rolls Royce in Derby, and the Atomic Weapons Establishments at Aldermaston and Burghfield.

Trident Ploughshares co-founder Angie Zelter was a recipient in 2001 of the Right Livelihood award.

In May 2005 the group occupied Drake's Island in Plymouth Sound declaring it a "nuclear free state" in protest against the refitting of British nuclear submarines and the servicing of Trident missiles in Devonport Dockyard.

Members of Trident Ploughshares sign a pledge for their conduct, and are often referred to as "pledgers".

ee also

*Pitstop Ploughshares

References

External links

* [http://www.tridentploughshares.org Main Trident Ploughshares website]
* [http://www.faslane365.org Faslane 365]
* [http://www.mkbuddhism.org.uk/peace_pagoda.htm Nippon Myohoji: friends of Trident Ploughshares]
* [http://rightlivelihood.org/ The official site of the Right Livelihood Awards]
* [http://www.lochlongmonster.com The Loch Long Monster] Documentary film on Trident Ploughshares
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7576219.stm Anti-nuclear protest at dockyard]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Trident Ploughshares — Die Trident Ploughshares sind eine Gruppe von Kernwaffengegnern, die auf friedlichem Weg für eine atomare Abrüstung Großbritanniens eintreten. Der Name der von Angie Zelter 1997/1998 gegründeten Gruppierung knüpft an die US amerikanische… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Trident missile — Infobox Weapon is missile=yes name = Trident II image caption=The launch of a Trident II (D5) missile. type = SLBM vehicle range = Greater than 4,000 nautical miles (4,600 statute miles, or 7,360 km) filling = up to Eight W76/W88 yield = Up to… …   Wikipedia

  • UK Trident programme — The UK Trident programme is the United Kingdom s Trident missile based nuclear weapons programme. Under the programme, the UK s Royal Navy operates 58 nuclear armed Trident II D 5 submarine launched ballistic missiles and around 200 nuclear… …   Wikipedia

  • Pitstop Ploughshares — The Pitstop Ploughshares are a group of five members of the Catholic Worker who made their way into Shannon Airport and damaged a US Navy C 40 transport in the early hours of 3 February 2003. Their actions were inspired by the vision of Isaiah… …   Wikipedia

  • Angie Zelter — (b. 5 June 1951) is a political activist, who describes herself as a global citizen and is the founder of a number of international campaign groups including Trident Ploughshares and the International Women s Peace Service .She specialises in… …   Wikipedia

  • Angie Zelter — (* 5. Juni 1951 in London) ist eine britische Friedensaktivistin und Mitbegründerin von Trident Ploughshares. Sie ist Witwe und Mutter einer erwachsenen Tochter. Am 29. Januar 1996 hämmerten drei Mitglieder (Lotta Kronlid, Andrea Needham und Jo… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Faslane — on Clyde ist eine Basis der Royal Navy im Firth of Clyde in Schottland. Gemeinsam mit der benachbarten Basis Coulport lautet die offizielle Bezeichnung Her Majesty s Naval Base Clyde oder kurz HMNB Clyde. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Basis 2 Flotte… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Plowshares Movement — The Plowshares Movement is an anti nuclear weapons movement that gained notoriety in the early 1980s when several members damaged government property and were subsequently convicted. Contents 1 History 2 Actions 3 External links 4 …   Wikipedia

  • Faslane-on-Clyde — ist eine Basis der Royal Navy im Firth of Clyde in Schottland. Gemeinsam mit der benachbarten Basis Coulport lautet die offizielle Bezeichnung Her Majesty s Naval Base Clyde oder kurz HMNB Clyde. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Basis 2 Flotte (Faslane… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Anti-nuclear movement in the United Kingdom — Anti nuclear movement Australia  · Austria  · Canada France  · Germany  · India Japan   …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”