Press release: 2nd November 2015 at
Today a group of peaceful anti-NATO campaigners were roughly handled and tear-gassed by Spanish police during a protest against the activities of the alliance and the appropriation of local lands for military purposes.
The activists had entered a main gate of a prohibited military area currently being used for the huge NATO Trident Juncture exercise. They lay down in the roadway and refused to move.
Angie Zelter, 64, from Knighton in Wales, said,
“The Gardia Civil used unnecessary force to drag people out of the area. They used pepper spray on quite a few of the protesters, which was completely unnecessary as we all were cordial and completely nonviolent. All the protesters are recovering and will make a report on the violations of their rights.”
The campaigners wish to draw attention to NATOs involvement in Africa (see Note) and to the impact of the exercises, and the potentially permanent military presence, on the local area which has 60% unemployment.
The UK activists, all members of the anti-nuclear campaign Trident Ploughshares, are Barbara Maver, 67, Currie, Scotland, Gillian Lawrence, Scotland. Jamie Watson, Scotland, Angie Zelter, 64, Knighton, Wales.
Gillian Lawrence from Edinburgh said,
“I am taking part to support local people in Spain who are struggling with similar issues and concerns to folk in Scotland such as impoverishment resulting from huge amounts of military spending including on weapons. Local fishing boats are under a ban due to these NATO exercises, there is high unemployment and the Spanish military misuses a nature reserve and mountain range to practice war with other NATO forces. More local democracy could lead to community land ownership. NATO prepares for war and conflict and I am here to stop the exercises for a more peaceful and just world.”
Contact Angie Zelter on 00-34?663448263.
Pictures www.flickr.com/photos/ofog
Note
NATO, Africa and the Spanish Connection
NATO is interested in Africa because of the conflict potential of climate change and because the continent is rich in abundant natural resources: minerals (platinum, chromium, magnesium and cobalt, among others), as well as oil and gas which represent an important part of global reserves.
In the power game over Africa Spain has an important role in maintaining the safety of the transport routes (Red Sea and the Horn of Africa) as well as looking after its own military and economic interests. The great majority of the military interventions of Spain take place on the African continent, or in the Middle East. Spain is responsible for the control of the â??Southern frontierâ? of the European Union, for the containment of the migration of people who flee from poverty or war, guaranteeing that the consequences of the politics of exploitation of the continent do not have repercussions within â??Fortress Europeâ?. Spain represents the spearhead of NATO in Africa.
These NATO’s exercises include the participation of Ukraine and are designed to send a powerful message to Russia. They are also aimed at restraining the expansion of China in Africa. All this is part of the imperialist competition between the military powers and their dependency on the commercial interests of the multinational companies. NATO’s ‘Trident Juncture’ only protects a privileged minority and increases global military spending, which is a detrimental to investment in our real security needs, such as combating the dramatic consequences of the crisis of capitalism, putting a break on environmental degradation, promoting just trade relations, economic solidarity and cooperation for a global development of our planet. In 2014 global military spending was 1.8 trillion dollars, and the global carbon footprint is immense.
(Note by Angie Zelter 2015)