British government censors petition against militarism in Ukraine

This video from the USA, about the NATO summit in Chicago in 2012, is called War Veterans Throw Medals at NATO Summit.

A video from Wales which used to be on YouTube used to say about itself:

27 May 2014

It is less than 100 days to go until the world’s attention is on Wales. It will host the 2014 Nato Summit where more than 60 world leaders will attend. It is said to be one of the biggest events the country will be hosting, but not everyone’s pleased. Cardiff News Plus spoke to Adam Johannes, the Secretary of Stop the War Coalition in Cardiff, about Wales’ economic opportunities with this summit and why they are protesting against it.

From daily News Line in Britain:

Thursday, 29 May 2014

STOP NATO EXERCISES IN UKRAINE!

STOP The War yesterday condemned the government for blocking a petition submitted to its e-petitions website which called for an end to NATO exercises in the Ukraine.

A group of politicians, celebrities and campaigners submitted the petition on 7th May to highlight the participation of UK and US troops on Ukrainian territory in July as part of NATO’s Rapid Trident manoeuvres.

The petition stated: ‘No to Nato military exercises in Ukraine. We note with great concern that UK and US troops will participate alongside Ukrainian troops in joint military exercises on Ukrainian territory in July as part of NATO’s Rapid Trident manoeuvres.

‘Ukraine is not a member of NATO. Its participation in military exercises by a nuclear-armed alliance with a first-strike policy can only further destabilise the situation in the Ukraine, making it more difficult to achieve a political resolution to the crisis.

‘The existence since 1997 of the Rapid Trident exercises, their forerunner Peace Shield, and the associated Sea Breeze naval exercises in the Black Sea, make clear that NATO seeks to include Ukraine as part of its eastward expansion which has been taking place since the end of the Cold War.

‘We call on the UK government to urge the US and other NATO governments to cancel this July’s Rapid Trident exercise, and to give a plain and public undertaking that the UK will not participate.

‘We call on the UK government and the Welsh Assembly to make clear that NATO’s expansionist policies are adding to global instability, and urge everyone to join our protests at the 2014 NATO Summit which is due to take place in Newport, Wales, in September.’

Amongst the signatories are actors Mark Rylance and Miriam Margolyes, Caroline Lucas MP, Baroness Jenny Tonge, Jeremy Corbyn MP, and film director Ken Loach.

On 19th May the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons informed the Stop the War Coalition, the organisation behind the petition, that the Ministry of Defence was responsible for moderating petitions that dealt with the issues raised in the letter.

E-petition guidelines recommend that petitions are moderated within 7 days.

Three weeks after it was submitted, the petition remains censored. No explanation has been offered by the Ministry of Defence, despite an intervention from the Leader of the House of Commons office.

An anti-fascist activist kidnapped by Ukraine’s security forces was released from state captivity yesterday: here.

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• Stop the NATO War Games on Russia’s Doorstep. The Petition the British Government Tried to Ban
• No To Nato Military Exercises In Ukraine
• Thousands sign Ukraine petition
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