Thursday, 14 February 2008

Cathy Owen from Amnesty International on St Athan Military Academy

Amnesty shame..I rang amnesty international here this morning and spoke to Cathy Owens who says they are a democratic org with a membership base. They don't have a position on St Athan voted by members. She can't campaign against privatisation or militarisation - or whether armed forces should or should not be trained in Wales. Amnesty doesn't oppose armed conflict as they support peace keepers being well armed and well trained. Is there a human rights issue involved? The St Athan campaign is not a core human rights issue. Amnesty has different priorites!

I am surprised at the negative attitude to one of the biggest issues in Wales involving international coporations involving arms dealers and private military contractors in Iraq. I hope mmembers will put forward a motion on this to the AGM.

Are there political considerations at work here? Is Cathy Owens too close to new labour and R Morgan Labour First minister of Wales?

However...Cathy Owens is a former lobbyist was described as Rhodri Morgan's answer to Alastair Campbell - Yes..Rhodris own spin doctor. Cathy Owens, who joined Amnesty International after a tempestuous three years during which relations between the Assembly Government and some elements of the media reached an all-time low. At one point the Assembly Government apologised to the civil service union Prospect over Ms Owens's allegedly hectoring manner towards some of its members. Previously she worked as a public affairs consultant in Wales, yes? PPS. Some quotes from Cathy -"It's for elected politicians to agree the way forward for public policy in Wales. We are talking about a situation where English speakers have rights too. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas but no one voted for the Language Board either." "All journalists are bastards" ...in a mistaken call to Martin Shipton's voice mail. Yes, that's right, only the chief reporter of the Western Mail!

Israel: Winograd Commission disregards Israeli war crimes
... In addition, the launching of hundreds of thousands of cluster bombs, containing an estimated four million cluster sub-munitions (bomblets), ...31 January 2008
Counter Terror with Justice

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