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Gwyn
I have been asked to write this column alternating with Jeff Cloves who lives
in the lovely town of Stroud. I live in the London Borough of Newham. Anyone who
knows both areas will be aware of the contrast.
Newham  home of DSEi
One distinction of Newham is
that every two years we are the
unwilling hosts of the DSEi
Arms Fair at the ExCel Exhibition Centre, at Custom House
E16. Despite unceasing opposition all year round, it is due to
come back again this year starting on 11 September (Yes,
9/11). On 10 September, the eve
of the arms fair, there will again
be a silent, candle-lit vigil outside the ExCel Centre as there
has been before each of the arms
fairs on this site. (See photo in
Peace News March 2007). We
hope this will be the last one
ever and there will be no more
arms fairs.
The silent candle-lit vigil was
the initiative of a local Catholic
priest and an Anglican community worker. When first suggested I, as a cynical agnostic,
remember thinking privately
"Standing for an hour holding a
blooming candle? Fat lot of
good that will do!" I suspect
there were others in East London
Against the Arms Fair with similar thoughts. However, as our
greatly respected fellow cam-
paigners were so keen on the
idea, we went along with it Â
solidarity and all that. We could
hardly object. Standing in
silence is undeniably nonviolent.
Candlepower
In fact, for reasons I don't quite
understand, this vigil is a very
empowering experience. I feel
conscious of the strength of our
unity and our diversity. Some
participants from the various
religions may be praying silently. Some local people may be
thinking of their relatives killed
in the Custom House blitz in
the second world war. The
ground where they died is now
ExCel property and used to display weapons that will send the
same grief to other countries.
Other, more recently arrived
Newham residents, will be
thinking of massacres with
imported weapons in the countries from which they fled.
Vigilers will not just be local.
Some people will have travelled
from other areas to join us in
protest against this arms fair as
they have in previous years. They
will be most welcome as they
have been at other, far from
silent, protests throughout the
two years between arms fairs.
Some people will be thinking of
the rows of weapons laid out for
selection as at a supermarket, so
near, behind the doors we can see
at the top of the steps. Others
may think of the arms traders
and their entourages who may be
watching us from the nearby
hotels. We must never forget
that the most ruthless arms dealer or the most greedy shareholder is still a human being with a
brain and a conscience.
Come for fun
All Peace News readers are invit-
ed to join us. If you can come
before 6pm, you will be wel-
come at The Garden Communi-
ty Cafe, 7 Cundy Road, E16
which is off Prince Regent Lane
(nearest station Prince Regent
DLR) 020 7474 5257. The cafe
will be open all afternoon of 10
September to greet arrivals.
Otherwise you need to get to
Royal Victoria Station DLR, by
6.30pm at the latest.
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