What are our "Elves" doing on Iraq?


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Posted by andreas from dtm2-t9-2.mcbone.net (62.104.210.101) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 4:26PM :


So, that's a typical Welsh national symbol.

BTW: The dragon came a long way from ? - yes: Mesopotamia.

It's basically the typical Sumerain/Babylonian imagination of a lion & dragon.

What did the Welsh do with it?

Tamed it and used its spiritually transformed and upgraded power not for destruction but for building a wonderful culture of music and poetry.

See: "Eisteddfod" the yearly poetry / music competitions.
World renowned Welsh choruses are a fine and and worhty match to Russian, Georgian and Armenian choruses.


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What are our "Elves" doing on Iraq?

Well, I mean that people whose language was a model for Tolkien's "Ring of the Lords" )No joke!) :

The Welsh as part of the Celtic fringe.

So let's hear:

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Ionawr 23ain.....January 23rd 2003

MEP slams ‘hypocrisy and double standards’
Welsh Euro-MP Jill Evans (Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales) has spoken in Porto Alegre, Brazil, about the hypocrisy and double standards of the international community, but praised the German government for their clear stance against conflict in Iraq.

Speaking from the World Social Forum at a session of the World Parliamentary Forum on the role of parliamentarians in building up the democratic society, Ms Evans, who represents the whole of Wales in the European Parliament, said:

"Peace is the most important issue facing us today. This World Social Forum is taking place under the shadow of an impending attack by one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world on one of the poorest countries in the world. A war against Iraq is immoral and unjustifiable."

"People can see the hypocrisy and double standards on the part of the international community: they turn a blind eye to Israel’s breach of UN resolutions but prepare for war against Iraq without evidence."

"The USA has been putting enormous effort and resources into starting a war - traveling around the world bullying and bribing countries to get support. But George W. Bush didn’t even turn up in Johannesburg to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Just think how different the outcome would have been if the same dedication had been put into fighting poverty and injustice - still our greatest enemies - or into bringing peace and justice to the Palestinians."

Jill Evans drew a parallel between her visit to Palestine last year and her participation in a delegation to Iraq early in February:

"I hope that, after meeting Iraqi people, we will highlight their suffering and show how disastrous a war would be. We can help inform public opinion and reflect it."

"I congratulate the German government on their opposition to any UN resolution endorsing war against Iraq. The position of individual UK politicians is crucial now. Opposition to war is increasing in momentum with the majority of people in Wales and the UK against."

"The more MPs of all parties who publicly oppose the war, the more difficult it is for the Labour government to join the US in an attack which they have supported so enthusiastically so far."

Diwedd/Ends.


Meleri Evans
Swyddog y Wasg a Chyfathrebu/Press and Communications Officer
Plaid Cymru The Party Of Wales
Ffon/Phone: T: 029 2064 6000
Symudol/Mobile: 07977 219395
E-bost/E-mail: meleri.evans@plaidcymru.org


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Ionawr 22ain.....January 22nd 2003

Plaid Cymru position statement on Iraq

Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales will today announce a position statement
on the recent developments in Iraq. During a debate in the House of Commons
this afternoon, Elfyn Llwyd, Plaid Cymru's Parliamentary Leader, will
condemn the Government's commitment to supporting the US administration
regardless of public and international opinion.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Llwyd, MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy,
will re-iterate the Party's opposition to the war against Iraq and will
claim that any unilateral action will be illegal under international law.

Speaking in London Mr Llwyd said,

"There is hardly any public support for any war on Iraq, and sooner or
later Mr Blair will have to take notice of that fact. In November last year
the Prime Minister claimed that any attack on Iraq would require one
hundred percent proof that Iraq was complicit in the September 11th
attacks, yet no proof has been forthcoming, the goalposts have been moved
and war seems inevitable."

Speaking in Cardiff, Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Plaid Cymru President, added,

"War against Iraq is immoral, unjustifiable, and illegal. Plaid Cymru - The
Party of Wales will not support any military action that will put thousands
of innocent Iraqi lives at risk will not bring peace and stability to the
region."

Plaid Cymru's position statement reads:

"We fundamentally oppose the concept of pre-emptive strikes as proposed by
the Bush administration, and believe that conflict between nations should
be resolved through international institutions such as the UN and the
establishment of an International Court. We call on the United States and
the United Kingdom to allow the UN weapons inspectors to complete their
inspection and be allowed more time to undertake their investigations
should they so desire. That the discovery in Iraq of evidence of weapons of
mass destruction and of an intention to use them would be a clear breach of
UN Security Council Resolution 1441. However, this would not thereby
sanction the use of military force, rather further action would be needed
which should take the form of peaceful and diplomatic measures. We have
seen no evidence that Iraq could mount a credible attack on the USA or the
UK and this reinforces our conviction that military action is not
necessary. It therefore follows that any military action not sanctioned by
the UN Security Council would be illegal since the only exception would be
self-defence under the UN Charter and these circumstances do not
appertain."

Plaid Cymru will therefore:

oppose a war against Iraq which will not bring democracy to the country,
will cause more suffering to millions of Iraqi people and will further
destabilise the entire Middle East.

support urgent reform of the United Nations to give it the authority and
independence to deal peacefully with international disputes in future
without outside pressures.

call for an immediate end to all non-military sanctions which have put
total control over the people in the hands of the Iraqi government.
Diwedd/Ends.


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Ionawr 21ain.....January 21st 2003

Former Plaid President delivers warning on war with Iraq

Wales neither wants an oil war with Iraq nor is it ready to cope with a
consequence of the international crisis. This is the warning that will be
given in the National Assembly for Wales tomorrow (Wednesday) by Dafydd
Wigley AM for Caernarfon and former President of Plaid Cymru.

In a special short debate, Mr Wigley will challenge Rhodri Morgan both to
disassociate himself from the Blair Government's aggressive stance and
spell out how Wales would manage the consequences of a war.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr Wigley said:

"The people of Wales just don't want this war. This is true across the
political spectrum. The National Assembly and our First Minster, Rhodri
Morgan AM, have a duty to make our overwhelming opposition to the war
crystal clear to London and the world. We also have the responsibility to
face up to its possible consequences."

"I have chosen the debate topic to draw attention to the implications of
the international crisis for the delivery of public services in Wales. I
will query whether public agencies in Wales really are on a red alert to
deal with the effects of international terrorism as well as the direct
consequences of an Iraqi war. I will challenge the ability of the health
services, local government, the police, the utilities, and environmental
health agencies to cope with terrorist reprisals against the UK.
Specifically I will demand to know what contingency plans exist to deal
with radiation if hijacked aircraft crashed into Wylfa, Hinckley Point or
Sellafield power stations. There is also the need for safeguards against
the poisoning of reservoirs in Wales; and ask what action has been planned
to accommodate refugees into rural Wales if there were serious terror
attacks on population centres such as Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester or
Birmingham."

"The British Government has a responsibility to act within the framework of
international law", said Mr Wigley. "It must heed public opinion in Britain
and in other countries. A war with out a UN mandate would be and act state
terrorism and a crime against humanity. Any such mandate must spell out the
basis in international law for the action, must specify precise objectives
and - most of all- must clarify what new order will emerge from the
carnage."

"Even a UN mandate should not be taken mindlessly as a license for
slaughter. Arab lives are as sacred as western lives. The UN must not give
a mandate unless they are fully convinced that there is not a peaceful
alternative and that the consequences of its action really are worse than
the consequences of war."

"The Government of Wales has a duty to prepare for the consequences of such
tragic action. We may not have the power to decide on the question of war,
but we have our responsibility to deal with its consequences. And most of
all, we have a duty, as the conscious of our nations, to make our voices
heard in a heartfelt plea for peace."

Diwedd/Ends.


Meleri Evans
Swyddog y Wasg a Chyfathrebu/Press and Communications Officer
Plaid Cymru The Party Of Wales
Ffon/Phone: T: 029 2064 6000
Symudol/Mobile: 07977 219395
E-bost/E-mail: meleri.evans@plaidcymru.org




-- andreas
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