German Peace Camp for Nuclear Disarmament and against Trident replacement

Peace without weapons of mass destruction!
Nuclear Non-Proliferation - Yes
Trident replacement - No

1. On March 14th 2007, the British parliament decided to replace Britain's nuclear weapons system, Trident. The decision to replace these weapons of mass destruction undermines security, escalates global tensions and ignores treaties which the British government has signed, including the Non Proliferation Treaty, under the terms of which the UK is obligated to complete negotiations and begin the disarmament of its nuclear weapons. Upgrading Trident and the continued possession of these weapons of mass destruction are in violation of International Law.

2. We invite you to take part in a camp for nuclear disarmament and against Trident from the 5th until the 12th May 2007 and / or join our German blockading group on the 7th and 8th May 2007. All including children, are welcome. The camp will take place in 40 acres of beautiful woodland near Faslane with minibus or hourly local bus available to the base or into Helensburgh.
Since 1st October 2006, over 60 national and international groups have already taken part in the one year continuous peaceful blockade of the base at Faslane in Scotland aimed at placing critical public pressure on the government to disarm Trident. Thousands of people have already travelled to Faslane, with over 550 arrested. Groups from diverse sectors of society, including academics, MPs, MEPs, health professionals, clergy and many others have taken part.
Our intention is to act as a kind of umbrella organisation that will assist with transport, accommodation and legal advice.

3. Affinity groups
People are encouraged to create their own affinity groups. If this is not possible in all cases the ferry crossing might be the ideal time for people to form affinity groups. For those who come only for 3 days there will be briefings and trainings the night before the actions. We expect a commitment to the non-violence guidelines outlined in the Faslane365 website. Please see faslane365.org/en/nonviolence for full details of the non-violence guidelines.

4. Getting arrested
Some people may choose to take part in the non-violent blockades and will therefore be arrested by the police. Even though this usually has no consequences as the court drops most cases, that could change and we will provide detailed information closer to the date of action.
However, we will need people who will not risk getting arrested to provide support in cooking, media, legal support or other ways. Whether you choose to get arrested or not is entirely up to you. As long as you do not blockade the road you will not get arrested.

5. Why are there two German groups?
We believe that two well organised groups are better than one. We also believe that we should have a clear message and that is: The British government should abide by international law.
We also hope to invite a wider audience (such as families with small children for which a coach trip of over 20 hours may not be feasible).
We will have two main days of action (7/8 May 2007) but there is the possibility to be present at the base on other days.
Lastly we hope that plenty of people will take advantage of staying for a while in this beautiful area during the warmer weather.
Please note that the second group is not a competition to the group in March. We do not recommend one action over the other and we leave that decision up to you.

6. Doesn't Germany have enough problems of its own?
Yes. Germany does have enough problems such as mass unemployment etc. and we do not need any more problems. However, allowing one government to put their national interest above the interests of the international community could create more problems for Germany as well.

7. Do we stand a chance to avoid a replacement of Trident?
Please keep in mind, that plenty of people have sacrificed their lives in situations less promising. We do not expect to eliminate nuclear weapons without a struggle. The involvement of people from other countries resisting Britain’s possession of nuclear weapons promotes a concept of global citizenship instead one of enemies. People from other European countries, including Belgium and Scandinavia have already travelled to Faslane to demonstrate international concern about the risks posed by the presence of nuclear weapons in Europe. This is an opportunity for Germans to add their voices to those from throughout Europe and those in Britain who are speaking out against Trident. The momentum is building. International solidarity will bring change and nuclear weapons will be abolished from Europe sooner with our support. And of course we intend to get the media involved to make sure that people will know what is going on.

8. Transport
Travel would be by ferry from Amsterdam to Newcastle dfds.co.uk.
Return trip ticket cost for group bookings, inclusive of berth, is about £50 return per person if booked early. Individuals will travel to Amsterdam to join up for the ferry leaving Amsterdam at 6p.m. 4 May, returning 9 or 12 May (departure: Newcastle at 5:30pm, arrival: Amsterdam 9:30 am the following day). A coach will run from Newcastle to Faslane and on return. The price for each way is £16 (based on 49 seats in a coach) or £25 (based on 24 seats). Participants can therefore stay from 5-9 May or 5-12 May and participate in the full camp or only come for the blockading days.
There are also trains and buses from Newcastle to Glasgow. See virgintrains.co.uk .
There are coaches from several locations in Germany and “Die Bahn” has several offers such as the Spar-Night or Surf&Rail International.
Anyone travelling otherwise must make arrangements individually. The nearest airport is Glasgow. There is a shuttle bus from the airport to Glasgow and half-hourly trains on to Helensburgh. There is a bus from Helensburgh to Faslane every hour.

9. Accommodation
We will camp from 5 May until 12 May. A donation of £6/day is asked to cover the cost of running the camp, food and local transport while at the camp. If you need the conveniences of modern life, this may not be an option for you! The camp will be fairly basic but you will be rewarded with a beautiful surrounding area. There is limited supply of electricity which may not be available at all times.
The peace camp (next to the base at Faslane) can accommodate between 15 and 20 people for those who wish to stay there around the blockading days, particularly if they are planning to participate in a non-violent action the following day.
There are also Youth Hostels in Glasgow (45 Km from Faslane, with excellent public transport to Faslane via train and bus) and in Loch Lomond (about 15 Km from Faslane, which is one of the most beautiful hostels in Scotland but with poor public transport to Faslane). Each hostel costs about £15 per night and person. For more info go to:
hostel Glasgow
hostel Loch Lomond
Details of local Bed and Breakfasts and additional camping facilities for those wishing to travel in Scotland before or after the camp can be found on visitscotland.com.
We will try to raise some money for people who can not afford to cover their own costs, which should be met by the individual doing personal fundraising by asking for donations from friends and family in support of their involvement in resistance.
Please be sure to visit the faslane365 website for further background on the campaign and even if you can not attend sign the Statement of Support.
In order to get the lowest prices for group bookings it is important that arrangements be made as soon as possible. Therefore we ask that you reply by 30 March.
We hope you can join us in this historic campaign and take direct part in the abolition of nuclear weapons from the earth.