'NO' TO 'KILLING ACADEMY' AT ST ATHAN

The UK government intends spending £16billion pounds on opening a Military Academy at St Athan, near Barry, to train its armed forces. Some 10,000 recruits will be training there by 2013. The Academy will be close to the old Independent chapel of Bethesda'r Fro (right).

WELSH INDEPENDENT CHURCHES' STANCE

At our Annual Conference last summer the Union of Welsh Independents voted unanimously to "Express our opposition to the Military Academy at St Athan and the arrogant attitude that 'we should be grateful for any new jobs that come to our country'. We do not consider jobs to be 'good' or acceptable if they prepare people to kill their fellow-men, whoever they may be, or train and encourage others to do so."  The motion also called on the new Welsh Assembly Government to draw up a long-term employment strategy which would ensure quality jobs for the people of Wales.

Cymdeithas y Cymod / The Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales said : We cannot celebrate, when we consider it is the business of killing and destroying which brings economic hope to Wales. We believe war and the preparations for war is the biggest scourge of our age; a blight which endangers the future of our civilisation and our world as well as creating suffering and mourning on a vast scale. It is no joy to us that our political and industrial leaders put their faith in the powers of evil.