22-11-2016 Op 13 november organiseerde de Britse vredesorganisatie Peace Pledge Union een alternatieve herdenking van het einde van de Eerste Wereldoorlog. Daarbij stelde zij de hypocrisie aan de kaak van Britse leiders die de slachtoffers van de Eerste Wereldoorlog betreuren, terwijl er in Jemen dagelijks slachtoffers vallen door wapens van Brits fabrikaat.

Persbericht uitgegeven voor de alternatieve herdenking:

Theresa May accused of Remembrance hypocrisy as pacifists plan Alternative Ceremony

An Alternative Remembrance Sunday Ceremony in London will involve remembrance for all victims of war, including refugees fleeing wars fuelled by UK-made weapons.

The anti-militarist ceremony, organised by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU), will take place at 12 noon on Sunday in Tavistock Square, London, only a short walk from the official ceremony at the Cenotaph.

The PPU pointed out that Theresa May will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph at the same time as pursuing aggressively pro-war policies such as the sale of arms to the Saudi regime, which is killing civilians in Yemen. Her government is also turning away refugees who are fleeing war.

Today, Prince Charles is attending a service of remembrance in Bahrain, whose government, armed with UK-made weapons, has sent troops against peaceful protesters.

Those present at the Alternative Ceremony will lay a wreath of White Poppies and observe two minutes' silence to commemorate all victims of all wars, including civilians, conscientious objectors and members of armed forces, of all nationalities.

They will hear poetry by Scottish poet Ashby McGowan, comments from a pacifist refugee and calls to commemorate the dead by working for peace.

There will be other Alternative Remembrance events elsewhere in the UK.

Symon Hill, Co-ordinator of the Peace Pledge Union, said:

"Civilians in Yemen could be killed with UK-made weapons at the same time as Theresa May is laying a wreath to remember people killed or injured in war. People who have suffered in war - including British veterans - are losing out due to cuts to the welfare state at the same time as the government maintains the fifth highest military expenditure in the world.

"We cannot condone a ceremony that celebrates this hypocrisy, or pretend that it is politically neutral.

"Everyone who wants to remember victims of war is welcome at the Alternative Remembrance Sunday Ceremony. There will be no jingoistic flag-waving but rather a commemoration of all victims of war - refugees, other civilians, conscientious objectors and members of armed forces - of all nationalities. We will commit ourselves to working with people around the world to resist war and build peace."

22-11-2016