East London News A Force for the community…
- Leaflet distributed to residents by the MoD.
Andrew Murray: Missiles and an absent Ministry were the cause of residents’ agitation at a public meeting held in Bow Methodist Church on Thursday, 31st May. The consultation meeting, a response to proposed Olympic defence plans to place High Velocity Missiles on LexingtonTower, was attended by key local figures.
However, the absence of a representative from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) caused disappointment and anger in many of those present. Chair Chris Nineham (also Vice-Chair of the Stop the War Coalition) claimed a symbolic empty seat had been left for the MOD. He said: “After initially saying they were going to come, they (the MOD) then pulled out.”
“We wanted this meeting to be the broadest possible meeting with a range of views,” he added. There was much scepticism voiced at the meeting over the Ministry’s reasons for not attending. Mr Nineham claimed: “they thought it best to do the consultation after the decision had been made.”
A statement released by the MOD’s Press Office countered these accusations, saying it had never planned to attend in the first place. “The MOD has never suggested that it would send a representative to a meeting at Bow Road Methodist Church,” it read. It continued: “Any suggestion that we have ‘pulled out’ is puzzling and incorrect.”
This claim was disputed by local resident and campaigner Feyzi Ismail, who said she had spoken direct to a Communication Officer at the MOD. “As far as I was concerned it was ‘we are firming up the details’,” she said.
This position was backed up by the journalist who first brought attention to the MOD’s plans – Brian Whelan. Mr Whelan, who is a resident of the Bow Quarter block where the proposed missiles are to be placed, was scathing in his attack. “It’s a pity the MOD couldn’t come tonight and face the people of Tower Hamlets,” he said. “I’m not sure how they are going to face a terrorist attack if they can’t (face us).” Mr Whelan urged residents to show “a bit of bottle” and called, as a last resort, for protesters to block missiles being brought into the area.
Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow Rushanara Ali claimed she had contacted the Secretary of State for Defence in April about the plans but had not yet received a response. “It is not unreasonable to expect people to have a sense of what is likely to happen in the coming days and weeks,” she said. She added: “The government has been … insensitive to say the least.”
The campaigners are planning various events to highlight their resistance to the proposals. These include a protest march through the area on 30th June.
