Raytheon in breach of agreement with council.

by King Brown Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:59

Five friends were arrested on Saturday blockading the U.S. NSA warfighting Pine Gap base near Alice Springs in the Australian outback. 60 anti-war activists gathered at the base entrance and occupied the road before arrests began to take place.
http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/10/126149.php

This action followed the pre-trial appearance of the 4 arrested last December doing a citizen's inspection of the secretive spy and targetting base www.pinegap6.org

The four have been hit heavy under the draconian Defence (Special Undertakings) Act, drawn up in 1952 and never used before. Hundreds of people were arrested in the '80's and '90's for trespass at the base but never charged with this legislation that carries 7 year maximum sentences.

The four are accused of cutting some barbed witre fences to secure access to the base. Raytheon has a monopoly on all maintenance of the base.

The Raytheon 9 and teh campaign against Raytheon in Derry were refered to at the public meetings in Alice Springs last week and at the base demonstration.
Mucho solidarity from all of us to all of you

by Natural Born Skeptic Wed Oct 11, 2006 15:47

Even if DCC were to decide that Raytheon were no longer welcome in the city and told them so, it doesn’t mean they will go. Please feel free to correct me if I’m wrong but as I see it there will be no legal obligations for Raytheon to leave Derry just because the Council denounces them. As far as I’m aware the company said it currently did not do any defence work (this was about two years ago if memory serves me right) but it would not guarantee that this would not change in the future (i.e. get-out clause if challenged on doing defence related work). In any case does anyone really think that DCC will make its decision based on ethics as opposed to commerce? Basically what I mean here is are DCC going to risk loosing more jobs in Derry and scaring off perspective investors, especially when they’ve taken a kicking about it in the local press recently? More likely they will think with their political hats on. I.e. Closing Raytheon = costing 60 rate payers their jobs plus they are voters and have friends and families who will be upset and who might not vote for us in the future. Ohhhhhhh. Might be risking my cushy little expenses paid seat on the council. Plus Joe Bloggs and Co who are looking at opening a plant on Treetop Hill might be put off and will pull out…and so might other big companies who might bring us more jobs in the future and generate more revenue for us and keep all our wee voters a happy and pleased with us. Realistically is DCC going to make any difference? Optimistically I’d like to say yes, but realistically (and judging the calibre of the politicians we have here – Note: statement does not apply to a certain Mr E.McCann) not a bloody hope.

by Fergus O'Connor Wed Oct 11, 2006 18:14

90 percent of Raytheon's revenue comes from military contracts. Making a distinction between civil research and production and military research and production is meaningless.

by DAWC Wed Oct 11, 2006 19:28 resistderry at aol dot com

Of course making a distinction between "civil" and "military" uses is nonsense - Raytheon is one of the biggest players in the arms trade, everything they do is related to that primary function. FYI, here is the full text of the DAWC statement released yesterday.
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The Derry Anti War Coalition welcomes the announcement that Sinn Fein is to raise the Raytheon question at the next meeting of Derry City Council.

Apparently, Raytheon confirmed to Sinn Fein on Monday 9th October that the Springtown plant has helped produce the JETTS system for the MoD. As the Belfast Telegraph and the DAWC has previously pointed out, this fact was revealed by NIO Minister Angela Smith on February 27th last.

The Springtown plant is also involved in ASTOR, the bomb guidance system currently being used in Afghanistan to guide bombs to their targets. The Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign and the DAWC have been raising this for the past two years.

The DAWC wrote last week to the council asking to be allowed to speak to the next council meeting on a series of questions which arise from these facts and which can no longer be avoided by any party on the council.

We believe that the council should forthwith declare Raytheon unwelcome in Derry.

We point out that: Seven months after the council resolution of January 2004, on August 23rd that year, local Raytheon boss Stephen Lewis met with Jim McConnell of Invest Northern Ireland to discuss the MoD for the software component of JETTS.
McConnell’s minute of the August 2004 meeting told: “Key issue for NISSC (the Derry plant) on this contract will the attitude of the council. Both the MOD and RSLD (Raytheon) will be looking for acceptance in principle that the council have no objections regarding this work. NISSC to write to the council and Alan McCormick will be planning to meet Tony McGurk to update him and see how best to move forward. Company will not issue a press release...
“If the council is reluctant to back the project then the future of NISSC is uncertain.”
The minute records that, “McCormick thanked Invest NI for its support during this period, including our input to the Derry Council situation. It appears that the current mayor...is very supportive.”

So, the JETTS issue is by no means new.
Among the questions which arise are: Did Raytheon seek, and did it obtain, “acceptance in principle that the council have no objections regarding this work”? Did the envisaged meeting between Alan McCormick of Raytheon and Tony McGurk of the council take place? When? Was anyone else present? Was the meeting minuted? What was the outcome and to whom was the outcome reported? Which elected representatives, if any, were informed that these exchanges were taking place? Were any council officials or councillors aware of or collude in Raytheon’s strategy of secrecy? (“Company will not issue a press release.”)

It is now beyond question that Raytheon’s Derry plant is dependent on war production for Western armies. It is also clear that the readiness of the council to approve Raytheon’s presence is critical to the continuation of war production in this city. The council should now put its words into practice and declare that the company is not welcome here

Most importantly: We call on the council and on Invest Northern Ireland to publish all documents and minutes of meetings relating to Raytheon’s Derry operation, so as to facilitate an informed public debate on all the issues.

It is unfortunate that Derry Anti War Coalition members had to put themselves at risk of jail in order to focus the attention of mainstream media and politicians on this issue.

by James Campbell - Tyrconnel St Brigadistas Thu Oct 12, 2006 22:34

The full minutes of the relevant Derry City Council sessions, during which motions were passed opposing Derry City Council to Raytheon's involvement in the arms trade,
are available below at the black shamrock website.

see also:
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/62917

raytheon's own 'how to find us' from their website