Put your name here

connexionS'accréditer | S'abonner | Se connecter | Faire un don
> Logo ABP
ABP e brezhoneg | ABP in English |
- Rapport -
ARMY RECRUITMENT GETS 'THUMBS DOWN' FROM STUDENTS

Fought to a standstill in Ireland twenty years ago and currently about to 'cut and run' from Iraq the British Army is now coming under fire closer to home. Already in difficulties following the decision at the annual conference of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) to oppose armed forces

Cathal Ó Luain pour Celtic League le 27/09/07 8:52

Fought to a standstill in Ireland twenty years ago and currently about to 'cut and run' from Iraq the British Army is now coming under fire closer to home.

Already in difficulties following the decision at the annual conference of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) to oppose armed forces recruitment in schools and colleges the British Army has received a further setback following the formation of a students group to oppose recruitment.

Students from St Andrews in Glasgow and Edinburgh's Boroughmuir High School have formed School Students Against War (SSAW) this week to launch a campaign to stop the army targeting children as young as 14.

The young people have already gone on the offensive. Patrick Orr, a 5th year student at Edinburgh's Boroughmuir High School, led a recent picket against recruitment by the air cadets in his school, and believes the SSAW movement will keep growing. He said: "There's a strength of feeling among parents and teachers about this too."

Meanwhile 14 year old Lorna McKinnon, a pupil at Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow, said: "I thought school was the one place you could get away from the horror of the Iraq war, so I was shocked to go into the playground one day and see a helicopter and 20 army guys trying to recruit us. This was without my or my parents' permission, and I had no choice but to listen ... but they won't get me."

The stand taken by the EIS at its July conference has stimulated a wider debate on the issue. The SNP MSP, Christine Grahame, a former teacher who has campaigned against army recruitment in schools, shares the EIS belief that pupils in deprived areas have been targeted. She discovered that Govan High School in Glasgow received 14 regimental visits in one year. She said: "I'm delighted schoolchildren are taking up the campaign and I'd encourage schools to get involved. The army admitted to me in a letter it had been proactively recruiting, which is entirely inappropriate. One has to suspect it's because more soldiers are leaving than joining. Recruitment is in crisis, for obvious reasons."

It is not simply in Scotland that there is a ground swell of opposition to Army recruitment. As we reported in January of this year similar sentiments to those now being articulated in Scotland were aired in Wales by Plaid Cymru.

See also Celtic News articles at:

(voir le site) (voir le site) (voir le site) (voir le site) (voir le site)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

02/09/07

mailbox
Cet article a fait l'objet de 1226 lectures.
logo
The Celtic League has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues. TEL (UK) 01624 877918 MOBILE (UK)07624 491609 (voir le site)
See all articles from Celtic League
Vos 0 commentaires
Commenter :
Votre email est optionnel et restera confidentiel. Il ne sera utilisé que si vous voulez une réponse d'un lecteur via email. Par exemple si vous cherchez un co-voiturage pour cet évènement ou autre chose.
ANTI-SPAM : Combien font 3 multiplié par 7 ?