Greetings folks. Apologies for missing Milan, but there were a few hitches to suss out here before Naka's arrival. Here is a brief report on the visit. Love and rage.
Pablo
We visited the Faslane Peace Camp which has been resisting the Trident nuclear submarine base for the past 19 years. The camp - a colourful community of benders, caravans and buses - is located on the roadside sandwiched between the military base and Ministry of Defence land. After meeting up with some of the peace campers, we first took a tour of the peace camp, and then we took Naka for a tour around the submarine base at Faslane and the nuclear bomb storage facility at Coulport. The area, some 40 miles north of Glasgow, is a spectacular landscape of rugged mountains and deep lochs. The place boasts the dubious distinction of being the most lethally armed site in Europe. Faslane base hosts 4 Trident submarines. Each sub contains 14 missiles. Each missile delivers 7 warheads. Each warhead has the explosive capability of 7 Hiroshima bombs. Thus does nuclear terror threaten to defend us. One base: over 2700 Hiroshimas. Upon return to the peace camp, Naka discussed the situation in Colombia with those present.
Later in the day we showed Naka some local hospitality, quickly dispensing with a bottle of single malt whiskey and then trespassing onto MoD land in order to pay respects to the giant old grandmother oak tree. There we communed with the tree spirits, Naka dancing from branch to branch, before spending the night at the camp. Naka observed that it was here, in a place with streams and woods, that he felt most closest to his home.
On thursday morning Naka gave a talk to the Centre for Latin American Research at the University of Glasgow. A small gathering, but a very interesting discussion ensued about identity and autonomy, and the Black communities relationship with FARC and the para-militaries. In the evening Naka held a public meeting in Glasgow to an audience of 50 or so activists and members of the local Latin American community. The meeting was very fruitful, with contacts being made, many issues discussed concerning Plan Colombia, and the possibilities of solidarity work. The following day Naka held a public meeting in Edinburgh under the coordination of the Autonomous Centre. Again there was a good turnout with various issues discussed concerning plan Columbia and solidarity work. There are plans to establish a Colombian solidarity group in Edinburgh.
Naka left for London the next morning. His visit shook people up here, educating many about an issue, and a part of the world, that they knew little about. Although brief, the visit was very worthwhile in also generating more discussion and interest in PGA.