Annette Lamont, Edinburgh's Human Shield
in Iraq dies, aged 53
Annette
Lamont, campaigner to save children's nurseries, former Regional Councillor
for Broughton-Inverleith, 16 years office manager for Malcolm Chisholm (MSP
for Edinburgh North & Leith), and human shield in Iraq at the start of the
2003 war, died at home in Edinburgh last month.
Annette was politicised in the late 1970's and early 1980's. As a young mother,
she joined the campaigns against closures of nurseries and children's centres.
She wrote "There had been a vociferous campaign to reduce rates...organised
by business and Tory supporters and when they gained control of Lothian Regional
Council they started a drastic cut back of local services". Many services were saved
and Annette joined the Labour Party (which, like so many, she later left,)
and went on to serve a four year term as the Councillor for Broughton-Inverleith.
In 2003 she seized the opportunity to go to Iraq as part of the Human Shield
Movement. Annette was at the Taji food silo 12km north of Baghdad, during the
bombing campaign by the Allies. On her return to Edinburgh, Annette held an exhibition
of photographs of her time in Iraq. She visited Iraq againg and left behind a
manuscript "Not In My Name" which describes the realities of life in
Iraq in her straightforward and direct voice. Annette was irreplaceable, and
probably the bravest person I've ever known.
"Politicians
and officials have knowledge that is too difficult for the rest of us to
understand, or is too secret to pass on, so we must trust to their better
understanding, their better judgement, their better knowledge and their
ability to know what is best for us. The largest demonstrations in history
are scantily covered by a media complicit in an ideal of a hierarchy of
power, knowledge, and influence. Ignoring the people you are supposed
to represent is not seen as undemocratic, but as principled and heroic.”
Annette
Lamont - "Not In My Name".
Article
about Annette's time in Iraq on the BBC web
site >>>
Capital's
Human Shield dies, Edinburgh Evening News, February 19th >>>
Newslink:
City digging itself out of a whole lot of trouble Evening News, May 10th >>>
Meadowbank Stadium: no upgrade, a second rate
replacement
Campaigners have highlighted the massive scale of facilities that will
be lost if Edinburgh Council continues with its plan to bulldoze Meadowbank
Stadium and replace it with a far smaller sports centre.
Over half the current facilities would go. Sports halls would be
reduced from 19 to 7; Meeting rooms, from 5 to 2. The cycling
velodrome would not be replaced. Even the hugely popular outdoor football
pitches are facing the axe.
"We already knew cycling would be decimated by the loss of the velodrome and
serious athletes would have to do without throws, warm-up and storage areas,” said
Save Meadowbank spokesman Kevin Connor. “But this shows ordinary user will be
affected even more.
Sadly, The City of Edinburgh Athletics Club,
plans to protest, by dropping the the name of Edinburgh from their title;
they will find a sponsor and take their name instead.
Alan Wells, won gold in Moscow in 1980, and started his career
with the club; he said: "People
need to sit up and think about what they are losing.
My understanding is that it is non-sporting people making the decisions, and
it is sad that this is the case. Even though they are getting a new track and
a new stadium, it will be less than they have at the moment – obviously I disagree
with that. Meadowbank has been a big factor in Scottish athletics.
Meadowbank Councillor, and Labour Group Leader, Ewan Aitken commented:
Labour "had a costed plan that would have delivered more, better sporting
opportunities for a wider range of people. It was controversial, and the
new administration said they could do better - and on Meadowbank. They have
singularly failed to do so. Their plan gives less, and is still not funded.
A cap in hand journey to Alex Salmond is not a funding strategy".
The Lib Dem-SNP Council's fully costed plan is to appear in the late Autumn.
Keep
up to date with the campaign
on the Save Meadowbank web site >>>
Club
to cast out Capital in Meadowbank Stadium row :
Evening News, March 31st >>>
Steve
Cram, The Jarrow Arrow, backs Meadowbank :
Evening News, March 26th >>>
Persevere Garden Project launched
Members
of Greener Leith, Green Seeds, and Leith Open Space joined residents of Persevere
Court to plant fruit trees to launch the creation of the Persevere Garden. The
planting took place on Wednesday March 5th, and was joined by Gordon Munro, Labour
Councillor for the Leith Ward.
Despite
appearances, there was much litter to be cleared away, including an aging
set of false teeth. The fruit trees came from the John Butterworth Organic
Nursery in Ayr. Plantings of a hedge in Pilrig Park will follow this Friday
and Saturday, if you want to join in.
Read
more on the Greener Leith web site >>>
Demonstration in North Edinburgh to mark 6th
Anniversary of the Guantanamo Bay camp
Amnesty International UK organised their latest demonstration calling
for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, on Friday 11th January,
outside the US Consulate. 200 people of all ages gathered outside the US
Consulate on Regent Terrace, and marched in orange boiler suits to assume
the infamous submission position at the foot of The Mound in the City Centre.
The demonstration was one of many that took place around the world. A petition calling for the base to be closed was handed in to the White House, signed by over 1200 parliamentarians from around the world, including 53 members of the Scottish Parliament, Malcolm Chisholm among them. Lothians Green MSP Robin Harper was present at the US Consulate.
Leith & North would like to thank Phil Attridge for taking photos which
enabled our reporter to take part in the demonstration.
Amnesty
International UK web site >>>
Protest
in Harmony >>>
Wikipedia
article on the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp >>>
Read
the story in full on Leith & North >>>
Newslink:
Leithers see red over Orange walk, Evening News, March 28th >>>
Montgomery Street Park Survey
The Friends Group have put out a questionnaire inviting
local people to give their opinions about how to make the Montgomery Street
Park better. They've had 128 replies so far, but need another 150.
You can pick up a copy of the questionnaire from the Renroc cafe in Montgomery
St, or from their web site.
Friends
of Montgomery Park web site >>>
Newslink:
License costs worry City Centre bar owners: Evening News, May 10th >>>
Save Glenogle Baths Campaign appeals for your memories
of the baths
The
Campaign to save Glenogle Baths (and the Snakey) have issued an appeal to
all users and former users to share their fond memories of this much loved
facility.
While the campaign appears to have the backing of the Councillors, (writes
Secretary, Linda Wilson,) funding has yet to be allocated to Glenogle. This
means that it remains in financial limbo and we understand that the
developers have recently made further representations to interested parties.
The group intends to lobby hard over the next couple of months to ensure that the necessary funding is forthcoming.
A
report presented to the Council's Culture & Leisure Committee on November 20th, put the total estimated cost of refurbishing Glenogle at £5.8
million and a bid for that amount has been put forward to the Council's Budget
Review Group for consideration as part of the 2010/2011 Capital Investment
Programme. Save Glenogle Baths understand that currently Glenogle Baths is
not part of the proposed budget which will be announced on 7th February 2008.
As part of their lobbying campaign in the lead up to the announcement of the 2010/2011 budget they will be putting together an information pack to give to all Councillors. They are calling on all supporters to contribute to that by writing a few lines about why Glenogle is important to them, sharing their memories of the Baths or any poems, photos or artwork that show why Glenogle is an important community facility. All contributions are welcome.
To read more, and to keep up to date, or subscribe to the mailing list, visit
the Save
Glenogle Baths web site >>>
Newslink:
LRT bus tickets to go up to £1.10 on April 6th: Evening News, March
27th >>>
L
& B Police: appeal for help over Rose St attack >>> Reclaim
the Night: Edinburgh >>>
Pupils of North Edinburgh School, Forthview
build links with children from Burma
Forthview Primary School in Pilton, has developed
strong links with Hle Bee school run for, and by, Burmese refugees in Mae
Sot (near the western border of Thailand).
Pupils have been making saffron ribbons to sell for £1 each - funds go to
raise much needed money for Hle Bee school, and the ribbons can be worn to
remember and show support for the struggle of the Burmese people against
oppression.
At the end of October, Dr Thein Lwin an exchange teacher from Hle Bee visited
the school and Edinburgh. (Dr Lwin's visa was in doubt right up to the last
minute, but he was able to get to Edinburgh thanks to the efforts of Mark
Lazarowicz, MP "at the highest level".
You can find out how to order your own ribbons to sell, and read much more about both schools and Thein Lwin's visit, by going to the
Forthview
Primary School blog site >>>
Mark
Lazarowicz praises Forthview Primary School, and describes the Burma Educational
Scholarship Trust in Parliament >>>
Newslink:
Warning about St James Centre parking plans: Evening News,
March 26th >>>
Greener Leith look to grow in 2008
In our quest to make Leith a greener place (writes Alastair Tibbett,)
we are now looking for people who can spare some time each month to help
consolidate and develop our organisation.
Greener Leith projects in the works include Pilrig Park, the Persevere/Leith Links garden project and the Portobello-Leith Links cycle path campaign.
Anyone with good ideas, enthusiasm and drive would be welcome, but they are particularly looking for people skilled in:
IT skills to help them manage their member database:
producing podcasts, and short videos and the like;
communications/Public relations skills to raise awareness of Greener Leith;
graphic design skills to help design posters, logos and graphics.
Thanks to Alastair Tibbett of Greener Leith for permission to use the photos.
Read
more on the Greener Leith web site >>>
May's photo: The Waters of Leith seen from Gt Junction St
BBC
News: Edinburgh & East Scotland home page >>>
Met
Office: 5 day forecast for the Leith area >>>
Listen
live online to Leith FM >>>
