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 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.
