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A new Cold War

Published 16 June 2008

A battle of resistance to the US missile defence system has prompted Czech campaigners to mount a hunger strike amid fears they are being in embroiled in a new Cold War

How do you make a government listen? Not an easy question to answer. Campaigners in the Czech Republic have been up against a brick wall recently: their government is determined to give the go-ahead for a new US radar base to be built near Prague, ignoring around 70 per cent of popular opposition.

For more than a year, communities have been organising to prevent this facility being built for the US missile defence system. They argue that it will put them on the front line in future US wars, and that they are being embroiled in a new Cold War, not of their making. The campaign has been carried out at every level of society, from the Shadow Foreign Minister, Lubomir Zaoralek, to tiny hamlets, where mayors have conducted local referenda, overwhelmingly opposed to the radar.

But still the government ignores the opposition and has rejected calls for a national referendum. They know they would lose.

In May, two local activists undertook a new form of campaigning to get through to the government. Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar, two young activists from Ne Zakladnam – the No to Bases movement – began a hunger strike, demanding at the very least that the government should initiate a proper national discussion.

The Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek, described the hunger strike as an "absolutely irregular means", and insisted that there was a ‘normal’ discussion on the radar. The Czechs want to know where this ‘normal’ discussion has taken place and who is party to it, other than the Czech government and the US administration.

The decision to embark on a hunger strike was a controversial one, not least because of the danger it poses to the health of the protestors - and the fact it is unlikely to lead to a government climb down.

But Tamas and Bednar's has had an impact. The hunger strike has raised awareness of the radar issue both within the Czech Republic and internationally. But in addition to that, they have been able to actually extend the action. After three weeks without food, Tamas and Bednar agreed to a new phase in the protest, opening the action to anyone opposed to the radar.

The hunger strike now takes the form of a 'chain hunger strike', both nationally and worldwide, and numerous people are joining the fast for 24 hours at a time. Czech politicians and celebrities have been eager to do their bit, including senators, deputies, intellectuals and cultural figures.

Some politicians have treated this in a flippant fashion. One minister from the ruling conservative party observed, “I think a fast is useful for all of us and, as I recall, many Social Democrat leaders would need a fast lasting several days not just one".

Others have attempted to take the high moral ground - President Vaclav Klaus refused to meet the protesters, saying that the method was tantamount to blackmail.

But in reality you can be sure that the Czech government is taking the issue very seriously. With the Czech-US treaties on the radar due to be signed in the next few weeks, the growing protest comes at a crucial moment.

The parliament is evenly divided between government and opposition, and the government relies on two rogue opposition voters. This wafer-thin majority looks even shakier with the announcement that one of the six MPs from the junior coalition partner, the Czech Green Party, is to take part in the hunger strike.

The Czech Green leadership has so far backed the radar but is coming under increasing pressure to withdraw support, and with it, any chance of Parliamentary approval for the US project.

The Czechs have called for an international day of solidarity with the hunger strike on 22 June, so we will be showing our support for their campaign – and opposing Britain’s involvement in Missile Defence – by holding a day’s fast opposite Downing Street. We are asking people to join us for a vigil between 12 and 2pm British Summer Time. This is a real opportunity to change the outcome in the Czech Republic, and international pressure will help their cause – and may even make their government listen! Please join us.

Kate Hudson is chair of CND

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5 comments from readers

James
16 June 2008 at 13:24

I live in a basement so I'm OK anyway. But I do need to put tinfoil on the windows and the door. I plan to launch aggressive raids to get what I need. My friend and I will ride aroud on our bikes with shot guns looking for food . We'll start our own tribe. It'll be great. Once the women realise what we can offer they'll come flocking to our comman centre which is what we'll call the basement. The most important thing is to wear tinfoil when you go out.

Carl Jones
17 June 2008 at 10:45

James; I didn`t write the openning comment. I have informed the NS that they have security issues. I know of three comments under my name which are not mine. However, this is an illustration of the desperation some people and orgs. will go to in order to discredit me. The same thing happened on the BBC Today message boards. In fact, its so consistant and over such a long time frame that one can only believe this is the work of SIS propaganda units.lol

James
17 June 2008 at 12:15

Then I apologise Carl. For a moment there I thought you were trully insane. Still... maybe you SHOULD consider preparing for the worst. You never know when society is going to collapse and be replaced by roving bands of deranged cyclists snorting poppers and worshiping the night.

mistrd
17 June 2008 at 16:58

since I ma a Czech, i really don't know what to make out of this article. I am a PRO radar citizen, definitely. The ones who are against it are just against anything and everything, since it is a popular Czech, well just local, fun. I tend to blame the decades of communism for that, but i hate it. You need a new highway? Hell no, we will protest against it, because my cousin thinks it is a bad idea. And the radar issue is exactly the same. Czechs love to protest. There is zero rationel in it and the negativists have no real and based on facts arguments, why the thing shouldn't actually be here. People, this is a global world, global village we are living in, so get reasonable. You don't like the burgers, coke, polo shirts, ford, there ones who protest against it and will always do, same with radars, nuclear power stations, new highways, ports and so on...enjoy the live people and stop being so negative.

Carl Jones
17 June 2008 at 18:43

James: I`m very willing to consider societal collapse. In other comments I have talked about the use of micro nukes in the NWO constructed war on terror....these are advanced weapons and very clean. Weapons designed to detonate just prior to criticality are clean.

I have been slow. For many years I have believed in micro nukes, now I have to consider that the West has large clean nukes and if you understand this, then it might give you an understanding of US military policy in Eastern Europe. Does Russia have clean nuke technology? I don`t know, but if the US/West believes they can take out most Russian nukes during the first exchange, then the NWO might be daft enough to try it.

NATO already has an operational front from Scotland to Karachi. We`ve had a staggering case of US nuke mishandling which was sanctioned by Cheney and there are security issues over Pakistan`s nuke security. Admiral Fallon was forced to quit his Middle East command. Pressure is building nicely.

Between now and November is a risky period, but during/after Beijing, all the balls will be in the air. 9/11...you aint seen nothing yet.LOL