Ploughshares four: personal disarmament at work

New Internationalist, July, 1996

IN THE EARLY HOURS of Monday, 29 January 1996, three women snipped their way through the fence of the British Aerospace factory and test site in Warton, Lancashire. Soon after, they magically found themselves inside the south hangar, right in front of a Hawk jet destined for Indonesia, where it was to be used against the people of East Timor, who have suffered the loss of more than a third of their population since 1975. The women took out household hammers and blow by blow disabled all those components and devices that were connected to weaponry -- like the nose cone, the radar, the bomb attachment under the wings and the control devices in the cockpit.

Lotta Kronlid, Andrea Needham and Joanna Wilson then hung up banners, poured seeds and ashes over the wings, put up photographs of children along with a video and a report from their group Seeds of Hope -- East Timor Ploughshares. Over two hours later, after much singing, dancing in front of the security cameras and waving to a patrol that went past they finally phoned the British Press Association from within the hangar asking them to phone security at British Aerospace. Twenty minutes later they were arrested. Some days later Angie Zelter, the fourth Ploughshare, was arrested after publicly stating her intention to disarm a Hawk. All four women are currently on remand at Risley Prison charged with criminal damage and conspiracy to commit such damage to the tune of [pounds sterling]2.4 million ($3.8 million). Their sentences could be anywhere between one and fifteen years.

Since their action other Ploughshares women have carried out support and campaigning work. The Ploughshares philosophy, which is not based on any particular religious doctrine, is about breaking through fears for personal safety and taking responsibility for actions. All actions are non-violent and `challenge the sheep-like habit of doing as others do, of not stepping out of line, otherwise known as obedience'. The Seeds of Hope group has worked consciously to counter projections of heroism and martyrdom. These projections can at first give inspiration but are ultimately disempowering because they encourage belief that someone else -- who has more courage, commitment, spiritual strength, and so on, ad nauseam, than ourselves -- can act on our behalf. This is why the women who have carried out the post-action support work are considered to be an equal and essential part of the group, even though less publicly prominent.

At present the group is women only, though support from men is welcome, and future plans may include men more actively.