Manx Nationalist Party, Mec Vannin has reiterated its opposition to recruitment into the British Armed Forces. The comment comes in the latest issue of Yn Pabyr Seyr (YPS).

The Nationalists also criticise what they see as a more noticeably strong military presence of the British military at Tynwald, a situation that provoked controversy several years ago.

Mec Vannin also suggest that the Armed forced day held recently is "another piece of British propaganda" to attempt to justify "illegal wars".

Full text of YPS article below:

"Armed Forces Day is yet another piece of British Government propaganda designed to influence public opinion and attempt to justify what many people regard as illegal and unjustifiable wars. The Isle of Man appears to fall willingly in line to help promote their dubious cause, but do the majority of Manx people support the military actions of the British Government over the last ten years? We doubt it very much, particularly when it appears that even the opinion of the British people is turning against them. The credibility of the British Army has been severely dented by the findings of the recent Bloody Sunday report, which revealed the orchestrated lies and deceit, involved in a cover-up and whitewash by the British establishment.

No doubt the Manx establishment will continue to openly support British forces. Most noticeable is the strong presence of the British armed forces at Tynwald, on this our supposed National Day. A further accommodating stance will be shown by the Department of Education and Children when they invite the British armed

forces into the secondary schools to provide a programme of physical activities for the students followed by a thinly veiled recruitment exercise using biased and powerful audio-visual aids.

Calls for this to stop has fallen on the deaf ears of previous Ministers, most particularly Anne Craine. Whether or not the new Minister, Eddie Teare, will appreciate the fundamental inappropriateness of this behaviour remains to be seen. If not, instead of renaming the Department of Education as "Education and Children", "Indoctrination and Recruitment" would be more appropriate."

J B Moffatt (Mr)

Director of Information

Celtic League

07/07/10