Sri Lanka: solidarity and condolences

Following the horrendous terrorists bombs on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka and the subsequent reprisals against Muslims, I sent the letter below on behalf of ARMS Mersey to the Sri Lanka High Commissioner to the UK. I am confident all ARMS members will endorse the sentiment and, after New Zealand, I sincerely hope this kind of letter does not become a regular item of correspondence from our group.

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19th May 2019

His Excellency Manisha Gunasekera 

Sri Lanka High Commissioner to the UK
No.13, Hyde Park Gardens,
London W2 2LU

Dear High Commissioner,

I am writing to express the horror of the PCS ARMS Mersey committee and membership at the terrorist mass murders that were committed in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. We have also been dismayed by the recent reprisals against Muslim-owned businesses, mosques and houses as we feel the Easter Sunday attacks were intended to provoke such a response.

Terrorists cannot abide peaceful coexistence and care little when their co-religionists are killed or injured in the violent chaos they seek to provoke. In fact, that is their aim as they want Sri Lankan Muslims to respond violently to attacks against them by rising up against non-Muslims. Everywhere, we must oppose all types of fanaticism and not allow it to divide our communities – the only effective way to peace is through unity in diversity.

We in ARMS oppose all forms of bigotry and intolerance wherever they arise. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims of these horrific murders, our solidarity with the people in Sri Lanka and our sorrow that such grief has been brought to your country.

Yours sincerely,

Neville Grundy
Chair
PCS ARMS Merseyside

This blog has been revived

The PCS ARMS Mersey Meeting on 24 January 2019 decided to revive our ARMS Merseyside blog. We will be using it for:

• local trade union and other progressive events.
• listing dates of ARMS Mersey meetings.
• ARMS Mersey contact details.

Plus the usual info on membership benefits, etc. All new posts will also be placed on our Facebook page.

This blog will now concentrate solely on local matters. Save this link - arms-mersey.blogspot.com - to your 'favourites' and check this site regularly. Wider issues are the province of the ARMS national blog, which you can reach here.

I hope this becomes a useful local ARMS resource.

Neville Grundy
Chair
ARMS Mersey

This blog is now archived

The Merseyside ARMS committee has agreed that this blog and the North West ARMS blog are mostly duplicating each other. From now on, all posts and information for Merseyside ARMS will be on the North West ARMS blog. This blog will remain for information purposes but there will be no further updates.

Please click here for the ARMS North West blog.

Message of solidarity

Merseyside ARMS send their full support to our good brothers and sisters in the DfT Group fighting a brutal, power-crazed government.

Your fight is our fight.

Yours in solidarity,

Merseyside ARMS