1: 16 MEDI 'Dydd Glyndwr' 2009 A DAY OF DIRECT ACTION AGAINST THE WINDMILLING OF WALES, maybe? Time to come up to the mark! YES?

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Over recent months, we have been inundated with a flurry of e-mails from those more active than we are in the campaign against the windmilling of Wales. Most of the e-mails recieved have been in connection to a consistant campaign of letters to the media drawing attention to the problems associated with these monstrosities but, it seems to end at that! with no desire expressed towards organising forms of 'real direct action' - such as that which is regularly carried out by 'Green' activists or, as was carried out by 'Patriotic activists' in resistance to the 'Hafod Landfill' issue.

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The latest batch of e-mails that we have recieved over the last couple of weeks have been prompted by the shipping of these monstrosities into Swansea Dock. From there,they are destined for the hills of West and Central Wales and the transporting has already begun causing big tailbacks on our roads but, according to recent 'alerts' recieved, it was scheduled for a trial run to take place, for the transporting of a large number of these wind turbines from Swansea Docks to the planned Nant y Moch windmill site on 16 Sept - Dydd Glyndŵr Day 2009! One e-mail we recieved concerning this plan stated:

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"Will it destroy the site of the Battle of Hyddgen!

Will it be a 400 ft turbine? I wonder! Traffic delays expected with turbine trial (please pass this on):- Ceredigion County Council has revealed its having been informed of the intended trial movement, on 16 September 2009, of wind turbine parts from Swansea dock to the site of a proposed wind farm in the vicinity of Nant y Moch near Talybont in northern Ceredigion. The company organising the trial is Dulas Ltd, Dyfi Eco Park, Machynlleth, Powys. The transporter will be leaving Swansea Docks at about 9:30am on 16 September 2009 and it is expected that the load will reach Ceredigion by about 11:00am. It is anticipated that the journey will be completed by about 3.00pm. Ceredigion County Council has been informed that the route through Ceredigion will be along the A478 (from the boundary with Pembrokeshire) to Cardigan; along the A487 coastal trunk road to Aberystwyth; the A4120 through Llanbadarn Fawr; the A44 trunk road to Lovesgrove Roundabout; the A4159 to the A487 trunk road at Bow Street and then north along the A487 trunk road to the site. Ceredigion County Council revealed its having been informed that the transport company involved (Collett Transport, Victoria Terminal, Albert Road, Halifax, England) has carried out a full appraisal of the route. Queuing points have been identified along the route and the company has told the County Council that it estimates that any traffic delays will be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes. The movement of wind turbine parts will be executed under police escort and the police will also carry out traffic management duties. Will it destroy the site of the Battle of Hyddgen!!!!!

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Now, Embassy Glyndŵr, over the yrs, has, rather passively, supported the Anti Windmill Campaign and although we are very aware of the many issues concerning these Wind Farms, our concern, in the main, has been in regards to 'Defending Heritage in the Landscape' and, in particular in association with the planned desecration of Mynydd Hyddgen - an area, where a major battle was fought and won by Owain Glyndŵr in the Spring of 1401. This battle site had been allocated priority status as a site in need of registering by the 'I'r Gad' Welsh Battlfield Campaign eight yrs ago and had been registered by Embassy Glyndŵr as part of our 'Tarian Glyndŵr - Defending Heritage in the Landscape Campaign' in 2003 (see pic opposite)

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Although the scheme to windmill Hyddgen has been passed by Ceredigion Council, Embassy Glyndŵr believes that active Welsh resistance to it should now be organized. Should there be no major resistance to this scheme, then it will be a green light to the 'powers that be' to go ahead to totally desecrate our heritage and devastate our beautiful Landscape. ..

However, we are a small body of people, not large enough in numbers to organize as a protest movement would, nevertheless, we do campaign on a number of issues when possible or, support other people and groups who do so - as we did in regards to the Hafod Landfill issue in Johnstown, Wrecsam and as we have turned out to do on a number of occasions at Anti Windmill demonstrations.

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So, we now appeal to all those Anti - Windmill campaigners that have been e-mailing us and to all others who care about our nation and its heritage to get organized to make a stand at this last minute, it is already almost too late.

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ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS! SEIZE THE TIME! NOW OR NEVER! let's, at the least, make that effort to work together to mobilize a MAJOR DAY OF ACTION against the Windmilling of Wales. The time has come to put down the pen and MAKE THAT STAND, the only alternative is to let them get on with it and face the consequences which, in time, will prove to be heavy on the fabric of our nation.

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There is no better place than on Mynydd Hyddgen to make such a stand, and I remind one and all, that Glyndŵr's first victory at this site was won when his small band was greatly outnumbered. It is also worth noting that the Welsh, at this time, was a population of some 500.000, and yet, they sustained a war for 21 years against an aggressive enemy with a population of some 3 Million and, an enemy that was one of Europe's most powerful military machines - and which had, for over three centuries, sought to conquor our country. It's also worth noting that Glyndŵr's forces set out to destroy wind and water mills because they were means of socio - economic colonisation - in so far, that the Welsh could grow wheat but not mill it and make bread to sell in the Colonial Borough Towns.

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Nothing's changed. These present plans for the 'Windmilling of Wales' can only be considered as a continuation of the socio - economic oppression, exploitation and expropriation of our natural resources since the days of Glyndŵr; be this a matter of stealing our land, robbing us of it's minerals, having the British Army occupy much as training grounds, and the bulldozing of our communities and drowning of our valleys to provide water for English Cities and English Industry.

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We are, at this present time, being used at a dumping ground for England's rubbish with more and more landfill sites being earmarked for Wales and, very insidiously, our lanscape is to be defaced with the erection of thousands of these worthless 'monstrosities' (along with endless miles of cabling and thousands of pylons) that will only provide wind power if there's wind! See pic below of such a Wind Farm (small scale this one) I took this photo at Gilfach Goch last weekend; Notice the blade on the ground, Heaven help anybody in the vicinity When there is high wind and these blades fly off! Also, there are a growing number of reports from people that claim to be suffering illnesses because they live in close proximity to these windmills and has anybody considered how this is going to affect livestock and wildlife - and birds? and what will be the effect on tourism and the value on properties?

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.Why Wales - again? There are plenty of areas in England such as the Pennines, the South Downs and the Chiltern and Malvern Hills which are suitable for such schemes but, no such planning permission would be given to erect a Wind Farm on the Malvern Hills but, in Wales, it appears we will put up with anything - but, are we going to - again? we shall see.

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Who will benefit from these Wind Farms? Well certainly not those living in Wales - unless you have land to sell to the developers. The beneficiaries will be the overseas producers of the turbines, the developers, the landowners - who are willing to sell their land and, again, as in the case of Elan, Clywedog and Tryweryn, English towns and cities and English industry who will get most of the renewed energy. I am told that these monstrosities have a lifespan of about 25yrs and then they will need to be renewed. In that case, can you, in all seriousness, see the developers dipping into their profits to adequately remove the old turbines at the end of their lives. I doubt it very much, I would wager that they will be left where they are, to decay, until they fall to the ground and,over time, into our sacred Cymric earth whilst fresh sites nearby are found for their replacements.

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Don't get us wrong though, we, as much as anyone else in Wales, are eager to develop means of renewable energy for our land and its people but, wind farms are ,most definately, not the answer. Every community in Wales has a river or lake

that could be employed to produce power much more economically, efficiently and at a safer health level to the community and there are a number of other such viable options. So, Pobl Glyndŵr awake and arise, to action with Baneri Glyndŵr held high. Perhaps, you will lead the way forward where it seems others fear to tread, or worse, dither and dally and do little that will put the fear of Owain Glyndŵr into those who would continue to oppress and exploit our nation and its people. WE THUS SAY, THIS FAR AND NO FURTHER!

.Beware of 'tactics' to hoodwink and distract your attention from organising action on this issue. Even as I write, e-mails are coming in stating that the police have cancelled the trial run. Well, I for one, would not believe this on face value as it could, very likely, be a diversionary tactic to thwart protest demonstrations. Thus, no matter what the truth is, we would say, go ahead with a TRIAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST WINDMILLS on 16 Medi 2009 anyway. As I have already stated, we are not in a position to organise such but will fully support any organised action and can propose some ideas and initiatives such as those to follow below. So let's go for it! .Some ideas and initiatives for a Day of Action:
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* Set up a symbolic declaration activity at the 'Glyndŵr Covenant Stones' close to the Hyddgen Battlesite.

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* Set up a Glyndŵr Camp close to the Windmill site entrance.

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* Blockade Roads/lane ways with short symbolic sit downs.

.* Organise Pickets on Docks in Swansea and at Nant y Moch site.

.* Organise for Protest Groups with placards enroute, to be sited at strategic points.

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* Organise for posters to be placed at key points of route. Note, rolls of wallpaper/bedsheets sprayed with slogans are useful towards this end.

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* Picket Ceredigion Council Offices and transport firms involved - such as the Eco Dyfi office.

..* Picket at as many other windmill sites throughout Wales as possible - make it truly a 'National Day of Action'.

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I, personally, am at present involved in getting a 'Heritage Campaign' off the ground so, am very busy but, as I stated earlier, i will support above (if organized) as much as I can. Also, I have no desire to intrude on a campaign others have been leading for years so, I shall await feedback/suggestions and will back up, as best as I can, with any action taken. Please let me know if your organising any affirmative action.

..I will, however, suggest now that the proposed 'Day of Action' should be 'kicked off' with the releasing of preliminary publicity/statements this weekend the latest, then continued through to Sept 16. A busy forthcoming 'weekend of action' should be called for and employed to place 'eye catching' posters all over and around Hyddgen.

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I will put up some artwork on the following posts which you may wish to use, the b&w could, in particular, be useful - to print out and blow up to A3 size for use on Placards.

I would also suggest that media spokespersons be put in place to deal with the media.

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Personally, I would hope that this 'Day of Action' kicks off a real big national struggle against these Wind Farms throughout Wales, Now's the greatest of opportunities to make this happen. Let's 'Seize The Time'.

. .Also, may I suggest that a 'National Organisation' to oppose the 'Windmilling of Wales' needs be set up and maybe, a 'National Meeting' could be held in Machynlleth (Capital of Windmill Wales) in the not too distant future for this purpose. In the meantime perhaps, a 'National Liasion/Coordination body' can be set up along with a central Info/advice website or even a blog?. .

Siân.