The Owain Glyndŵr Centre at Machynlleth has recieved £350,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government through their 'in house' Heritage Department 'Cadw' to provide a new exhibition on the life and times of Prince Owain Glyndŵr for the centre. The Welsh Minister Carwyn Jones had accepted an invitation to unveil a plaque to mark the opening of the new exhibition and his name had been engraved onto the plaque as the AM minister that would do the honours but, in the days leading up to the opening, Carwyn Jones pulled out and sent his deputy, Alun Davies, up to Machynlleth on the 18th to do the deed.
Now, I went to the trouble of sending packages of information (via snail mail) to seventeen 'Against Wind Farm' groups in Cymru prior to the intended official re-opening of the Owain Glyndŵr Centre at Machynlleth on the 18th as I saw it as a great opportunity for a Glyndŵr type guerrilla protest in regards of the intended Windmilling of Wales. Carwyn Jones had obviously got wind of the intended protest, pulled out and sent his deputy instead. Nevertheless, It was still worth protesting in my opinion but only about 20 wind warriors turned up! Those that did turn up deserve to be praised for that and for standing their ground in the cold until 3pm. Yes, 3pm, as the Welsh Assembly had (as the day went along) changed the time from the scheduled 2pm to 3pm in the hope that any protestors would drift away. But no, we all stood our ground and made our message well and truly heard by him when he was about to leave in his chauffaur driven car - and despite the lie given in a 'smug' statement to the Cambrian News by 'Plaid renegade' now Labour man Alun Davies AM that the protestors "were delighted to hear Carwyn Jones's statement about his intention to try to limit the number of Wind Farms in Wales". I was one of the protestors, and I made it clear to him that we did not want any Wind Farms in Glyndŵr's lands. I also tried to get him to commit to working towards ridding Cymru of the TAN 8 policy; of course, he wouldn't commit himself to working towards that aim and I never heard any protestor there stating their "delight" at Carwyn Jones's statement!
Not wanting to disrupt the 're-opening' proceedings, we had all decided to launch the protest on his departure from the site and although the group of protestors may have been small, compared to the big protest that had taken place in Bae Caerdydd a few weeks ago, it was carried out and covered the front page of the Cambrian News. That's a result!
I totally disagree with those that are unwilling to launch such 'Glyndŵr type guerilla surprise protest raids "just incase they won't be well attended" If that apathetic attitude is adopted and allowed to prevail in Cymru, then we will never win this fight or any other fight against the injustices doled out to our people and our communities. With such in mind, let us remember the 'declaration of Arbroath which states... "as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule".
O.K. We did not have a hundred of us at Machynlleth last Saturday but could, easily, have done if the 17 Wind Warrior groups that I had sent mailings to had sent just a few of their members to represent their group and if more Cymric 'patriots' had turned up! But you get the drift.
We at Embassy Glyndŵr have always made it clear that we regard the whole Windmilling of Wales issue as a National Issue. This is the latest episode in a blatant colonial exploitation and ravaging of our nation. Not an acre of our beautiful Welsh landscape will be spared from being torn apart and filled with gigantic windmills and pylons to provide energy for English industry and yes, for English capitalism so that they can produce goods cheaply to sell it off for vast profits World wide! That will be the end of our communities and way of life. The final curtain for Cymru - unless all patriots wake up now and man the barracades!
Our campaign against this must be an united one that stretches all over Cymru because all areas of Cymru will be 'sold off' in due course. Large demonstrations such as the great one that took place in Bae Caerdydd is not going to be possible very often but Glyndŵr guerilla - 'Flying Protests' such as in Machynlleth last Saturday are and can be carried out at short notice anytime, anywhere. That strategy will wear out the likes of the 'Turbine Traitors' and Windmilling of Wales Merchants.
Cymry...Cofiwch Cytundeb Arbroath a cofiwch wneud eich rhan chi i achub eich cenedl chi!
Please read the following paragraphs written by the BBC Political Editor Betsan Powys on the BBC blog:
"The UK government, if I've read this right, appear to have blown out of the water Carwyn Jones' demand for the number of windfarms in mid Wales to be limited to the targets set by the Welsh government.
Only days ago the First Minister accused the coalition government of giving us all "a slap in the face" for refusing to devolve powers over major wind energy installations. The suggestion in return was that Mr Jones was guilty of some pretty unsbutle posturing.
But more powers or not, the Welsh government could - and did - announce last week that in future, existing planning guidelines on the number of windfarms should be regarded as an upper limit. In other words developments in mid Wales, to the delight of local campaginers, would be restricted
Game over?
No. For one thing, this change of emphasis/heart/direction in Cardiff Bay came a full six days before the final, definitive energy planning guidance by the UK government was announced, following several months of consultation.The National Policy Statement on Renewables, published this morning by the Department of Energy and Climate Change is the final document that will guide all applications for major renewable projects such as large wind farms. In it, the UK government says that Welsh planning policy will "provide important information to applicants of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects" (such as wind farms over 50MW in capacity).
But - and this is the kind of 'but' that makes a big difference - it goes on to say: "Applicants should explain in their applications to the Infrastructure Planning Commission how their proposals fit with the guidance and support its targets or, alternatively, why they depart from them."Whether an application conforms to the guidance or the targets will not, in itself, be a reason for approving or rejecting the application." Doesn't that imply that the Infrastructure Planning Commission will be allowed to approve windfarms even if the WG target in TAN 8 has already been reached?It does to me. If it does to the Welsh Government too, I'll let you know. What's the follow-up to a slap in the face?
UPDATE
Here's a kick in the shins - but from the Westminster end of the debate. Despite what Carwyn Jones said last week, a source points out, the existing planning guidance around windfarms in Wales remains unamended. Carwyn Jones's statement about upper limits is all well and good they suggest but legally, it amounts to what? I'll use the expression 'a row of beans'. They used one that was more pithy, granted but less polite. I know he's the First Minister but "with all due respect to him, he's not Napoleon".
In other words until Welsh ministers "have the bottle" to scrap the current guidance - TAN 8 - and come up with something better in its place, protesters shouldn't be hoodwinked and buy the argument that the enemy is in Westminster, not Cardiff Bay. Given there are several windfarm applications currently proposed to the Welsh government as well as others likely to come before the Infrastructure Planning Commission, it's no surprise that neither side wants end up a loser in this particular battle". (Powys, Betsan. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/correspondents/betsanpowys/)
As you can see from the above, Carwyn Jones knew damn well, when he made the announcemnt that he would demand from his London bosses for the number of windfarms in mid Wales to be limited to the targets set by the Welsh government, that he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of achieving that aim - as the final, definitive energy planning guidance by the UK government had already been decided on, following months of consultation. He made his announcement and played the part, being filmed at the London Cabinet making his 'demand' knowing full well what the answer would be but, he hoped that this would be enough to take the wrath of protestors from his door and that attention would turn to Westminster instead. But, I say NO!NO!NO! The Welsh Assembly insists it is now a Government with powers so, as Betsan Powys rightly states
"until Welsh ministers "have the bottle" to scrap the current guidance - TAN 8 - and come up with something better in its place, protesters shouldn't be hoodwinked and buy the argument that the enemy is in Westminster, not Cardiff Bay".
Let's not forget for a moment that the "so called" government in Bae Caerdydd has been elected by the Cymric electorate to safeguard our interest and the interests of our communities and that of the Cymric nation as a whole. They are in privileged positions and are paid extremely well for doing this job and It's time they earned their pay. If they want to 'crow' that they are administering a Welsh government well, let them govern - here in Wales, putting the welfare of the Welsh nation and its people first and foremost by stating loud and clear to the Westminster Government that they will say a loud and resounding NO! to any U.K. policy that is going to be detremental to Cymru - and they can start with TAN 8. Until they do, carry out large scale protests at Welsh Assembly Departments when such is possible and Glyndŵr type guerilla protests at every given opportunity. Make their lives very uncomfortable until they get the message and put the people and the communities of Cymru first. All of Cymru must unite to carry out these actions in every part of Wales.
An anti Windmill person called Owain posted the following statement on the MAP (Montgomeryshire Against Pylons) comments page on 22 Mehefin:
Have not posted before, but an avid reader of MAP commentries and totally against TAN8 / National Grid proposals, moreover, destruction of Montgomeryshire countryside and communities. On that, can I just draw to people’s attention through shock and disgust, that a national institution namely The National Eisteddfod, an organisation that strongly represents Welsh culture, folklore, history and community to name but a few is working in partnership/sponsorship with…get this…Wind Power Wales !! Unbelievable what? The National Eisteddfod fully supports and promotes the benefits / ideals of Wind Power Wales, endorsed by no other than Eisteddfod Director(s). How ironic and pathetic it is that the Eisteddfod organisation / national institution that alledgedly supports, promotes, and represents many aspects of Welsh community life (young and old), culture, folklore and ideals is helping to potentially destroy the very heart of it’s existence ……. communities and way of life ! This bombshell should be exposed, moreover, re-evaluate the ideals and principles of an organisation that embodies Welsh culture and communities. This may be old news, but had to put over my disgust and outrage. Be interested to know opinions.
My comment/reply below:
I agree with Owain and would suggest that a campaign does need to be launched against the National Eisteddfod for this collaboration but also, do realise, that this is only the tip of the Iceburg. It is becoming more and more obvious that the ‘turbine terrorists’ with their ‘windmills of mass destruction’ plans for Cymru have been very busy cultivating our ‘crachach’, and appointing ‘Cymraeg speaking front men’ such as ‘one time’ Cymdeithas yr Iaith activist and Plaid Cymru member Eryl Vaughan being one of three that I, personally, know of. Also, in many ‘Cymraeg circles’ there is a black propaganda campaign in operation that makes out that it is only ‘Incomers’ only that are opposed to windmills and that allowing ‘Cymraeg speaking’ farmers to use land for windmills helps subsidise them and thus enables them to stay in business and continue to be part of a sustainable but subsidised ‘Cymraeg speaking’ community. Such connivance is then sustained by the Welsh speaking press – such as ‘Y Cymro’ newspaper who made no reference at all to the massive protest in Cardiff. Why not? Could it be anything to do with the fact that an advert had been placed in ‘Y Cymro’ that week by the Renewables bad guys. Coincidence?
This Judas ’30 pieces of silver’ sell out by certain ‘Cymru Crachach Cymraeg’ must be challenged, and this ‘Windmilling of Wales’ exposed as Post Industrial Green Imperialism – Eco Colonialism and as much a robbery as that which has taken place over centuries and not least, in period of living memories of the British Army seizing Welsh land and vacating and destroying whole communities and, of course, the drowning of Welsh Valleys and thriving communities to take water to serve England’s Industrial needs.
The destruction of Cymric communities time and time again has been a major factor in the destruction of the Welsh language and culture and Welsh way of life and it is happening again with this windmilling of Wales – and on a much larger scale than ever seen before – and, again, its England and English capitalism that will benefit to Wales’s cost and the National Eisteddfod, the ‘supposed’ guardian of our language, culture and Welsh way of life should not be allowing itself to be bought by this ‘dirty money’ – and should be told so in very certain terms. What can be done. I would suggest in the first instance that Anti Wind farm groups should make the effort to produce Cymraeg as well as English literature placards and banners to display during their campaigning. Not only is it correct to do so in a nation that has its own language, it will assist to do away with the argument that only ‘incomers’ are opposed to the Windmilling of Wales. I would further suggest that the ‘Pabell y Cymdeithasau’ (Societies pavilion) is booked for an hour – or longer? during Eisteddfod week so that invited Welsh speakers such as Iolo Williams, Sian Lloyd and Myfanwy Alexander will have an opportunity to address the public on the issue of the Windmilling of Wales and the National Eisteddfod’s collaboration in this with the acceptance of this ‘dirty money.
That’s only a start!
Siân
A bilingual Report on this year's Gŵyl Coroni Owain Glyndŵr, Machynlleth can be found on our Cenedl Glyndwr blog which you should be able to access through this link: http://cenedl.blogspot.com/2011/06/gwyl-coroni-glyndwr-machynlleth-2011.html
Important Message from MAP (Montgomeryshire Against Pylons website:
Powys County Council will debate whether or not TAN8 should be revised
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU COME TO WELSHPOOL LIVESTOCK MARKET IN TIME FOR THE 2.00 p.m. DEBATE ON WEDNESDAY 29TH JUNE
The Council is setting up a widescreen at the market so that we can see and hear the debate. We must support this extraordinary move by the council who want us to see democracy in action. If we do not turn out in great numbers then there is a very real danger that they will not vote for TAN8 to be revised. You came in the thousands and cheered Glyn Davies and followed him to Cardiff. It is equally important that you now follow this through and let Powys County Council know exactly how you feel. 
UPDATE: Cllr Graham Brown has confirmed that the Welshpool Meeting is definitely going ahead on 29th June at 2.00pm
Note from Siân: This is Glyndŵr Ancestral land that is about to be ravaged so...bring plenty of Glyndŵr flags!
