By Ben Young | Jubilee Scotland
October 14 (Day One)--At Jubilee Scotland we started a week long daylight vigil and fast against Indonesia's arms debts.
We set up at 6.30 this morning and spent all day at the busiest intersection in Edinburgh, tucked into the ley of St John's Church, bearing witness to the existence of the debt. Indonesia is paying back $1 billion to the UK for arms sales in the 1980s and 90s. Suharto's regime contracted the debts, and the people who survived that regime are paying them back.
The day went by so quickly! From the earliest intimations of dawn, the glimmering of the morning star (which I don't normally see, unless it is in the evening), through a great buzz of activity in the mid afternoon, to the wind down for 6pm, with music from an excellent Edinburgh duo bringing the main campaigning period to a close - there was so much going on, we didn't have time to get hungry, although us three fasters were looking pretty pale by the end.
There was a real vibe about the vigil on its first day: people welcomed the sharp focus of the Indonesia campaign, and asked good questions (like: why should Indonesia get arms cheap since they invaded East Timor - it was useful to talk though the differences between a regime and its citizens in response). And we had a succession of musical acts, plus a crazy dog, which really drew attention of the passers-by.
This fasting stuff is easy... only I fear tomorrow will be a bit more hard going. We'll post up some photos and films tomorrow. Check out www.jubileescotland.org.uk
Thanks for giving us the idea to have a fast! It really concentrates the mind!
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