Opposition to the census grows

Raymond Mgadzah reports on attitudes to the imminent census

Opposition to the granting of the £150 million 2011 census contract to arms company Lockheed Martin is gathering pace as the census date of 27 March looms.

During the past few days the campaign group Count Me Out has urged Quakers and others to make known their opposition to Lockheed’s involvement in the census, which is held once every decade.

A Count Me Out spokesperson said: ‘We are aiming to raise awareness of Lockheed’s involvement in the census this year. We are asking people to take action – to email government or to boycott the census.

‘We want people to say they are not happy that public money went to an arms company. An arms company shouldn’t be involved in something that’s a legal requirement in the UK.’

Last week, as part of its campaign, Count Me Out launched an e-action day and a local action day. People have been urged to contact Lockheed on Twitter and Facebook as part of the e-action day.

The question of whether or not to boycott the census has led to debate among Friends. Some argue that the Office for National Statistics, which is responsible for the census, has reassured them that ‘there is no risk that personal data will end up being used by the US government’ under the terms of the Patriot Act (‘Census queries answered’, 18 March).

Elizabeth Wild, a London Quaker involved with Count Me Out, told the Friend she is supportive both of those who choose to boycott the census and those who will complete the form but write to their MPs about Lockheed’s involvement.

Critics of a boycott suggest that incomplete census information could affect government plans for the provision of services. Elizabeth Wild responded: ‘The government’s decided what it’s going to cut. For the government to ask us to provide information to help it provide its services – that’s just hypocritical.’

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Comments

At least 6 members of our meeting are returning our census forms to the ONS, unopened. As Quakers we can see no way that we can possibly participate in this census without compromising our commitment to our peace testimony and to waging peace, not war. This morning, I sat at my kitchen table, eating breakfast and listened to the BBC news reader talk about the F16 fighter plane that Israel used to bomb Gaza last night, the F16 that was built by Lockheed Martin and who are profiting from the contract they have been awarded by the Office of National Statistics to collect the Census 2011. My eyes slide over to the unopened envelope sitting on the sideboard. I have just heard another reason to send that envelope back, unopened. This Quaker will not be playing the war game. I recommend this course of action to you all.

By miriam on 24th March 2011 - 14:29

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