Young Czech activists Jan Tamas and Jan Bednar, who started a hunger strike on 13 May in protest against a US-Czech agreement siting a “Star Wars” base in their country, suspended their action on 2 June after three weeks on strike and in deteriorating health.
They opened up the protest into a “chain hunger strike,” with people in the Czech Republic and around the world fasting for 24 hours at a time. An international day of solidarity was called on 22 June, for which the CND organised a vigil and a fast outside Downing Street.
The Czech government appear determined to allow the US to install the US radar base near Prague, despite the fact that 70 per cent of the Czech public oppose the move.
The base would form part of the US “missile defence” system to enable the US to shoot down enemy missiles – so that countries in the Global South would be unable to retaliate against US invasion forces.
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice is expected in Prague to sign the treaty on 10 July.