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Need to fight against ‘danger lab’
• WE attended one of the poorly advertised open meetings held by the Medical Research Council consortium at the Somers Town community centre.
The MRC claim that local people are very interested in this exciting project”.
The need for huge, top-notch security men on the door of, and inside, the community centre indicates how local people really feel and I hope that the MRC are invoiced for these security costs.
The MRC are also claiming that the centre won’t be “dealing with really dangerous diseases like ebola or lassa fever” yet have not ruled out, and refused to comment on, whether pathogens such as anthrax or rabies would be held in the centre. It will be at least a “level three” facility, and these do hold deadly viruses and diseases.
Their leaflet states that “no security warnings have been issued about our plans” and that they are liaising with security and emergency authorities.
Indeed, a security alert was leaked by MI5 about the plans for the site also owned by the consortium, on Hampstead Road, close to the Regent’s Park estate. The plans for this were abandoned because the site was too small. The site at Brill Place, given its proximity to St Pancras International, King’s Cross and Euston, is surely a far more dangerous idea.
As for “working closely with the authorities”, we have as proof, in the form of a document, that emergency services including British Transport Police, London Fire Brigade etc were not informed or consulted.
It is they who will have to deal with a deadly virus leak or terror attack so close to international transport terminals.
We are appalled at the statement issued by MRC who say they “understand the concerns about housing but local people need to remember that the centre will help fight diseases such as TB that affect people living in the area and other serious health issues”.
Tuberculosis thrives in overcrowded and poor living conditions. Building the centre on the already overcrowded and deprived Somers Town estate will, in fact, contribute to the spread of diseases such as TB and stress-related illness such as heart disease.
The MRC claim that “security will be improved on the estate by placing the centre here”, in fact horrifying local people.
It is very likely that armed police will patrol the estate if the laboratory goes ahead.
None of us has forgotten the shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes who was killed after being mistaken for a terrorist.
The MRC claims that building the lab will boost the economy are groundless.
Building council homes and community facilities will provide employment in areas of construction, security and other projects, employing local people, whereas the MRC plans will provide jobs for people only outside the local area and security will be in the form of state-controlled armed forces.
St Pancras & Somers Town Councillor Roger Robinson is calling for an open meeting between the MRC and the people of Camden.
The MRC meet-and-greet sessions were conducted in what amounts to secrecy and were addressed only to the people of Somers Town when the issues affect everyone – not just in Camden but London and further afield.
The MRC are attempting to keep the controversial laboratory plans confined and contained within a small area to prevent feedback and protest.
Local people were given just a couple of days’ notice regarding the meet-and-greet sessions and people living in the rest of Camden were not informed at all.
When I asked a representative why this was, I was told (and I quote): “Well, we did dump some leaflets here in the community centre and some more down near one of the shops where the community go.”
This lack of professionalism is very worrying.
The consortium claim that they are professional and stringent.
Foot and mouth disease was leaked from an equally professional and stringent facility at Pirbright in Surrey.
We suggest that community leaders, tenants’ associations and community centre groups get together to for a Camden people’s forum in support of the Somers Town People’s Forum to give all those across Camden who will be affected a stronger voice in campaigning against this.
Mandy Ford & Sue WHitaker, Elijah B, Jim Beresford
London Against Camden Danger Lab
www.myspace.com/londonagainstblisslab
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