Global Day of Action on Military Spending
“There should be an immediate arms embargo –
More importantly, we should be asking
Why these exports were ever licensed in the first place.”
— Sarah Waldron Campaigns Coordinator
Campaign against Arms Trade (CAAT)
CAAT reports from the United Kingdom.
To Libya and Bahrain — The UK has supplied arms including tear gas, crowd control ammunition and sniper rifles within the past year. Despite the apparent consequences, the Government continues to promote arms to authoritarian regimes in the Middle East. This is NOT OK.
The UK government talks about protecting civilians and supporting human rights, yet it aggressively promoted and sold weapons to the same regimes it now condemns. UKTI Defense and Security Organization (DSO) continues its activities, organizing and attending arms fairs and supporting the arms industry. THIS IS NOT OK.
“Government ministers claim they wish to support open and democratic societies in the Middle East but, at the same time, they are aiding authoritarian regimes and providing the tools for repression. They do not just approve the sale of this equipment. They actively promote it.”
In Bahrain, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen, democracy protests are brutally repressed. The UK has started bombing Libya, the country that, until last month, was a ‘priority market’ for arms sales. British weapons continue to suppress civilians. Last week British-made armored personnel carriers were sent via Saudi Arabia into Bahrain. THIS IS NOT OK.
Algeria
In the third quarter of 2010: Combat helicopters and military utility helicopters (Helicopter licenses were worth £269 million) and technology for the production of corvettes. Algeria is a priority market for UKTI DSO.
Bahrain
In 2010, equipment approved for export included tear gas and crowd control ammunition, equipment for the use of aircraft cannons, assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles and sub-machine guns. UK Trade and Investment Defense and Security Organization (UKTI DSO) has listed Bahrain as a key market for UK arms exports. UK armed forces have been used in support of sales efforts, demonstrating arms to the Royal Bahrain Artillery.
Egypt
In 2010: components for all-wheel drive vehicles with ballistic protection; military communications equipment; optical target surveillance equipment; components for armored personnel carriers; components for semi-automatic pistols; and components for submachine guns.
Libya
In the third quarter of 2010 (the most recent period for which figures are available), equipment approved for export included wall and door breaching projectile launchers, crowd control ammunition, small arms ammunition, tear gas/irritant ammunition, training tear gas/irritant ammunition. Ammunition comprised £3.2 million of the £4.7 million of military items licensed. Sniper rifles were among the other equipment licensed in 2010. Libya is a UKTI/DSO priority market country, and the UK has made ‘high level political interventions’ in support of arms sales to Libya. The UK had by far the largest pavilion at Libya’s arms fair LibDex in 2010, and was supported by a team from UKTI DSO.
Saudi Arabia
In 2010: armored personnel carriers, ground vehicle military communications equipment, sniper rifles; small arms ammunition; weapon sights and in 2009: CS hand grenades, tear gas/irritant ammunition and tear gas/riot control agents.
“There should be an immediate arms embargo – but more importantly we should be asking why these exports were ever licensed in the first place.”
April 12 TURN ANGER INTO ACTION
Help build a massive call for change —
the Global Day of Action on Military Spending.
UK action: PUBLIC against arms trade
Recent events have prompted an impressive response from anti-arms trade campaigners.
Sources and notes
“Saudi Arabia uses UK-made armored vehicles in Bahrain crackdown on democracy protesters,” March 16, 2011, http://www.caat.org.uk/press/archive.php?url=20110316prs
Spring Gathering in Reading on Saturday April 2 push for an end to the UK’s support for arms companies — Sessions will cover the latest on weapons sales to North Africa and the Middle East and CAAT's campaign to stop the UK promoting weapons to repressive regimes.
‘UK arms sales to Middle East include tear gas and crowd control ammunition to Bahrain and Libya,” February 17, 2011, http://www.caat.org.uk/press/archive.php?url=20110217prs
Activists have blocked access to the Business department in response to its licensing of weapons to Libya, organized a vigil at the office of Business Secretary Vince Cable and donned costumes to highlight that the arms company running the census also contracts out interrogation at Guantánamo Bay, http://www.caat.org.uk/
The Campaign against Arms Trade (CAAT):
“Security needs to be seen in much broader terms that are not dominated by military and arms company interests. A wider security policy would have the opportunity to reallocate resources according to actual threats and benefits, including addressing major causes of insecurity such as inequality and climate change.” The Campaign against Arms Trade (CAAT) based in the UK “values diversity of opinion among its supporters and is committed to nonviolence in all its work. CAAT works to end the international arms trade.” Its priorities are:
To stop the procurement or export of arms where they might —
Exacerbate conflict, support aggression, or increase tension
Support an oppressive regime or undermine democracy
Threaten social welfare through the level of military spending
To end all government political and financial support for arms exports
To promote progressive demilitarization within arms-producing countries
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