East London Against the Arms Fair (ELAAF) are appealing directly to the state-owned Abu Dhabi Exhibition Company, owners of the ExCeL Centre, to stop hosting the London Arms Fair in 2009. On 25 March ELAAF will hold a musical protest outside the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy in Kensington.
The musical protest will start with Buddhist chanting, followed by music from members of the Big Red Band – a regular feature of ELAAF protests. Non-musical protesters, with colorful posters and banners, will also be present. The UAE Ambassador will be asked to receive a petition presented by two residents who live close to the ExCeL Centre.
ELAAF, which is affiliated to Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), has been campaigning against the Arms Fair (officially Defence Systems and Equipment International – DSEI) at the ExCeL Centre for many years. In addition to the ethical issues around arms sales, the event causes huge disruption for the surrounding communities, with a heavy security presence and access roads and bridges blocked off.
In 2008 the ExCeL Centre was bought by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company, which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.
One ELAAF supporter says:
We see this as another opportunity to get our message across. We urge the Abu Dhabi government to follow the ethical option and give up the Arms Fair, together with the heavy security costs and negative publicity that comes with it.
Kaye Stearman, spokesperson for CAAT says:
It is shameful that DSEI is actively supported by UK Trade and Investment’s Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO). In other words, honest people’s taxes are being used to promote arms sales to some of the most abusive countries in the world. Removing the Arms Fair from the ExCeL calendar would be a win for everyone – except, of course, the arms industry.
ENDS
For further comment please contact CAAT’s Media Co-ordinator on 020 7281 0297 or 07990 673232 or email media(at)caat·org·uk or contact ELAAF on 0751 379 2705 or email elaaf(at)hotmail·com.
Notes
- The musical protest will take place outside the UAE Embassy, 48 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PT, from 2pm. The nearest underground station is South Kensington. All peaceful (musical and non-musical) supporters are welcome.
- Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) works for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade.
- Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI) has been held every two years since 2001 at the ExCeL Centre in Newham, east London. This year it is scheduled to run 8-11 September 2009. Every year there have been high-profile protests against it.
- Until 2008 DSEI was owned by Reed Elsevier, who finally responded to years of public pressure by CAAT and other organisations and sold DSEI and two other arms fairs to Clarion Events.
