Will Parliamentary Committee’s report change Government stance on arms fair invitations?

The report of the House of Commons’ Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC), published in three volumes on 17 July, says that it is fundamentally anomalous for countries that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office lists as being of human rights concern are listed as priority markets by the Government’s arms export agency, UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO). Currently, Saudi Arabia and Libya appear on both lists.

CAEC also reiterates its belief that there is an inherent conflict between strongly promoting arms exports to authoritarian regimes whilst strongly criticising their lack of human rights at the same time and asks the Government to acknowledge the contradiction.

The priority for successive Governments has been the promotion of arms sales, including London’s DSEI arms fair taking place in September. UKTI DSO is responsible for issuing the official invitations to DSEI, but this time it will not say, in advance, which overseas governments have been invited.

Five countries of concern were invited in 2011 (Colombia, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam). Bahrain and Egypt were also invited. CAAT suspects that this year invitations might also be extended to Libya and Burma.

Sarah Waldron, Core Campaigns Co-ordinator for the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), says:

We welcome the Committee’s acknowledgement of the inherent conflict in government policy. The promotion of arms sales send the wrong message: one that condones human rights abuses, that legitimises authoritarian regimes and undermines those struggling for reforms.

Unfortunately the government priorities are clear. Right now, it’s helping organise a huge arms fair to take place in London this September, where it will bring together repressive regimes with international arms dealers – from the UK companies pushing weapons to authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, to the companies supplying teargas to Turkey and Bahrain, and the Russian arms suppliers to Assad in Syria.

Instead of upholding human rights the government is fuelling the conflicts and repression of the future.

For further information please contact CAAT’s Media Coordinator, Kaye Stearman on 020 7281 0297 or mobile 07990 673232 or email media(at)caat·org·uk.

Notes

1. On Priority Markets, the CAEC report says: 53. The Committees conclude that it is fundamentally anomalous, not least in terms of public perceptions, for countries listed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as being of human rights concerns, such as Libya and Saudi Arabia, then to be listed by the United Kingdom Trade and Investment Organisation within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as Priority Markets for arms exports. (Refer to Volume II, paragraphs 129–131.)
2. On Arms exports and human rights, the CAEC report says: 86. The Committees continue to conclude that, whilst the promotion of arms exports and the upholding of human rights are both legitimate Government policies, the Government would do well to acknowledge that there is an inherent conflict between strongly promoting arms exports to authoritarian regimes whilst strongly criticising their lack of human rights at the same time rather than claiming, as the Government continues to do, that these two policies “are mutually reinforcing. (Refer to Volume II, paragraphs 317–319.)
3. The UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), with approximately 140 staff, is the latest guise of the Government’s arms export agency, originally set up in 1966 as the Defence Sales Organisation.
4. The biennial DSEI arms fair is taking place at the ExCeL Centre in London’s Docklands from 10-13 September 2013. The Government has refused to say in advance of the event which overseas governments have received official invitations.
5. Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) works for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade. The arms business has a devastating impact on human rights and society and damages economic development. Large-scale military procurement and arms exports only reinforce a militaristic approach to international problems. In 2012, CAAT was awarded a Right Livelihood Award – the Alternative Nobel Prize – for its innovative and effective campaigning against the arms trade.