A coalition of Christian campaigners have called for the Church of England (CoE) to stop facilitating arms trade events. This follows the news that Church House, the administrative headquarters of CoE, will be hosting an event sponsored and attended by some of the world’s biggest arms companies.
The RUSI Land Warfare Conference 2015, taking place in Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, on 30 June – 01 July will have a focus on land based conflict.
The event will be addressed by the Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon MP, and sponsored by a number of arms companies, including the world’s biggest arms manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, and MBDA Missile Systems, which sold weapons to Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya.
Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi said:
The CoE statement on ethical investment states that its investment bodies do not with directly to profit from activities that are inconsistent with Christian values. How then is it comfortable to host and accept money from some of the world’s biggest arms companies?
Church House is the administrative headquarters of the Church Commissioners, the Archbishops’ Council and other parts of the CoE The Conference Centre is a subsidiary company of the Church House Corporation, whose president is the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Campaigners have been bolstered by confirmation that confirmed St Paul’s Cathedral will not accept bookings, or sponsorship of bookings, from any company involved in indiscriminate weaponry or any company that receives more than 10% of revenue from the sale or production of weaponry.
Emma Anthony, of Fellowship of Reconciliation, said:
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, should intervene and reject the arms trade for good. Church House’s hire conditions state that not all events are appropriate to the venue; surely this includes arms-funded events? St Paul’s Cathedral will not take money from arms companies and Church House must follow their lead.
Unfortunately this is not the first time that Church House has hosted arms companies. A similar conference took place in July 2014 and was met with opposition from Christian activists, who petitioned Church House Conference Centre and sent letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Symon Hill of the Campaign Against Arms Trade Christian Network said:
These companies are not hiring Church House because they want to support the Church. They are doing it because it’s good for business. Unfortunately, Church House is giving practical support and a veneer of legitimacy to an industry that profits from war.
The vigil is being supported by Fellowship of Reconciliation, Pax Christi, Campaign Against Arms Trade Christian Network, Christian CND, Christianity Uncut and SPEAK
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
