On Newsnight on Wednesday night, it was revealed that two MPs on the Committee on Arms Export Controls (Crispin Blunt MP and John Spellar MP) are lobbying to dilute the contents of a report that was set to call for a halt to arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
If adopted, the proposed amendments would see references to Saudi war crimes downplayed and the removal of calls to end arms exports to the regime and to support an independent international investigation into the conduct of the bombing campaign.
The proposed amendments were made on the same day that the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister met with MPs to lobby them to support continued arms exports.
BAE Systems is also hoping to secure a further contract with Saudi Arabia for the Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes which are being used in Yemen.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
MPs must resist all attempts by the Saudi Arabian government and commercial interests to whitewash the crimes that have been committed against the people of Yemen. The Saudi Foreign Minister was in London yesterday because the regime is worried about the growing parliamentary opposition to the destruction being carried out by its forces. The committee cannot allow its work to be compromised.
Since the bombing campaign began last March, the UK has licensed £3.3 billion worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, including:
- £2.2 billion worth of ML10 licences (Aircraft, helicopters, drones)
- £1.1 billion worth of ML4 licences (Grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures)
- £430,000 worth of ML6 licences (Armoured vehicles, tanks)
Andrew continued:
Saudi Arabia is governed by a brutal dictatorship that refuses to run free and fair elections. It tortures its own people and treats women abysmally. How can it possibly be trusted to investigate itself for human rights abuses when it is carrying them out every day.
UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia are currently subject to a judicial review, following an application by CAAT. The claim calls on the government to suspend all extant licences and stop issuing further arms export licences to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen while it holds a full review into if the exports are compatible with UK and EU legislation. A three day review will take place in front of two judges no later than 01 February 2017.
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297 or 07990 673232.
