Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has responded to the House of Lords International Relations Committee’s report which examines the legality of UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen. The cross-party committee is Chaired by the former Conservative Minister Lord Howell of Guildford.
The report concluded that the Government’s arms sales are “narrowly on the wrong side” of international humanitarian law, and that the Government should be prepared to suspend some export licences.
After four years of war, the Saudi-led bombardment has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Tens of thousands of people have been killed as a result of the bombing, with many more dying in the resulting humanitarian crisis.
Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, the UK has licensed £4.6 billion worth of arms to the Saudi regime, including:
- £2.7 billion worth of ML10 licences (Aircraft, helicopters, drones)
- £1.9 billion worth of ML4 licences (Grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures)
In reality the figures could be a great deal higher, with most bombs and missiles being licensed via the opaque and secretive Open Licence system.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
This is a welcome and credible report and will add further weight to the growing international pressure on the UK and others to end arms sales to the brutal Saudi regime.
UK-made fighter jets and bombs have played a central role in the bombardment and the destruction. Despite the atrocities and abuses that have been committed, the Government’s position has been to push arms sales at all costs. These sales are immoral and illegal.
The Saudi regime has shown a consistent contempt for human rights and has proven that it cannot be trusted to observe the most basic rights of Saudi people. Yet Downing Street has trusted it to investigate itself for war crimes. How much worse does the situation have to get before Theresa May and her colleagues take action?
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
