CAAT NEWS UK, STOP ARMING POLICE VIOLENCE - JULY - SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE 257 - Campaign Against Arms Trade
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARMS TRADE
CAAT NEWS
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2020 • ISSUE 257
UK, STOP ARMING
POLICE VIOLENCE
Tear gas sales Arms sales to COVID-19 and the
PLUS to the US P7-9 Saudi Arabia P3 arms trade P13
CAAT
We hope that all of you are safe and brutal killing of George Floyd and
well. We apologise to anyone that the repression that followed it.
did not receive the last issue of Arms sales to Saudi Arabia have
CAAT News. Due to the COVID crisis also been back in the news with
NEWS
we did an online edition, but did the government announcing
not have email addresses for all of that it is resuming sales. We are
our readers. You can find it on the looking at all available options
CAAT News website, caat.org.uk. to challenge this. You can find
Unfortunately, UK arms sales are out more about both stories in
JULY – SEPT 2020 in the spotlight again due to the this latest issue.
CONTENTS
Credit Jonathan Rotondo-McCord / Source Flickr
Credit Martin Pettitt / Source Flickr
3 Arms to Saudi Arabia
4–5 Arms Trade Shorts
6 Universities
7–9 Arms sales to US
10 Local network / Goodbye Kat /
P5 P8
Welcome Kirsten
Credit Ianan / Source Flickr
11 Scotland / Welcome Emma
12 Parliamentary update
13 COVID-19 and the arms trade
14 Israel annexation
15 Taking Action / They said it /
Reintroducing Jon
P11
EDITOR Andrew Smith The content and views Campaign Against Arms Trade
expressed in articles, works to end the international arms
DESIGN Chris Woodward
advertisements and promotional trade. The arms business has a
PROOFREADER John Moseley material included within CAAT NEWS devastating impact on human rights
LEGAL CONSULTANT Glen Reynolds by other organisations are not and security and damages economic
necessarily endorsed or supported development. Large-scale military
PRINTED BY e-Mediacy on 100%
by CAAT. Any related enquiries or procurement and arms exports only
recycled paper using only post-
concerns should be addressed reinforce a militaristic approach to
consumer waste.
to the relevant organisation. international problems.
Campaign Against Arms Trade, Unit 4, 5–7 Wells Terrace, London, N4 3JU
Tel: 020 7281 0297 Email: enquiries@caat.org.uk Web: caat.org.uk Twitter: @CAATuk
If you would like to stop being sent CAAT News, or change any of the ways that you hear from us, email office@caat.org.uk
To receive this issue of CAAT NEWS in large print please call 020 7281 0297
2
ARMS TO
SAUDI ARABIA
On 7 July, the government announced it was to resume licensing arms sales
to the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen.
This is an incomprehensible
decision. Thousands of Yemeni
people have been killed by five
years of bombing, many more by
hunger and disease. Now Yemen
faces COVID-19 with a health
system shattered by war.
Despite this terrible human
impact – and despite UK rules
which prohibit the licensing of
arms exports where there is a
clear risk they might be used
in violations of international
humanitarian law – the UK
government has done all it can
to keep the weapons flowing
to Saudi Arabia, the largest
buyer of UK weapons.
The UK has licensed billions
of pounds of arms sales to
BAE Systems could still maintain The Saudi-led forces have
the Saudi-led coalition since
the warplanes bombing Yemen. bombed weddings and funerals,
the bombing began: at least
The Government also market places and warehouses,
£5.3 billion in published figures,
immediately appealed the schools and hospitals. These
but with billions more sold under
Court’s decision. A hearing at the are not isolated incidents but a
the secretive ‘Open Licensing’
Supreme Court was scheduled pattern of repeated breaches of
system. We hoped change might
for November 2020. International Humanitarian Law
at last be in sight with CAAT’s
(IHL). There have been hundreds of
landmark victory at the Court The Government has concluded these so-called isolated incidents,
of Appeal in June 2019, after
that war crimes committed in the and thousands of people have
years of legal battle.
The Court ruled that the
attacks on Yemen were “isolated been killed in them.
Government had failed to properly incidents” – and announced The continuation of arms
supplies to the Saudi-led coalition,
assess the risk of weapons that it would immediately begin
despite evidence of repeated
exported from the UK being used “the process of clearing the
breaches of IHL, recorded since
in violations of international backlog of licence applications the first day of the bombing
humanitarian law in Yemen.
campaign, exposes the failures of
It ordered the Government to Now, after taking more than
UK and international arms export
retake all its previous decisions to a year to complete the review
controls, when governments
license weapons sales in a lawful ordered by the Court, the
value arms company profits
way. In the meantime, no new Government has concluded that
more than human lives.
arms exports could be licensed war crimes committed in the
for use in the war on Yemen. attacks on Yemen were “isolated At the time of writing we
However, although hundreds incidents” – and announced that are considering this new
of millions of pounds worth of it would immediately begin “the decision with our lawyers and
new arms sales were put on hold, process of clearing the backlog exploring every avenue to stop
other weapons sales continued of licence applications for Saudi these sales. Please check
under pre-existing licences while Arabia and its coalition partners.” caat.org.uk/stop-arming-saudi
the review took place, meaning We are appalled by this decision. for the latest updates.
ARMS TO SAUDI ARABIA • 3
ARMS TRADE
SHORTS
HONG KONG COVID-19
The COVID pandemic closed
factories in Mexico that were
providing equipment for US arms
production. Despite the health
risks, the Pentagon publicly called
for the factories to be re-opened
to minimise disruption to the US
arms industry.
Credit Studio Incendo / Source Flickr
Defense News, 21/04/2020
ARMS FAIRS
The COVID pandemic has seen
the cancellation of major arms
fairs across the world. However,
at the time of writing, the UK
An investigation by CAAT and the as 2019. The Hong Kong authorities
government is preparing to attend
Independent found that the UK College have inflicted a brutal crackdown
events from September 2020.
of Policing was providing training to on pro-democracy campaigners.
Defence & Security Organisation,
the Hong Kong police as recently The Independent, 02/06/2020
10/07/2020
MILITARY SPENDING TEAR GAS
Safariland, a US arms company, has
According to new data from our friends The Unite trade union and the said that it will cease production
at the Stockholm International Peace Aerospace, Defence & Security of tear gas. The company has
Research Institute, total global military group, a trade body for arms said that it is selling its Defense
expenditure rose to $1917 billion in 2019. companies, have both called Technology unit, which makes
The total for 2019 represents an increase for the UK government to bring rubber bullets, batons and stun
of 3.6 per cent from 2018 and the largest forward military spending in order grenades as well as tear gas.
annual growth in spending since 2010. to help the sector to respond CBS News 10/06/2020
The five largest spenders in 2019, which to the COVID pandemic.
accounted for 62 per cent of expenditure, The Guardian, 21/06/2020
were the United States, China, India,
Newspaper reports suggest that
CORRUPTION
Russia and Saudi Arabia. This is the
the UK government’s ongoing The former South African President,
first time that two Asian states have
military review could see the army Jacob Zuma, has withdrawn a legal
featured among the top three.
reduced by 20,000 personnel and the bid to stop a major corruption trial.
SIPRI, 27/04/2020
cancellation of some major military The charges against Zuma related to
The Australian Prime Minister, Scott projects. The Prime Minister’s adviser, a major arms deal that took place in
Morrisson, has committed to spending Dominic Cummings, is allegedly 1999.. Zuma is alleged to have taken
$270 billion over the next decade on pushing for funding to be moved bribes of four million rand ($220,000)
military capabilities. This includes a focus from conventional weapons and related to a $3.4bn arms deal with a
on missiles, cyber capabilities and a high- towards cyber warfare. French arms company Thales when
tech underwater surveillance system. Metro, 06/07/2020 he was deputy president.
ABC News, 30/06/2020 Al Jazeera, 29/04/2020
4• ARMS TRADE SHORTS
SAUDI ARABIA INVESTMENTS
AND THE USA The UK’s largest private pension fund –
the Universities Superannuation Scheme
– has announced that it will be ending its
According to members of Donald Trump has ended a nine- investments in cluster munitions, white
Congress, a State Department year policy that barred the US phosphorus and land mines. It will also end
inspector general was fired from doing business with a Saudi investments in tobacco and mining.
while investigating Donald Arabian subsidiary of BAE Systems. Mining Mix, 02/06/2020
Trump’s decision to declare The policy was introduced by the
a “national emergency” in Obama administration after BAE
order to justify arms sales pleaded guilty to fraud charges
to Saudi Arabia. relating to a major 1985 arms deal.
Reuters, 03/06/2020 Middle East Monitor, 21/05/2020
FACIAL RECOGNITION
Credit Jonathan Rotondo-McCord / Source Flickr
Tech company IBM has he wanted “to work with (you)
withdrawn from of the facial in pursuit of justice and racial
recognition market and called equity, focused initially in three
for a ‘national dialogue’ on how key policy areas: police reform,
and when the technology is responsible use of technology,
used in law enforcement. The and broadening skills and
company’s Chief Executive educational opportunities.”
wrote to Congress saying that The Guardian, 09/06/2020
UK LICENCED
SPYWARE
In July, we worked with
the Independent on an
investigation into where
the UK government
has approved the
sale of phone-tapping
equipment and other
spyware. Many of the
buyers are repressive
regimes with a history
of targeting human
rights defenders and
activists.
Permanent licences Temporary licences
Algeria Indonesia Pakistan Argentina Macao
Bonaire, Curacao, Iraq Paraquay Bahrain Mexico
Saba, Sint Israel Philippines Bangladesh Montenegro
Eustatius and Jamaica Qatar Bosnia and Morocco
Sint Maarten Kenya Saudi Arabia Herzegovina New Zealand
Brazil Kuwait Singapore Botswana Republic of Congo
Colombia Lebanon South Africa Brunei Serbia
Egypt Malaysia Switzerland Cambodia South Korea
El Salvador Namibia Thailand Chile Sri Lanka
Honduras Nigeria Turkey China Taiwan
Hong Kong Norway United Arab Emirates Gabon Tunisia
India Oman Vietnam Jamaica Turkmenistan
ARMS TRADE SHORTS • 5
UNIVERSITIES NETWORK
This is the last piece by our outgoing Universities Coordinator, Ibtehal, and includes her
reflections and memories from her two years at CAAT. We wish Ibtehal all the best and
want to thank her for all of the great work she has done in building the universities network.
It’s been an incredible two years Film screenings Reporting
of campaigning. The arms trade
Screenings at different Students across the country are researching
is a system that upholds racist,
universities of films concerning the many ways that their universities are
colonial, patriarchal, oppressive
the arms trade and international working with the arms trade. This has led to
systems and needs to be
solidarity brought students reports on cultural training delivered to the
challenged wherever we find it.
together and built momentum Ministry of Defence, to unethical sources
Here are some of my highlights:
to resist militarism on campus. of research funding, investments and the
Students across the revolving door between academia, the arms
country are researching Marketisation X industry and the Government. The recent
the many ways that their Militarism: resistance training for students across the country
universities are working on the picket line on How to Investigate Your University in
By bringing anti-arms trade collaboration with Corporate Watch has
with the arms trade
to the picket line, students inspired and provided students with skills
Conference at exposed the many ways in to expand their research.
the Gates which universities are militarised
spaces (including USS pension Solidarity
Protesting outside one of
schemes of academics investing From protests against the “Security & Policing”
the world’s largest arms fairs
in numerous arms companies). arms fair outside the Home Office, to the Bahri
(DSEI), students, organisers and
Yanbu ship delivering weapons to Saudi Arabia
academics came together to re- Events outside the port of Tilbury, students have
think and act on the militarisation
By holding events concerning focused on solidarity in all their campaigning,
and securitisation of the spaces
the arms trade and empire, neo- whilst emphasising the role their institutions
that we occupy in society and the
colonialsm, Israeli apartheid, play in building and legitimising the arms trade.
consequential impacts. This was
and climate change/justice, Referring to the two million children without
a reminder that (un/)learning is
we’ve explored how the arms education in Yemen, Ben, a student at Oxford,
not limited to university buildings
trade collaborates with so many asked BAE Systems in an online action, “Why is
and that our protests can be
lethal industries and causes my education facilitating the disruption of the
educational and creative.
so much harm. education of millions of others?”
Are you interested in coordinating campaigning with students and organising against militarism on campus?
Keep your eyes open for the job opening of the Universities Coordinator soon!
6• UNIVERSITIES
Credit Dan Aasland / Source Flickr
UK ARMS SALES
TO THE US
May saw the appalling killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He was killed by racist and
violent police officers, one of whom was kneeling on his neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds,
while he was pinned to the ground. His final words, “I can’t breathe”, underline the
brutality of his murder.
The weeks that followed have and the systematic inequality Many of the tear gas and
seen mass protests taking place that they are responsible for. “crowd control ammunition”
across the US. Hundreds of sales were done via the opaque
thousands of people have taken The UK’s role in and secretive Open Licence
to the streets to oppose the US repression system. This means that
violence and racism that led to The USA is the second biggest the value of exports is not
the killing. They have been met by buyer of UK arms in the world. The published and nor is the end
heavily militarised police officers US is one of the world’s largest user. These licences allow for an
who have inflicted terrible abuses buyers of UK arms, with almost £6 unlimited volume of equipment
against campaigners, activists, billion worth of arms licensed since to be exported over a fixed-
and journalists. 2010. This includes all weapons term period. Moreover, the Open
The violent crackdown and use categories. The end user is not General Export Licence (OGEL)
of rubber bullets and CS gas on published, so no distinction is issued in relation to the UK-US
peaceful protestors in the United made between the military and Defence Cooperation Treaty
States has shone a light on the police, but it is likely that some allows registered companies
increased militarisation of the will be for police forces. to export tear gas and other
police. Tear gas, which can cause anti-protest equipment
serious injuries, miscarriage, and
Tear gas, which can cause without limit and without
even death, is a chemical weapon serious injuries, miscarriage, and further licencing indefinitely.
banned for use in war, yet it is even death, is a chemical weapon Between 2009 and 2018,
widely used against civilians banned for use in war, yet it is the UK signed contracts worth
from Gaza to Minneapolis. US widely used against civilians £14.8 billion for arms sales to
law enforcement agencies have the US and Canada, according
from Gaza to Minneapolis
received $7.4 billion in military to the Government’s Defence
equipment transferred from the Since 2010 the UK has licensed and Security Organisation,
armed forces since 1997, under £2 million worth of Security and compared to just £5 billion
the 1033 Program, contributing paramilitary police goods to the worth of export licences issued.
to their aggressive and violent US, this includes anti-riot shields According to the consolidated
response to protests. and other equipment that could criteria for arms exports “The
Police violence and racism is be for police use. The Government government will not grant a
not new, nor is it exclusive to the has also licensed £800 million licence if there is a clear risk
US. Many of these issues will be worth of small arms and £18 that the items might be used
familiar to people in the UK and million worth of ammunition sales for internal repression.” By any
beyond. It is time for police forces to the military and police, including reasonable interpretation this
and politicians from across the crowd control ammunition, CS should have seen these arms
world to consider their own roles hand grenades, and tear gas. sales suspended.
TEAR GAS • 7
TEAR
The US is not the only country for gas to the Hong Kong authorities. Last
which the UK has licensed sales of tear summer the same equipment was used
GAS
gas. An investigation by CAAT and the again, with the same horrific results.
Independent found that the UK has Likewise, in 2011 UK-made tear
licensed at least £34 million worth of gas was used against protesters
tear gas sales to over 50 countries over by Egyptian forces, aiding a bloody
recent years, with 202 unlimited-value crackdown that killed more than 800
SELLING open licence since 2008, including
to some of the world’s most abusive
people. It has been sold to Greece,
where tear gas has been used against
REPRESSION regimes and dictatorships.
In 2014 the Hong Kong police
refugees, and to France, where tear gas
was used against Black Lives Matter
used UK-made tear gas against protests in Paris.
The UK has pro-democracy campaigners. In the The UK doesn’t just license the sale
licensed at least aftermath of the crackdown the UK of weaponry. It actively promotes the
£34 million worth government pledged to take the sale of “crowd control equipment” – and
abuses into account before approving with it, the militarisation of policing –
of tear gas sales to
licences to Hong Kong in future. through multi-million pound arms fairs
over 50 countries Unfortunately, within 12 months the UK like Defence and Security Equipment
over recent years was again allowing the export of tear International and Security & Policing.
SPEAKING OUT AGAINST
RACISM IN THE UK
Even if the UK government was to revoke arms export licences to send the
US government a message, it certainly does not have any moral high ground
on the issues of state violence and racism.
As we demand an end to the of racism every day, research The stakes could not be
licensing of arms of the type used from the Race Disparity Audit, higher. It is vitally important
to shut down Black Lives Matter the Lammy Review, the Equality that we don’t just challenge the
protests, and justice for George Commission, and the UN’s arms sales, we also challenge
Floyd’s family, we must also Special Rapporteur on Racism, the policies, structures and
recognise the need to address E. Tendayi Achiume, all points to mindset that allowed them
our own racism problem in the UK. the same persistent exclusion in the first place.
For countless decades, black and marginalisation of racial and
people have been fighting for an ethnic minorities. For example,
end to the deeply entrenched stop-and-search rates between
racial discrimination and 2018 and 2019 show that black
inequality affecting the lives people are now nearly 10-times
of black people and people of more likely to be stopped
colour in the UK, rooted in our and searched by police than
colonial past. This includes white people.
police violence, poorer health
or education outcomes, the Stop-and-search
inaction over the lives lost rates between 2018
at Grenfell, and the focus of
and 2019 show
Credit Martin Pettitt / Source Flickr
immigration detention and
deportation policies on people of that black people
colour. As journalist Afua Hirsh are now nearly
puts it, “the racism that killed 10-times more likely
George Floyd was built in Britain”.
to be stopped and
As well as the continued
demands for justice for the searched by police
people living the experience than white people
8• TEAR GAS
HOW YOUR GROUP CAN SUPPORT
BLACK LIVES MATTER
We’ve had questions from a lot of people in our network about how to engage with
the issues of police violence and systemic racism raised by the Black Lives Matter
movement in their CAAT meetings.
This this piece attempts to but it’s a UK issue too. Educate
answer these questions. It is yourself on the UK context, and
written for the white folks in your area’s local history of racism
our network, especially white and police violence. Look for local
group coordinators, with some organisations and educators
reflection questions to ask working in your area.
yourselves when tabling this at If you are using content from
meetings. black educators and people of
Be aware there is a lot of rage colour, recognise that folks are
and grief, and people are hurting. doing an incredible amount of
Credit Lorie Shaull / Source Flickr
Be thoughtful about if and how free labour right now. Pause
this will come up on your agenda, before you reach out to someone
and how you will structure and and ask for something: have you
facilitate it. Who is in your group, checked out the wealth of open-
and how might they be affected? access resources available online
If you are a predominantly instead? If you’re on a black
white group, what will you need educators page and you’ve found
to have a conversation about their content useful, look to see Think about how your group
racism respectfully and with if they have a patreon or paypal
accountability? address that you can pay for the
will commit to ongoing anti
It might be topical to include content with. Some people don’t racist work, even after the
this as a meeting agenda item, want direct donations, but may news cycle moves on. What
but for many people this isn’t also be asking people to donate will you do in two months
news, it’s their lived reality – and to community bail funds or other
from now, six months, a year?
it’s not new. Is this the first time fundraisers when accessing
your group is talking about this materials, so look for this too. media channels, do you have a
issue, and if so what does that When reposting content, clear policy for how you will deal
mean? Think about how your consider how you can share with comments so you don’t
group will commit to ongoing anti materials so you’re amplifying provide a social media platform
racist work, even after the news messages effectively. Whose for racism? How will you decide
cycle moves on. What will you content are you reposting? when to engage with comments
do in two months from now, six Have you given an attribution and when to delete or hide them?
months, a year? What changes for the original post? If you are Who in your group will do that,
will you make to your work? posting or reposting Black Lives and what support will they need
The US has a particular history, Matter content on your social to do this?
Parliamentary Opposition
Credit Chris McAndrew / Source Parliament.uk
There have been widespread into whether UK-made arms have
protests in the UK, while a been used against protesters.
change.org petition calling for The letter was signed by MPs
an end to the sale of tear gas from across all opposition
and rubber bullets to the US was parties, and even a few
signed by over 750,000 people. Conservative MPs. There were
Labour MP Dawn Butler also statements of opposition
organised a letter signed by from Labour Foreign Secretary
166 MPs calling for sales to be Lisa Nandy and the Leader of
suspended and an investigation the Opposition, Keir Starmer.
RESISTANCE AROUND THE UK
DSEI • 9
LOCAL NETWORK
This is the last issue for our current local outreach Coordinator, Kat, who has been
with us for over 6 years. We want to thank her for all that she has contributed to
CAAT and wish her all the best in everything she does next.
Arms Fair postponed! was no publicity, outside the fairs in their location, and I was
Activists challenging the Three sector) then to gage local opinion excited to be linking with others.
Counties Defence & Security Expo and finally to organise protest.” “Towards the end of the call I
(3CDSE) have been celebrating Rebecca Tully, who lives in mentioned how hard I thought it
success over the summer. The the area and has been helping would be when ‘all this was over’ to
organisers of the fair, scheduled to bring together groups and convince people NOT to build our
for July 2020, were pushing ahead individuals challenging the economy with arms. One person
with plans for the event despite fair, said, “At the beginning on the call mentioned how utterly
the ongoing pandemic. of lockdown, we had a Zoom wrong it is, pushing ahead with
Melanie Jameison, Founder of meeting with activists from our something like the Defence Expo in
Malvern Individuals for Peace, area and other campaigners the midst of such a massive public
has been part of the resistance health crisis – and we realised that
to the Three Counties Defence
Activists used local media to this in fact was our angle! It was a
& Security Expo for several years. raise their objections to the press release to that effect that
She explains: fair, and successfully captured got us on the front page of the
“The Three Counties the front page of several local local papers.”
Showground is an idyllic location papers protesting the plans They used local media to
with a backdrop of the Malvern for the fair to go ahead raise their objections to the
Hills on the Worcestershire- fair, and successfully captured
Herefordshire border. Three years from across the UK. We are a the front page of several
ago it became the venue for a small group, so we’d decided to local papers by protesting the
Defence & Security Expo giving join together with activists from plans for the fair to go ahead.
rise to the formation of Malvern across the country to discuss Organisers were quickly forced to
Individuals for Peace (MIPs) and a what we were doing about announce they would postpone
consultation with CAAT to get a different arms fairs. We heard to February 2021. As well as
better idea of the track record of from activists as far afield as raising awareness locally through
exhibitors and sponsors. Our first Farnborough and Glasgow about their great media action, this
role was to inform residents that what had worked for others also gives activists more time
this event was taking place (there when they were challenging arms to plan their resistance!
Goodbye Hello
from Kat from Kirsten
After more than six years at Kirsten Bayes has joined
CAAT, I’m moving on to a new the staff as Local Outreach
role with the Bristol-based Coordinator. She may be a
group AdBlock and working familiar face to some of you
as a freelance campaign skills as she has worked for CAAT twice
trainer! It’s been an incredible few years: seeing the before: in Training and Events, and Local Outreach
Stop the Arms Fair network grow and go from strength on temporary contracts. She has also been part of
to strength, participating in so many inspiring and CAAT’s Steering Committee for several years. She is
successful campaigns, and working with so many of a long-term organiser against the DSEI arms fair, as
you folks who have been both comrades and friends. part of the Stop the Arms Fair Network. She is also
I will still be around CAAT as an activist, so I will see Vice Chair of the Nuclear Information Service, and of
you on the streets! Reading Pride, and is on the board of several other
non-profits. Prior to joining CAAT, she worked as a
It’s been an incredible few years
trainer and facilitator, as a University lecturer, and in
working with so many of you folks who IT and marketing management roles. You can contact
have been both comrades and friends her on kirsten@caat.org.uk.
10 • LOCAL GROUPSGLASGOW UNIVERSITY
AND THE ARMS TRADE
In recent editions of CAAT News we have reported on the action that Glasgow students
have taken in their campaign for Glasgow University to end its investment in the arms
trade. Here, David Broomfield of the Glasgow University Arms Divestment Coalition
updates us on the latest developments.
At the end of June, the University of unlikely to work on the CEO of
Glasgow decided to retain the bulk Credit Ianan / Source Flickr an arms company.
of its £3m investments in some of The reality is that there is no
the world’s largest arms companies, way to make ethical investments
including BAE Systems, Airbus in the arms trade. The University
and Boeing. The decision to keep might think that writing sternly
profiting from the arms trade was worded letters and asking the
made despite a fierce campaign Government to double-check
by the student group Glasgow where weapons are likely to
University Arms Divestment do their killing is enough, but a
Coalition (GUADC) and concerned genuinely ethical response would
members of the community. As involve immediate divestment.
has been pointed out again and The University knows this – yet
again, the huge arms corporations it has chosen cheap gestures
that the University has chosen to and profits over the lives of
invest in are accused of serious war innocent people.
crimes across the world. Unfortunately, the University
This contradicts the University’s
In place of substantive action, of Glasgow is not the only
own public commitment to a the University has assured us major UK university that holds
Socially Responsible Investment that the Principal will write to significant investments in
policy (SRI), which made very the arms companies involved, the arms trade. Many others,
specific promises to students to ask if their activities are including many of the influential
and the public about any future “fully compatible with their Russell Group, still profit from
investments. For example, the arms trade and have their
publicly stated values”
the University of Glasgow has research shaped by these
committed to divesting from In place of substantive action, same companies.
the oil and gas sectors, while the University has assured us Regardless of the decision,
instructing its fund managers not that the Principal will write to we will continue our campaign.
to invest in the tobacco industry the arms companies involved, to With the support of the people of
“because of the harm smoking ask if their activities are “fully Glasgow and with organisations
causes”. If the University thinks compatible with their publicly like CAAT, we hope that there
smoking is harmful, maybe it stated values”. A letter from will be a day when all universities
should ask BAE what their bombs the Principal is likely to scare a in the UK are fully divested
are doing to children in Yemen? teenager skipping school – it is from the arms trade.
Introducing Emma
CAAT has appointed its first ever chat with you about it! Supporting and
Scotland Coordinator! Emma has spent developing local campaign groups across
the last few years as an organiser at Scotland, Emma has also been active
an anti-nuclear weapons campaign in in the Scottish trade union movement
Scotland and with the International campaigning against zero-hour contracts
Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. and as part of the COVID-response team
As a disability advocate, she pushes in the last few months. She is currently
for further accessibility within activist researching defence diversification
spaces to let everyone have a voice across Scottish manufacturing. You can
in our movement and would love to contact her on emma@caat.org.uk.
SCOTLAND AND THE ARMS TRADE • 11PARLIAMENTARY UPDATE
Since Easter, Parliament has settled into a new routine following the General Election,
Brexit and the Labour leadership elections as well having to work out how to function in
a time of coronavirus. We are finding out which new MPs are interested in international
affairs, including the arms trade.
Select Committees Committees, which are examining Secretary as well as Fabian
The Select Committees, aspects of the Review. CAAT is Hamilton who remains in the
comprised of backbench MPs calling for the Review to focus on Foreign Affairs team as Shadow
from across the parties who real sustainable security, rather than Peace and Disarmament Minister.
monitor each government assuming that security equates with
department, have now been set military preparations and responses. Riot control equipment
up. In July, the Committees on The work of the Review itself was The death of George Floyd put UK
Arms Export Controls (CAEC), paused because of coronavirus, but exports of riot control equipment,
formed from members of the restarted in July. It is expected to to the United States and more
Defence, Foreign Affairs and report in the autumn along with the generally, on the Parliamentary
International Trade Committees. Comprehensive Spending Review. agenda. MPs, including
The absence of representatives Conservatives, asked dozens of
CAAT is calling for the
of the International Development questions on the issue.
Integrated Review to focus
Committee reflects its As highlighted on P10, Labour’s
disappearance, at least in on real sustainable security, Dawn Butler organised a letter to
its current form, when the rather than assuming that Liz Truss signed by 167 MPs from
Department for International security equates with military across the political spectrum
Development is merged with the preparations and responses calling for exports of riot control
Foreign Office. The new CAEC equipment to the US to be
Chair is the Conservative MP Mark Labour frontbench team stopped pending an inquiry.
Garnier. He has indicated that CAAT is working with Emily
arms exports to Saudi Arabia Thornberry again in her new Labour Policy
will be on the CAEC agenda. This role as Shadow International consultation
contrasts with the Chair in the last Trade Secretary. She has been The Labour Party has been
Parliament, who, bizarrely, would collaborating with her LibDem, consulting on its policy post-
not allow discussion of these. Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru coronavirus. CAAT
and Green counterparts to first press made submissions to its
Integrated Review the International Trade Secretary Liz international, economic
In February Prime Minister Boris Truss over the long-delayed review renewal and green
Johnson announced an Integrated into arms exports to Saudi Arabia recovery areas. Many
Security, Defence, International and then to raise concern over its supporters made
Development and Foreign Policy “business as usual” conclusion. their own submissions
Review. Individually and jointly with Other new shadow Ministers pressing for arms
Rethinking Security of which it is relevant to CAAT’s work are Lisa conversion to be part
part, CAAT made submissions to Nandy, Shadow Foreign Secretary, of a green recovery.
the Defence and Foreign Affairs and John Healey, Shadow Defence
Credit Rennett Stowe / Source Flickr
12 • PARLIAMENTCORONAVIRUS
AND THE ARMS TRADE
As the COVID-19 pandemic hits many of the UK’s industries, with almost daily
news of jobs lost, the aerospace industry, which also produces UK weapons,
has not escaped unharmed.
At companies like Airbus, and demanded investment in training, BAE attempt to
Rolls Royce, which build jet retraining and diversification escape scrutiny
engines, the civil aviation side to create tens of thousands of with online AGM
of the business has been hit new green jobs and prevent a
Every year, CAAT supporters
hard by job losses as demand recession.
attend the Annual General
for air travel has flatlined.
Industry leaders have responded We must use this opportunity Meeting of BAE Systems, the
to make the long but necessary UK’s biggest arms company, to
by lobbying for an increase in
hold its leadership to account.
military spending, to boost transition from building weapons
The meeting could not take
their remaining business. The to building the sustainable place this year.
Guardian reported in June that technologies that we need No doubt the company was
the Ministry of Defence backed
glad to avoid awkward questions
plans to accelerate Government We recently encouraged
about its £15 billion in revenue
spending on key military projects. supporters to feed into
from Saudi Arabia since 2015,
Faced with tens of thousands of Labour’s National Policy Forum
as uncovered by CAAT earlier
job losses, some unions are also consultation, to call for Labour
this year. Yet, as Yemen now
backing the plans. to include arms conversion in its
has to deal with the Coronavirus
plans for a Green Recovery for
Our research shows the Coronavirus crisis. Thanks to
pandemic – its health system
that many of the all of you who added pressure on
already devastated by five years
skills used in arms of war – scrutiny of BAE is as
Labour as they prepare to present
critical as ever.
manufacturing are their policy proposals to the
We held our own “meeting”
transferable to Government. We’ll let you know if
online to expose BAE’s dodgy
offshore wind and your calls were taken on board.
deals in another shameful year.
tidal power Among our friends and partners
adding their voices was Ameen,
CAAT and its allies in the Build
an Arabian human rights activist,
Back Better Campaign coalition
whose powerful testimony
are calling for the Government
condemned BAE as a “partner-
to radically rethink where
in-crime with the Saudi regime”.
public funds go as we rebuild
“Do you think you can wash your
our economy from this crisis.
hands of what is happening in my
Going back to “business as
home?” he said. “Your weapons
usual” means climate disaster,
bring nothing but terror, wars
exploiting key workers’ rights,
and instability.”
and making a profit from arms
Reem from Medact highlighted
that fuel war and oppression.
the recent investigation by
We must use this opportunity
Yemeni organisation Mwatana for
to make the long but necessary
Human Rights, challenging BAE
transition from building weapons
on its continued sales to Saudi
to building the renewable energy
Arabia despite repeated attacks
and sustainable technologies
on health facilities and workers
that we need.
in Yemen, a clear violation of
In June the Trade Union
international humanitarian law.
Congress released a report
Watch the videos and find
“Rebuilding after the recession
out more at blog.caat.org.uk/
– a plan for decent jobs”, that
2020/05/07/questions-for-bae/
Credit Tim Dennell / Source Flickr
CORONAVIRUS • 13ARMS TO ISRAEL
In June the Israeli government announced that it was going to push ahead with
the illegal and immoral annexation of large parts of the West Bank. This followed
Donald Trump’s proposed deal, which was branded the “deal of the century” but
would be catastrophic for Palestine.
One group of institutions that has the normalisation of Israel’s other agreements with complicit
become a focus for campaigners human rights abuses, recognising institutions and companies.
is universities. In this issue our connections between our 3 Adopt a pledge to be
friend Huda from the Apartheid campaign and other struggles for apartheid-free including a
Off Campus campaign tells us justice as part of an intersectional commitment against all forms of
more about the campaign and campaign. The ultimate aim is discrimination, including Israel’s
why we need to oppose the to decolonise our universities, denial of Palestinian rights.
occupation in every way we can. recognising apartheid as a practice The aim is to build a student-led
of colonialism, specifically of grassroots movement to raise
Apartheid Off Campus (AOC) is
settler-colonialism in Palestine, awareness of the Palestinian
a student-led initiative to end
and for UK universities to own struggle and Israeli abuses in
university complicity with the
up to their complicity with it the occupied territories so that
Israeli occupation and practices
and then work to implement students can lead the efforts
of apartheid against the
necessary change. to kick Israeli apartheid off
Palestinian people. It opposes
of their university campuses
the complicity of companies and Apartheid Off Campus and have their universities
institutions that facilitate, supply aims to build a student-led implement Boycott, Divestment
and finance Israel’s arms trade
and illegal settlement economy.
grassroots movement to raise and Sanctions in solidarity with
awareness of the Palestinian the Palestinian people.
UK universities invest
hundreds of millions of pounds struggle and Israeli abuses
into companies and institutions Arming Apartheid
in the occupied territories
that profit from Israeli human There is a close political and
rights violations and AOC is To do this, we have three military relationship between
fighting to end this, following demands for UK universities. the UK and Israeli governments.
the examples of the campaign to 1 Divest from all companies Since 2015, the UK has licensed
end UK complicity with Apartheid that supply and/or finance Israel’s over £376 million worth of arms
South Africa and the fossil-free illegal settlement economy and to Israel. Licences include:
campaigns for Climate Justice. Israel’s arms trade. • £183 million worth of
AOC aims to activate 2 Break the links by ending ML22 licences (military
international solidarity by ending partnership, sponsorships or technology)
• £98 million worth of
ML10 licences (Aircraft,
helicopters, drones)
• £16 million worth of ML4
licences (Grenades, bombs,
missiles, countermeasures)
• £4.6 million worth of ML6
licences (Armoured vehicles,
tanks)
• £1.8 million worth of ML3
licences (ammunition)
• £1 million worth of ML1
licences (small arms)
14 • ARMS TO ISRAELTAKING THEY
ACTION SAID IT
This year CAAT is running its first ever Reading Group
series! The idea is to delve deeper into some of the “Wacko John Bolton’s
profound issues connected to the global arms trade ‘exceedingly tedious’ (New York
over the course of six weeks with the help of some of
Times) book is made up of lies
the UK’s brightest critical thinkers. The events began
in July, but are still running. Videos of previous events & fake stories. Said all good
can be found on CAAT’s Youtube channel. about me, in print, until the
Week 4 Thursday 6th August day I fired him. A disgruntled
Borders & Migration & the Arms Trade boring fool who only wanted
with Dr. Nadine El-Enany to go to war. Never had a
Week 5 Thursday 13th August clue, was ostracized & happily
Coronavirus and the Arms Trade dumped. What a dope!”
with Reem Abu-Hayyeh (MedAct)
Donald Trump Tweets about the dismissal of
Week 6 Thursday 20th August his former Secretary of State, John Bolton,
Climate Justice & the Arms Trade 18/06/2020
You can sign up for events at caat.org.uk/events.
“Sin is resilient stuff,
that’s where the money is.”
Russ Mould, of investment firm AJ Bell on
investing in unethical industries, including arms.
War
Daily Telegraph, 21/04/2020
PoWer, “You are the professional
head of the armed forces.
Police Please nip back to the
department and ask them to
PoWer
Mark Neocleous
sort themselves out because,
if not, Cummings is going to
come down and sort you out
his own way; you won’t like it.”
Conservative MP Mark Francois urges General
Sir Nick Carter, chief of the defence staff, to
ensure that his department is better organised,
Mark Neocleous – Introduction: War Power, Police Power: The Times, 09/07/2020
one of the books we will be discussing
Re-introducing Jon
CAAT’s new Operations Manager, Jon function, and ensuring that our office
Nott, should be a familiar face for many (and home working) environment
readers (or at least a familiar name are best suited to support the vital
at the end of emails), as he has spent campaigning, research and fundraising
the past 18 months as our Supporter done by the rest of the team. “I’m really
Development Co-ordinator. Jon moved excited to be starting my new role,” says
to his new role in June and will now be Jon, “The first priority is to recruit a new
managing our finances and personnel Supporter Development Co-ordinator.”
TAKING
OBITUARY
ACTION / THEYACTION
/ TAKING SAID IT • 15You can donate to CAAT by either visiting our website at caat.org.uk,
or completing the form below (in block capitals) and returning it to:
TE
DONA ! Freepost RSYR-UCBS-GHEE, CAAT, Unit 4, 5–7 Wells Terrace, London, N4 3JU
TODAY Donations direct to CAAT are the most useful for the campaign, but if you send a Charities Aid
Foundation cheque please make it payable to TREAT (Trust for Research and Education on Arms
Trade) making clear that you wish for your donation to support CAAT’s research programme.
Unlike CAAT, TREAT is a registered charity (No.328694).
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
Tel: Email:
I would like to receive the CAAT News quarterly magazine by post: Yes No
I would like to receive updates about the campaign and urgent action opportunities by email: Yes No
I would like to receive occasional updates about the campaign by post: Yes No
REGULAR DONATION
A direct debit is the most convenient and cost effective way
to support CAAT. Just £5 a month makes a real difference.
INSTRUCTION TO YOUR BANK/BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT
To: The Manager Bank/Building Society: I wish to donate £______ every
month quarter annually
Banks/building societies may not accept Direct Debit Reference (CAAT use only)
instructions from some kind of accounts.
Address of Bank/Building Society:
Please pay Campaign Against Arms Trade
Direct Debits from the account detailed in this
Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by
the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this
Postcode:
Instruction may remain with Campaign Against
Name(s) of account holder(s): Arms Trade and, if so, details will be passed
electronically to my bank/building society.
Bank/building society a/c no. Sort code: Signature(s):
Date:
SINGLE DONATION
I wish to donate £______ to CAAT and enclose a cheque or have completed my credit/debit card details.
CARD DETAILS
Service user ref: 250347
Credit/debit card type (please tick appropriate box): Mastercard Visa Visa Delta
Cardholder’s name:
Credit/debit card number:
(3 digit number
Start date: Expiry date: Security number: on back of card)You can also read
