Learn about the destructive companies in our midst
With the DSEI arms fair coming up in September, we thought it would be a good time to revitalise our walking tours of arms companies in London. This will be an interesting, informative two hour walk where you can learn more about the arms companies that exist in London and the death and destruction they are responsible for. This will be a fascinating way to learn about some of the companies that will be exhibiting at DSEI and hopefully inspire you to take action against them and/or get involved in the resistance to DSEI (see below for more details on that).
We will be visiting some of the world’s largest and most destructive arms companies, highlighting their evil deeds, devastating impact on innocent civilians globally, exposing their corruption and close ties with governments and showing how some of these companies are complicit in the Yemeni war and resultant humanitarian crisis. Join us on July 6th at 2pm – we’re meeting outside the Victoria Palace theatre. Please sign up for your free place here and you can also see details on the Facebook event.
Get involved with the Stop DSEI campaign
Come to the next Stop the Arms Fair meeting on June 15th. This meeting will pin down plans to tackle the arms fair that is looming on the horizon in September and get more people involved. There are various plans already regarding themed days of action in the run up to the fair, e.g. Stop Arming Israel and Climate Justice, so you can focus on one area if you want. The meeting is at 12.30pm at St Hilda’s East Community Centre and lunch will be provided. See here for more details.
Weak justifications from the BAE Chair at their AGM
Last month, we attended the BAE AGM at their HQ in Farnborough. It was a disturbing spectacle where the Chair Roger Carr claimed they were an ethical business only interested in peace. Among some other ludicrous claims and defences of their arms sales, he said his firm’s role was to “provide defence equipment that ultimately encourages peace”, that they are helping peacekeeping rather than encouraging warfare and that they are in pursuit of peace and prosperity for all. He also praised their ethics and belief in doing the right thing and that they are proud because they think it is one of the world’s great companies doing amazing things. His claim that “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a stabiliser in a very uncertain world” was met with derision. And as for the sign boasting that they are improving children protection, there are simply no words to describe the hypocrisy of this.
CAAT supporters again dominated the Q&A session, mostly focussing on the Yemeni war. Questions were asked on behalf of the Yemeni journalist Ahmad Algohbary about whether they would stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia to save the Yemeni people or if they would continue to build their economy on the killing of innocents. He was also challenged by a British-Yemeni lawyer, saying BAE blindly sell bombs to the Saudis and fail to do any due diligence. All in all, Roger was given an uncomfortable AGM/morning (as he is at every AGM) and was left in no doubt about the strength of feeling against his company’s work. You can read the Morning Star’s report on the AGM here.
Next London CAAT meeting, June 18th
Join us at our next meeting on Tuesday June 18th at 6.30pm in the CAAT office in Finsbury Park and the address is Unit 4, 5-7 Wells Terrace, N4 3JU. As always, we will be making plans to tackle the elements of the arms trade that exist in our city. All welcome so come get involved!