Readers of the Guardian will be aware that it went to High Court to
successfully ask for the documents in a case involving armoured vehicle
manufacturer Alvis (now part of BAE Systems) and its former
Singapore-based agent. The latter was claiming commission payments with
respect to the controversial sale of Scorpion tanks and Stormer Armoured
Personnel Carriers to Indonesia in the mid-1990’s. The story is on the
Guardian website ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/armstrade) It’s well worth
reading the witness statements, especially from former Alvis boss Nick
Prest, for a fascinating insight into how deals are made.

According to the statements, Alvis employed a company called PTSK, run
by the daughter and two sons of a Brigadier General in the Indonesian
Army, to secure the sale armoured vehicles to Indonesia. By Rini
Soewondho’s account her ability to secure the support of Suharto’s
"inner circle" enabled the Indonesian Army to gain the funds it needed
to purchase the vehicles. Another company, Global Select, owned by then
Indonesian President Suharto’s daughter "Tutut", convinced the "inner
circle" to buy from Alvis. According to the Guardian, Global Select
collected around 10% (£16.5 million) of the sale price. Nick Prest
argued that the Singapore-based agent had not helped Alvis secure the
deal which had only been achieved after hiring PTSK and Global Select.

Please write to your MP, c/o House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A
0AA or via email if they have one (check by visiting
 http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm) asking that
s/he requests the Serious Fraud Office, 10-16 Elm Street, London WC1X
0BJ to investigate those aspects of the payment to "Tutut" which took
place in the UK (at the time of the payments there were no
extra-territorial controls over bribery - these came into force in
February 2002).

____________________

3. Peace & Disarmament gathering

22nd January 2005, 10.30am - 4.30pm

CAAT, along with Pax Christi, Quaker Peace & Social Witness, and the
Fellowship of Reconciliation, are holding a Peace and Disarmament
gathering at the English Martyrs Church Hall, Dalton Terrace in York.


There is no charge for the day but booking is essential and will help us
in our planning.

Drinks will be provided, but please bring your own lunch.

For more details please call Pat Gaffney on 020 8203 4884 or email
 paxchristi@gn.apc.org

We do hope that you will be able to join the gathering. You may also
know of others who would be interested - if so, please pass on this
invitation.

____________________

4. Direct Action Trainers’ workshops

21st - 23rd January 2005 in Sheffield
18th - 20th February 2005 in Glasgow
March 2005 in London (to be confirmed)

In the run up to the 2005 G8 Summit in Scotland, Seeds for Change is
holding a series of free weekend workshops for activists that want to
share their direct action skills with their affinity groups, their
communities and their networks.

By the end of a Direct Action Trainers’ workshop you’ll be equipped
to run direct action training sessions - stimulating action in your
community and helping other activists prepare for effective action at
the Summit.

For more details, please visit
 http://seedsforchange.org.uk/free/diary#oxlangla

If you have any questions or to book, please contact
 DATW@seedsforchange.org.uk or call 0845 458 4776

The workshop is free, but booking is essential, as places are limited.

____________________

5. Events diary

*East London Against the Arms Fair meeting*
10th January 2005, 7.30pm

East London Against the Arms Fair will be meeting at the Garden Cafe, 7
Cundy Road, London E16 on 10th January. Thereafter there will be
meetings on the 2nd Monday each month until the ExCel Arms Fair (DSEi)
is cancelled.

All welcome. Please come and share your ideas.

....................

*Picket at Solihull Magistrates Court*
15th - 17th January 2005

Picket over the trial of activists arrested for protesting against
Caterpillar’s role in supplying the Israeli military.

For further information call 07900 698550 or email
 thewallmustfall@hotmail.com

....................

*Ongoing picket of Spearhead*

DISARM DSEi hold a regular picket of Spearhead - organisers of the ExCel
Arms fair (DSEi) - and would welcome people joining them.

Please email  picket@dsei.org for details.