Caterpillar products will be exhibited at the DSEi 2005 (Defence Systems and Equipment International) arms fair held in London Docklands Excel Centre from 13th-16th September. The UK Ministry of Defence awarded two contracts to Caterpillar UK Ltd in 2001 and 2000, worth £20-£50 million.
Caterkiller not only manufacture D9 bulldozers but their wholly owned subsidiary, Perkins Engines based in Shrewsbury, make engines that power the global war machine.
'The British Army uses Perkins engines in its Challenger 2 main battle tanks and Warrior infantry fighting vehicles, while Caterpillar engines power the LAV III family of vehicles recently chosen by the US Army for its Brigade Combat Team requirement. Perkins and Caterpillar engines are in service in both combat and logistic vehicles with over fifty armies around the world.' [ Link ]
Caterkiller make and develop diesel engines for many of the vehicles of war exhibited at DSEi - from warships to tanks to submersibles. Caterkiller are a vital link in the global arms trade.
Take action against Caterkiller the war profiteers at this years DSEi.Caterkiller Shutdown - short film (format: mp4 10'34 mins)
Hi-res version - click to download
Many people and Caterpillar employees are aware that Caterpillar's D9 bulldozers are used by the military against civilians. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories Caterpillar machinery is used to destroy civilian homes, rip up vital infrastructure like roads and tear up agricultural land used to sustain communities. Caterpillar machinery is also used to construct illegal settlements and road blocks as well as the illegal Israeli 'separation wall'.
Not only have Caterpillar bulldozers been used by the Israeli military to destroy the homes and lives of Palestinians but the US occupying forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have used them too. [ Link ] Caterpillar machines are also responsible for the destruction of over 300,000 indigenous people's homes in Zimbabwe.
On March 16th 2004, the first anniversary of Rachel Corrie's death, a dozen human rights protesters paid a visit to Caterpillar Defense Industries and Perkins Engines on Lancaster Road in Shrewsbury. They intended to ask workers and management to stop work for three minutes to honour Rachel's memory and those of many other people affected by Caterpillar's machinery. Rachel Corrie an ISM peace activist from America was intentionally killed by an Israeli soldier driving a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer whilst she was trying to protect the home of a Palestinian pharmacist in Rafah, Gaza.
12 human rights activists simply walked through the open gate to Caterpillar Defense Industries/Perkins Engines and distributed leaflets to workers. Some of the workforce were sympathetic and had heard of Rachel Corrie's death and considered stopping work for three minutes. Not many of the workforce appeared to be unionised and none were able to find a union representative.
Whilst protesters were distributing leaflets and asking workers to stop work Caterkiller management set off fire alarms to clear the buildings. Workers were evacuated and activists proceeded to lock-on to a gantry and explore the rest of the site. A disproportionate police response swung into action complete with dog handlers and a police helicopter whilst locked-on protesters asked Caterkiller management to watch a film of their products being used in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Caterkiller management refused and activists remained locked-on. [ Caterpillar Plant Shut Down ]
All the activists were charged with 'suspicion of burglary' even though they had no intention of stealing or damaging anything and had walked through an open gate into the site. All the charges against the protesters were later dropped.
Up until this visit the protesters were unaware of the role Caterpillar plays in the global arms industry. They weren't aware of the fact that Caterpillar who own Perkins Diesel Engines make engines for military equipment that is used all over the world.
Caterkiller powers the global war machine and cares little about who it sells to and what purpose it's machinery is used for. Caterkiller are war profiteers! Give Caterkiller the boot at DSEi this year and other arms fairs like Eurosatory where it also exhibits its wares.
A downloadable pdf version of War on Want's report: 'Caterpillar the Alternative Report'
If you have difficulties playing the mp4 format video download and install VLC Player
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Comments
Hide the following 9 comments
Some balance
09.09.2005 21:35
Without sales to the military which subsidise the civil equipment, the likes of Oxfam and Christian Aid wouldn't be able to get the special charity discount they receive.
think bigger
cater 'killer'?
10.09.2005 01:00
FLM
e-mail:
radgefrey@hotmail.com
The first anniversary of Rachel Corrie's death in California USA
10.09.2005 02:31
The Israeli army's practice of bulldozing Palestinian's homes has left an estimated 50,000 Palestinians homeless and has been condemned by human rights organisations worldwide - the United Nations and the United States State Department.
Caterpillar bulldozers have also been used by the Israeli army to decimate the Palestinian agricultural economy by uprooting hundreds of thousands of olive trees. The group has arrived to ask Caterpillar to do the right thing and stop selling to Israel bulldozers that are used for home demolitions.
Caterkiller campaign
Same old - same old
10.09.2005 09:09
A message from Palestine
Caterpillar continues to supply the Israeli military despite being aware that their equipment is being used in illegal collective punishment, to destroy the Palestinian agricultural infrastructure and to build the illegal apartheid wall.
This is in breach of its own "worldwide" ethical code, and by refusing to cut the links with the Israeli military, it opens itself up to a campaign to help persuade itself to follow its own code of ethics.
Furthermore it manufactures tanks for APCs and tanks, both of which are used to control dissenting civilian populations.
I'm not surprised that zionists don't like the campaign - neither am I surprised that armchair critics who enjoy the benefits of the status quo limit their protest activity to dissing campaigns that try to make a difference.
Bulldozer Bertie
Caterkiller don't just make D9 amoured bulldozers!
10.09.2005 11:29
The Perkins 1200bhp powerpack for the British Army's Challenger main battle tank
The MOWAG Piranha III LAV, powered by the Caterpillar C9 engine.
Challenger 2 main battle tank powered by Perkins CV12 engine
Caterkiller don't just make armoured D9 bulldozers armed with machine guns and grenades to destroy civilian lives and homes in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. They make engines for armoured combat vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles and battle tanks.
Caterkiller are complicit in Israel's war crimes against civilians. There are also complicit in the war crimes of the 'occupying forces' in Afghanistan, Iraq where their equipment has been used. Now they are being used in Zimbabwe to demolish 300,000 indigenous people's homes.
Will they ever honour their so called ethical 'Code of Worldwide Business Conduct'?
Caterkiller are a vital link in the arms trade because they make the engines that drive the global arms trade.
Without Caterkiller the arms trade would grind to a halt.
Take action against Caterkiller!
Shutdown Caterkiller
Re: Some balance
17.09.2005 15:12
Re:- Quite a rallying speech. Perhaps you should consider working for Fox News with your "lets have some balance" approach. I cannot find any evidence on the internet that Caterpillar:-
a.) Sell products to Oxfam and Christian Aid
b.) Provide discounts for these two charities
..so I would therefore assume that you are employed by Caterpillar and are in the know about these things (being stupid enough to actually try and defend their actions) . As you are in this privileged position, maybe you could supply evidence of the "discounts" received (in pounds stirling) by these charities. Given that only "financial costs" matter (not human ones) we can then do a "cost benefit analysis" and offset the "charity discount" savings against the money spent by Oxfam and Christian Aid in rebuilding the lives of women and children in Palestine who's lives have been affected after they have had their (delete as approriate) / villages / businesses / farms / schools / friends / relatives / destroyed by D-9 bulldozers supplied by Caterpillar (with grenade turrets I may add).
I am sure all the charities are rooting for more D-9 sales to Israeli military!
Mike
War on Want is an NGO
17.09.2005 16:17
"This report not only reviews Caterpillar’s record over and against its
rhetoric on corporate social responsibility. It also recommends action, both
to send a message to Caterpillar and to redress some of the damage
inflicted on the Palestinian people through the company’s involvement.This
is War on Want’s mission more widely: to support people in developing
countries in their fight against the root causes of poverty, but also to
inform and inspire people in rich countries to challenge the global
structures which sustain poverty across the world"
"War on Want believes that companies must
be brought to account for complicity in
human rights abuses.Yet the UK government
prefers to support the voluntary approach of
‘corporate social responsibility’, despite the
fact that this has been shown to be an
ineffective alternative to regulation.As long as
the political will to rein in corporate power is
lacking in our elected leaders, it is up to us to
apply pressure.We are asking all readers and
supporters to take the following actions:
1. Boycott Caterpillar. Caterpillar doesn’t
just produce construction equipment; it also
sells both footwear and clothing in the UK, as
well as other merchandise such as miniature
Caterpillar vehicles, watches, mugs, bags and
stationery (see inside back cover). Don’t buy
these products – and tell your friends and
family to follow suit.
2.Tell Caterpillar to stop supplying its
bulldozers to the Israeli military.Write
to Jim Owens, Chairman and CEO of
Caterpillar, calling on him to suspend all sales
of Caterpillar D9s to Israel for as long as they
are employed in the violation of Palestinian
rights. His address: James W Owens,
Caterpillar Inc, 100 NE Adams St, Peoria, IL
61629-1425, USA; or email him:
Stop Caterkiller in Palestine
you logic is flawed
20.02.2006 23:24
Leo
The consequences of capitalism
25.11.2006 20:51
Danny
Daniel Moase
e-mail:
danny_moase@hotmail.co.uk