Skip Nav | Home | Mobile | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Security | Support Us

World

DSEi: Campaign Against Arms Trade - Press Release

repost | 28.07.2003 12:06 | DSEi 2003 | Anti-militarism | Globalisation | Technology | London | World

CAAT PRESS REALEASE: FAO Newsdesks - Tuesday 24th July 2003
PROTESTS CHALLENGE LONDON ARMS BAZAAR
Thousands of protesters are gearing up to challenge the UK's biggest ever arms exhibition

NB Events list not complete eg - 9th = also NVDA blockades 10th = also Reclaim The Streets
Expect more events to be added.

Defence Systems Equipment International (DSEi) 9-12th September 2003, Excel Centre, London Docklands

London Docklands could be brought to a standstill in September as thousands of protesters challenge a huge arms bazaar.

Arms buyers from Syria, Pakistan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Colombia, Lebanon, Bulgaria and Kenya were invited to attend the last DSEi London arms bazaar, in September 2001.

More than 600 arms companies and suppliers have already booked stands at DSEi 2003, making it the UK's biggest ever arms fair. Government ministers are expected to attend the fair, which is funded by the Ministry of Defence.

"Almost one third of the world's countries will attend this international arms bazaar. It's absolutely scandalous that British tax payers are being forced to contribute hundreds of thousands of pounds to help some of the world's most dangerous states sell weapons on our doorstep," said Martin Hogbin, campaigns co-ordinator at Campaign Against Arms Trade.

"Our government likes to project itself as a force for good in the world. The reality is that by hosting this arms fair, the UK has become an international force for hypocrisy. That's why thousands of ordinary people will protest against the London arms bazaar."


PROTESTS AND ACTIONS PLANNED, WITH DATES

There is already huge UK and international interest in the events planned against the London arms bazaar. Protesters are coming to London from all over the country, and others are expected from Italy, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany.

Planned events include a mass demonstration in central London, a 'Facing the Arms Traders' protest at London Docklands, a counter-conference, and non-violent direct actions.

The movement against London's arms bazaar has grown so strong that other groups are arranging their own events and protests. They include Disarm DSEi 2003 (www.dsei.org), East London Against the Arms Fair (local community), London Reclaim the Streets and Critical Mass.

2nd Sept - CAAT publishes ground breaking new report on the London arms bazaar.

5th Sept (am) - Press conference (all media welcome), central London.

6th Sept - Mass demonstration, begins at Embankment.

7th & 8th Sept - Conference against the arms fair, with workshops run by supporting groups and other activists working against DSEi 2003.

8th Sept - Multi-faith silent vigil.

9th Sept - 'Facing the Arms Traders', peaceful demonstration at Custom House DLR station

10th Sept - 'Day of Direct Action Blockades'.

11th Sept - Demonstration at DSEi delegates gala dinner, central London.


6th - 12th Sept - Other protests and events at the arms fair, and at other sites.


SCANDALS AT PREVIOUS LONDON ARMS BAZAAR

DSEi 2003 at London Docklands is the third time this arms bazaar has taken place, and both of the previous times it has been mired in scandal.

At DSEi 1999, when the exhibition took place at both London Docklands and at Chertsey in Surrey, investigative journalists uncovered two separate breaches of the international landmines act.

At DSEi 1999, a Romanian arms firm had brochures on their stall for anti-personnel landmines, weapons which were banned by the act. The firm later admitted to the British government they were there. An investigative journalist was told by the firm's salesmen the equipment could be supplied, even though it was against the law.

In December of the same year, it emerged that another arms manufacture, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, had offered anti-personnel landmines for sale after meeting undercover journalists at the DSEi arms fair. The resulting documentary revealed the journalists were offered anti-personnel landmines, as well as thousands of small arms for shipment to Sudan.

At DSEi 2001, which took place at the new Excel conference centre at London Docklands, countries sent delegates to buy arms on British soil which were later condemned as sponsoring terrorism by both US President Bush, and Prime Minister Blair. As well as arms buyers from Syria and Pakistan, countries known to have terrible human rights records were also invited to shop in London for arms. They included: Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Algeria and Israel.


HOW TO APPLY FOR YOUR PRESS PASS INTO THE ARMS FAIR

The DSEi 2003 arms fair is open only to arms buyers and sellers, but some journalists can to attend if they apply in advance. In previous years, journalists have uncovered the illegal promotion of anti-personnel landmines at DSEi.

To apply for your press pass, visit the exhibition website at www.dsei.co.uk, click on 'online registration'. Put in your email address, and fill in the form. DSEi have rejected bona fide journalists in the past, but you can appeal the decision if that happens. Contact the DSEi office on 020 8949 9898.

For more information, images and interviews contact:

The Press Office
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Tel. 020 7281 0297
Email:  caatpress@tiscali.co.uk
Out of hours: 07092 230 477

repost

Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

/regional publish include --> /regional search include -->

World Topics

Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Fracking
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Server Appeal Radio Page Video Page Indymedia Cinema Offline Newsheet

secure Encrypted Page

You are viewing this page using an encrypted connection. If you bookmark this page or send its address in an email you might want to use the un-encrypted address of this page.

If you recieved a warning about an untrusted root certificate please install the CAcert root certificate, for more information see the security page.

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech