The Campaign Against the Arms Trade has organised a protest outside the London Science Museum where the opening ceremony and dinner of the Farnborough arms fair is taking place. Pressenza was there.
CAAT Press Release:
“London Science Museum to host arms dealers and human rights abusers tonight
Attendees will include arms company CEOs and military representatives from regimes with appalling human rights records
Protest called for 6pm this evening, outside the Museum
Over 4500 have signed a petition urging the Science Museum to cancel event
Arms dealers and military delegations will be descending on the Science Museum in London tonight, when it hosts the official reception for the Farnborough arms fair. Farnborough may be best known as a family day out, but the public event is preceded by one of the biggest arms fairs in Europe.
The museum will be hosting the official welcome reception to mark the first day of the event. According to the event briefing, it will include 1200 guests, including “Government Officials – Exhibitor CEO’s – International civil & military delegations – Key industry players.” A demonstration has been called for outside the museum at 6pm this evening.
A number of human rights abusing regimes are expected to be in attendance. In 2014, Farnborough welcomed military delegations from countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Military delegations are invited by UKTI Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), the civil service trade body that exists to promote arms exports. At present two thirds of UK military exports go to the Middle East, with the largest buyer being Saudi Arabia.
UKTI DSO will have private meetings with representatives from countries to which it wants to promote exports. In 2015 UKTI DSO had meetings with representatives from 35 countries, including UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar and Nigeria. You can see a full list here. For the third Farnborough International running, the event will be attended by David Cameron.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
By agreeing to host the Farnborough Welcome Reception, the museum is giving both practical support and a veneer of legitimacy to human rights abusers and an industry that profits from war and repression.
As well as hosting arms trade events, the Science Museum is involved in a lengthy sponsorship deal with Airbus Group, one of the largest arms companies in the world.
Andrew continued:
Science and education are far too important to be used as promotional tools to normalise the arms trade. The Science Museum must not allow its premises or its good name to be used to support such a deadly business.
