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Article

22 Oct 2017

Author:
Ben Quinn, The Guardian (UK)

UK arms sales to Gulf countries scrutinized amid allegations of human rights violations in Yemen

“Tories under pressure over use of UK troops to sell arms to Gulf states”, 21 October 2017

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is facing calls to reveal details of its use of British troops to sell arms after it prevented the publication of the names of countries that sent delegations to watch UK soldiers carrying out demonstrations for weapons manufacturers. [The DIT] has overseen a major increase in arms sales to Gulf states including Saudi Arabia amid allegations of human rights violations in the war in Yemen…A freedom of information request revealed that British forces…were used on 10 occasions this year to carry out [military] demonstrations at various locations. The…demonstrations of Firestorm targeting systems – used by Gulf coalition forces involved in airstrikes in Yemen… [included] the arms company Rockwell Collins. In most other cases details of the company and potential overseas buyer were blocked...Martin Butcher, Oxfam policy adviser, [said] “…the UK is fuelling the war in Yemen with arms sales in excess of £3.8bn to Saudi Arabia for its bombing campaign. The people of Yemen are in the grip of the world’s largest cholera epidemic…

A spokesperson for the DIT said: “The government undertakes a stringent process of scrutiny and approval before issuing any formal invitations to foreign governments to attend UK defence exhibitions, and respect for human rights is a mandatory consideration.