War on Want, the organisation that campaigns against global poverty and is based in London, is demanding that the UK government stops arming corrupt regimes around the world.
On their website War on Want says: “The Arab spring provided some of the most inspiring images of this century. Thousands of people risked their lives to demand that their voices be heard.
Yet the Arab spring was also the source of some of the most depressing images as well. Look closely at the armoured personnel carriers used by Gaddafi’s troops. Look at the sniper rifles used by Bahrainian troops. Look at the tear gas used in both countries. Then look at where they came from.
Made in Britain. The unpleasant truth is we’re one of the leading gun-runners in the world. We arm oppressive regimes. And we’ve been doing it for years. Our history is inextricably linked with oppressive regimes: Colonel Gaddafi. Saddam Hussein. President Suharto.
We think the UK Government should stop arming oppressive regimes.
From 13-16 September, over 1,000 arms companies will be selling their wares on the streets of London at the DSEi arms fair. Rifles. Tanks. Fighter jets and battleships. Available to buyers from around the world. Organised by the Government. Paid for by you.
We think that should change as well.
We think we should stop selling arms on the streets of London.”
So get active. Watch the video, join the protest, sign the petition.
Thomas L. Blair is a sociologist and political blogger on the Chronicleworld 'for creative renewal in Black Britain and Afro-Europe'. His work is honoured in the British Library's archive of "social, historic and culturally significant web-based material from the UK domain". He won top prize in the blogging competition on The-Latest.
Sumantra Maitra is a freelance journalist from Mumbai, India. He is a correspondent for All Sports magazine, and a foreign affairs blogger for the Washington Examiner. He has written articles for news website Merinews.com and other regional publications. Sumantra runs a blog at DailyWorldWatch.wordpress.com. He provided exclusive eyewitness reports for The-Latest on the Mumbai bombings of 2008.
Brian Usher is photography consultant for The-Latest.Com. He is a highly experienced editorial and commercial photographer whose work has been published throughout the world, appearing in many well known magazines and newspapers. Brian has featured in several books and has been a writer for the Royal Photographic Society magazine.
Heidi Kingstone has spent time in Afghanistan reporting for a number of publications. Her work has appeared in the Financial Times, The Spectator, The Sunday Times and other international journals. She has also reported from places like Iraq, Rwanda, Lebanon, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya. Heidi is The-Latest's Editor at large.
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