Stop UKTI's Arms Fairs. Stop DSEi. CAAT's Stop Week 2009
CAAT's Stop Week put the spotlight on the how UKTI DSO helps make DSEi, the world's largest arms fair, happen. Hundreds of supporters around the country took action calling for the closure of this government body which exists solely to support British arms and 'security' exports abroad.
UKTI: a stop on the Merchants of Death tour
Ian Pocock
London CAAT took a small but interested group around a number of arms companies in London on their fourth Merchants of Death walking tour. The tour kicked off at UKTI's offices and attendees were taken around such companies as the infamous BAE Systems as well as other less well known firms such as Lockheed Martin and Qinetiq. It was a successful day and people went away well-informed. London CAAT are planning another tour on 25 October.
A wave of stalls throughout the week
Thousands more people learned about our UKTI: Armed & Dangerous campaign during Stop Week, as supporters mobilised for an impressive series of stalls. These included stalls in Cardiff, Evesham, Hastings and Norwich as well as at the Leamington Peace Festival, Somerset Green Fair and Coed Hills Solstice Celebration. Two of CAAT's newly trained speakers took the plunge at their events to give a talk on CAAT for the first time too!
A Farewell to Arms Fairs
The Day of Prayer, themed 'A Farewell to Arms Fairs', kicked off Stop Week on Sunday 14 June. Christian communities across the UK took part in the day, with over sixty packs ordered. Alun Morinan, CAAT Christian Network Co-ordinator, spoke to Bury St Edmund's Christian Network for Justice & Peace in the week and despite a clash with two other relevant meetings in the town, 20 people attended. He said of the day: “For Christians, reflection and prayer are important ways to link our faith to action. Turning swords into ploughshares is not just a biblical injunction but an inspiration to our modern world to act against war and those who wage it.”
Stop Clarion's Arms Fairs. Stop DSEi.
8-11 September will see Clarion Events' massive arms fair take place in London for the first time since it added the fair to its portfolio last year. CAAT activists across the country have been taking action to end its involvement in the arms trade: arms fairs don't sit with baby fairs.
London CAAT took action against Clarion in Stop Week too, giving out around 1000 leaflets outside the company's offices in Earls Court. The leaflets were titled 'Beware! Arms Traders Operate Here'. Ian Mackinnon of the group reports: “We received some encouraging comments and support from people surprised to discover this, and interested to learn more about the planned protests. One Clarion worker gave a slightly baffling heckle, "It's not an arms fair; it's a trade fair". Another came to discuss the fair, saying that while he was against the invasion of Iraq he believed that sometimes selling weapons overseas was justified.”
CAAT at Coed Hills’ Solstice Celebrations
Yvan Maurel
The fascinating low-impact community of Coed Hills in South Wales invited Campaign Against Arms Trade for a stall and public talk to end CAAT's Stop Week and welcome the summer sun. Three wonderful days brought a few hundred peaceful revellers and helped fill in CAAT’s petition to close UKTI Defence and Security Organisation. Awareness-raising about CAAT work and campaigns was well received, with particular interest from students about their universities’ involvements with arms companies. Long-time peace activists as well as newly fledged interests dropped by to sign the petition, request more info about CAAT and for a chat with Cardiff CAAT’s Sue Jickells and Yvan Maurel.
More Stop Week Actions
Lots of Stop Week reports haven't yet made it in to the office, but check back here for reports on an action in Manchester at UKTI, an event in Glasgow and more! And don't forget to what you've been up to!
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