Summary

Every two years, arms dealers gather in the UK for the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition. The assumption behind the exhibition is that selling arms is just a normal commercial activity. The fencing, police presence and secrecy surrounding the event suggests that it is not. Consideration of the weapons, the conflicts they are used in and the relationships between arms companies and politicians confirm that it is an extraordinary, and an extraordinarily damaging, business. This report sets out to highlight some of the many issues of concern.

ISSUES

Arms export subsidies

Even though arms account for only around 2% of UK exports, they form the most heavily subsidised sector apart from agriculture. The UK government provides a range of services for arms exporters including face-to-face marketing by Tony Blair and his ministers, assistance with financing and, most obviously, the 600-person MoD Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) which is entirely dedicated to the arms trade including support for arms exhibitions.

Cluster bombs

Cluster bombs dispense a number of submunitions that are supposed to explode on impact. But many do not. They lie waiting to be disturbed, possibly years after a conflict has ended. It has been estimated that more than a thousand children have been injured in Iraq by unexploded munitions, including cluster submunitions, since the end of the 2003 conflict. The UK alone delivered over 100,000 cluster submunitions during the invasion and at least 2,000 of these remain unexploded and potentially lethal. DSEi will feature companies that helped leave this legacy.

Company influence

UK government support for arms companies seems irrationally strong. It supports DSEi, promotes arms sales to countries against its own guidelines, subsidises these exports, and allows companies like BAE Systems to demand domestic contracts and increase prices. There is no convincing economic or political reason for this; the motive appears to lie somewhere between the influence of the arms companies and the desire of ministers to strut the world stage.

Conflict

Every hour, about 35 people are killed as a direct result of armed conflict. Arms sales increase the likelihood that tensions will lead to fighting and prolong conflicts once they begin. Since the Labour government was elected in 1997, the UK has licensed arms and military equipment to 20 countries engaged in serious conflict. 14 of these countries were invited to DSEi 2001 and many have received invitations to DSEi 2003.

Corruption

The secrecy together with the huge amount of money involved in arms deals, provides ideal conditions for corruption, generating demand where none might otherwise exist. Transparency International has estimated that 'the official arms trade accounts for 50% of all corrupt international transactions'. Arms exhibitions are a crucial element of this 'official' arms trade.

Depleted Uranium

Depleted Uranium (DU) is a toxic heavy metal used in armour-piercing weapons. It has been estimated that over 100 metric tonnes were used during the invasion of Iraq, often in densely populated areas. Few studies have been carried out on people exposed to DU, though experiments on animals have indicated that internal exposure may lead to kidney damage, cancer and central nervous system problems. At least two producers of DU shells will be exhibiting at DSEi.

Development

Money spent on arms cannot be spent on education, water, health or housing. It is essentially unproductive. UK arms export controls are supposed to take 'the technical and economic capacity of the recipient country' into account, but it is difficult to find an example where this has happened. Two cases where it clearly didn't were a multibillion dollar deal with South Africa, where there is massive social need and no relevant military need, and Tanzania, where a military air traffic control system was exported despite opposition from the World Bank and cabinet ministers. Both South African and Tanzania have been invited to DSEi 2003.

Globalization of the arms industry

The arms industry has metamorphosed since the end of the Cold War, changing from mainly nationally-owned enterprises into privately-owned internationally-structured companies. International production is able not only to provide a cheaper source of labour for the dominant western arms companies but also has the effect of undermining national export controls. Arms exhibitions have changed in parallel with the industry. DSEi's forerunners were showcases for UK companies. Now companies come from all over the world and sales are arranged that are not subject to UK export controls.

Human Rights

Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the US, Colombia, China and Russia all received UK arms in 2002, and have all received invitations to DSEi 2003. The willingness to invite human rights abusing governments to arms fairs and to licence arms exports to them provides implicit approval of their actions.

Landmines

In 2001 there were new mine/unexploded ordnance victims reported in 69 countries, and around 230 million anti-personnel mines remained in the world's arsenals. However, there is some cause for optimism - 128 states, including the UK, have ratified the Ottawa Teaty which obliges countries to destroy stocks. The UK Landmines Act makes it illegal for any person to be involved in the production, sale, promotion or transfer of anti-personnel landmines. The restrictions cover all activities in the UK, but two alleged breaches during and post-DSEi 1999 did not lead to any charges.

Small Arms

Small arms are the weapons that produce actual mass destruction, killing more than 500,000 people every year. There are already over 600 million of the weapons worldwide but several major small arms producers will be hoping to use DSEi to add to that number.

Son of Star Wars

It would be hard to dream up a corporate welfare package that competes with the US's Ballistic Missile Defense programme - the new face of Star Wars. But the waste of resources is only one of the problems. BMD is an aggressive system. It is designed to give the US the freedom to intervene wherever and whenever it chooses. It will lead to missile proliferation, probably among enemies but certainly among present 'allies'. Most of the major US BMD companies will be at DSEi, alongside UK companies pushing for US dollars and a UK-government sign-up.

COUNTRIES

Democratic Republic of Congo

Congo's rich mineral deposits should be its fortune but instead these resources have been plundered by militias and foreign armies in conflicts that began in 1998 and have left an estimated four million dead. Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe all sent troops to fight for the post-Mobutu regime against rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda. The governments of Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Uganda all received invitations to DSEi during the war.

Indonesia

In May 2003, Indonesian troops launched an all-out offence against Aceh separatists. Despite Indonesian assurances that UK-supplied equipment would not be used offensively or in violation of human rights anywhere in Indonesia, Alvis Scorpion tanks and BAE Systems Hawk jets are in use in Aceh. The Indonesian military seems to have little knowledge of these assurances and little interest in the UK government's embarrassment-induced concerns. As Indonesia was invited to DSEi 1999 despite orchestrated violence around the East Timorese referendum, it perhaps has good reason to take any protestations with a pinch of salt.

India and Pakistan

Despite, or perhaps because of, teetering on the brink of war a year ago, India and Pakistan continue to be prime sales targets for weaponry. BAE Systems has been trying to sell its Hawk jets for years and even at the height of the tension over Kashmir it had the enthusiastic support of UK government ministers including Tony Blair. Earlier this year Lord Bach spearheaded the Hawk pitch at the AERO India 2003 arms exhibition. Both India and Pakistan have received official invitations to DSEi 2003.

Iraq

Following the invasion of Iraq, the UK and US governments and arms companies seem very keen that the wrong lessons are learnt. Rather than accepting the absurdity of arming repressive regimes, they are pushing for more military spending at home and, at the same time, continuing their relentless pursuit of exports. In Iraq itself, US 'private military companies' are training a new army and, incredibly, the US-led authority has ordered 34,000 AK-47 assault rifles for their use.

Israel

Israel uses an array of imported weaponry in its illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and its oppression of the Palestinian people. It has used its many relationships with western, primarily US, companies to build up a military industrial base that, in turn, is willing to export to almost anyone. Israel has been invited to DSEi 2003 and its military industry will be represented by five companies.

Saudi Arabia

In the 1980s, Saudi Arabia signed the huge Al Yamamah arms deals with the UK, deals that amounted to 'the biggest [UK] sale of anything to anyone'. An investigation of corruption allegations relating to the deals was carried out but its findings were, and continue to be, suppressed. Post-September 11th, UK and US government views of Saudi Arabia appear to be rapidly changing, but the country remains one of the UK's most important arms markets and will be, as always, present at this year's DSEi.

South Africa

Despite urgent social needs and the lack of a military threat, European companies have managed to sell the country $4.8 billion worth of advanced military equipment. After much internal debate in South Africa, the package was finally secured by incredible offers of industrial 'compensation'. Allegations of corruption have surrounded the deal and one prominent politician has been sentenced to four years in prison for fraud. Both the vendor companies and South Africa will be well represented at DSEi. In fact, no fewer than 36 South African exhibitors are listed.

Turkey

Turkey has an appalling record of human rights violations against Kurds and has used imported weapons in carrying out these abuses. Its military spending has increased steadily since 1990 despite the country's relative poverty and serious financial problems. Much of this spending has been used to purchase arms from abroad to build up an indigenous high-tech arms industry. US and European companies are heavily involved in this process and many of these are exhibiting at DSEi, as is MKEK, a major Turkish small arms manufacturer.

USA

The US government appears to have a preferred means of solving problems - military means. It seeks the ability to control any situation on its own and unashamedly terms this 'Full Spectrum Dominance'. This is perhaps not surprising given the enormous influence of both the arms industry and right-wing think tanks in the US administration. The US arms companies dominate the international arms market and, as such, will be a key part of DSEi, with over 100 companies exhibiting.