QCEA hosts drones group
The Armed Drones Group met for the first time on 24 March
The Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) hosted the first meeting of a new informal group for NGO workers with an interest in issues relating to armed drones.
The Armed Drones Group met on 24 March at QCEA’s Brussels base. It was chaired by Tim Harman, QCEA programme assistant (peace). Eleven representatives of ten organisations took part. Seven attended in person, coming from as far afield as London and Utrecht, with a further three joining by Skype. Among the latter was Sam Walton, who represented Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW).
Participants were invited to speak for two to three minutes each about their work on armed drones. They then answered questions, before considering ways in which they could work together.
‘We discovered that we had between us a wide range of different approaches to the issue of armed drones,’ Tim Harman told the Friend.
‘For example, QPSW is working mainly at grassroots level to raise public awareness of the issue, while some other organisations are working at the level of national or international politics. Some organisations would support a complete ban on armed drones, while others would advocate only for armed drones to be used within the bounds of international law,’ he added.
The group is already planning its next meeting, and members have agreed to work on a statement outlining its objectives.
‘While the Armed Drones Group is still at an embryonic stage, the fact that we agreed to hold a further meeting after three months is a good sign, as it shows a consensus that an interest group of this kind is valuable,’ Tim said.
