Welsh government ‘reviews’ arms fair
The Welsh government has said it will review its involvement in the Defence and Security Equipment International arms fair
Quakers involved in Roots of Resistance witness have welcomed the news that the Welsh government has said it will ‘review’ its role in the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair after fierce criticism.
The Welsh government has had a presence at the fair for eight years. However, according to Mark Drakeford, first minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, this was to support cyber security businesses, not those in the arms trade.
Leanne Wood, of Plaid Cymru, said: ‘This is an event where weapons and warfare equipment ranging from tear gas and missiles to fighter planes and warships will be promoted and traded between governments known for their human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.’
Symon Hill, from the Peace Pledge Union, who was arrested for his witness, tweeted: ‘Well done [Leanne Wood and Plaid Cyrmu] for challenging the Welsh government’s presence at the DSEI arms fair.’
The news followed other positive movements for protestors including an announcement on 5 September that Hong Kong had withdrawn its delegation from the fair. Rokhsana Fiaz, the mayor of Newham, also called the arms fair ‘abhorrent’ after the council passed a motion ‘rejecting the economic arguments cynically deployed in defence of this trade’ and agreed to set up an ‘alternative peace fair’.
Quaker Sam Donaldson, from Roots of Resistance (RoR), told the Friend that, while they were moving in the right direction, there was still ‘a long way to go. There are some protestors who came away feeling hugely encouraged and others feeling “same old, same old”. It’s all positive about the Welsh government and Hong Kong, but they are not seismic shifts. There’s a growing awareness about DSEI, but there’s still work to be done.’ He added that, while it was great ‘around 800 people came, we still didn’t shut down the fair. I think we would need 10,000 people’.
Meanwhile, on 18 September, the Newham Against the Arms Fair group handed a 5,000-strong petition to the board for Royal Docks Enterprise Zone at its meeting at City Hall calling on them to take action to stop the arms fair being held at the ExCeL Centre in 2021.
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