Contents:
- Thank you for a great DSEi demo!
- National Gathering - speakers, times, practicalities, register now
- See an honest BAE ad campaign
- Arms industry PR offensive - and CAAT's response
- The Libyan connection
- CAAT goes webwise
- Running away with success
1. Thank you for a great DSEi demo!
On Tuesday 8 September CAAT supporters gathered at the ExCeL centre to call for an end to the DSEi arms fair. With placards and chanting they showed the passing arms dealers what they thought about their deadly business. Two routemaster buses later transported CAAT supporters to UKTI DSO's office to highlight government support for the arms fair. Thank you for having made this great DSEi protest possible!
Filmmaker Kate Johnson has also made a brilliant film of CAAT's protest, check it out here!
See our action report for more information and photos.
Alarmingly the Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, gave a speech on 7 September where he promised that a Conservative government would increase government support for arms exports. Read more and take action .
2. National Gathering - speakers, times, practicalities, register now
Join South Africa's 'Mr Clean' at CAAT's National Gathering on 31 October.
CAAT are delighted to host Andrew Feinstein, former South African ANC MP, to share his experience of fighting corruption in the arms trade and its impact on South Africa. We'll also be joined by defence economist Paul Dunne and Greenpeace campaigner Louise Hutchins to discuss: "Ending arms production: Is the answer blowing in the wind?"
As well as the chance to meet other campaigners, attend workshops and pick up new skills, this year's National Gathering is not one to miss. All for a modest contribution of £5 for waged and £2 for unwaged participants. Find out more and book now.
3. See an honest BAE ad campaign
BAE Systems is trying to clean up its tarnished image with an ad campaign highlighting its record on innovation, employment and patriotic values. You can see its ads, with their union jack imagery, on posters, news websites and taxi livery.
If you are sickened by this, and want to see an honest BA ad campaign, look at the CAAT website. We have compiled six great spoof adverts that tell the whole truth about BAE. Find them here.
4. Arms industry PR offensive - and CAAT's response
It's not just BAE. Arms industry body, the Defence Industries Council (DIC), has gone on a public relations offensive, frightened that public spending cuts will threaten their profitable activities. Arms company bosses held a press conference in Westminster on 1 September to try and convince MPs and the public that they are underfunded and undervalued. Want to know what we think? Read our response in Comment is Free.
5. The Libyan connection
Amid the news blitz around the release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the media became very interested in UKTI DSO's attempts to sell arms to Libya. They were especially interested in DSO Director Richard Paniguian's assertion that there had been "high-level political interventions" to support arms sales. But when the Times newspaper asked DSO about this, they denied it and said CAAT "made it up", before being forced to backtrack. Read more.
6. CAAT goes webwise
CAAT is embracing and updating its new media profile! This means joining lots of new websites and exciting communities in order to raise our profile and spread the word about ending the arms trade. In addition to our tweets on Twitter and our news and pictures on Facebook, you can now also find us on one of these online communities: Demotix, Flickr, reddit, Bebo, Jaiku, Vox, Live Journal, Tumblr and Stumbleupon.
Are you a member of any of these? If so, please add us to your friendship circle! We will gladly return the favour. In the meantime – check us out at all of these sites, and don't forget our usual CAAT Blog.
7. Running away with success
Kat Hobbs and Sami Wannell really took the high road in their efforts to raise money for CAAT by participating in the Great Yorkshire run on 6 September. Not only did they finish the 10km slog but raised a fantastic £1,500. There is still time to donate by visiting the B my charity website.
And thanks also to supporters who participated in the Worker's Beer teams at festivals over the summer. Together, they raised over £2,500 towards the campaign.
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Campaign Against Arms Trade is working for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade, together with progressive demilitarisation within arms-producing countries.
