Efforts by the G8 leading industrialised nations to eradicate poverty in the developing world are being undermined by their own weapons sales, a campaign group said Wednesday.
The Control Arms Campaign accused the G8 -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States -- of "irresponsible arms exports to some of the world's poorest and most conflict-ridden countries".
It said weapons manufactured in G8 countries have been exported to Sudan, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Colombia and the Philippines, among other developing nations.
"This research shows that, as well as the G8 being responsible for more than 80 percent of the world's arms exports, they persist in selling weapons that oppress the world's poorest and most vulnerable people," said Barbara Stocking, director of Oxfam, one of the groups behind the Control Arms Campaign.
She said that G8 foreign ministers -- meeting today in London ahead of the annual G8 leaders' summit on July 6-8 at Gleneagles, Scotland -- must agree a process to put into force a global treaty regulating the arms trade.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is determined to use the summit as a springboard for enhancing efforts by the rich world to wipe out chronic poverty in Africa through debt relief, more development funding and freer trade.
According to a press release that summarised the Control Arms Campaign report, titled "The G8: Global Arms Exporters -- Failing to Prevent Irresponsible Arms Transfers":
? "Canadian military exports to countries involved in armed conflict or human rights abuse including light armoured vehicles and helicopters to Saudi Arabia and aircraft engines and handguns to the Philippines.
? "French exports in the UN category of "bombs, grenades, ammunition, mines and other [material] to countries subject to European Union arms embargoes such as Myanmar and Sudan.
? "The use of German components in military equipment destined for countries involved in serious human rights violations such as German engines incorporated into military vehicles that have ended up in Myanmar.
? "A loophole in Italian law allowing large quantities of so-called `civilian firearms' to be exported to countries suffering gross human rights violations such as Colombia, the Republic of Congo, and China.
? "Russian exports of heavy weaponry including combat aircraft to states whose forces have committed abuses such as Ethiopia, Algeria, and Uganda.
? "Substantial US military aid to states carrying out persistent human rights violations including Pakistan, Nepal and Israel.
? "Japan's export of small arms and light weapons to countries with poor human rights records such as the Philippines.
? The lack of control on British equipment that can be used for torture or ill-treatment and Britain's increased use of `open licences' that allow companies to make multiple shipments without adequate scrutiny."
Between January 2003 and June 2004, the report said, Britain licensed arms exports to countries with serious human rights concerns including Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Israel and Indonesia.
"Each year hundreds of thousands of people are killed, tortured, raped and displaced through the misuse of arms," said Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International, another partner in the Control Arms Campaign.
"How can G8 commitments to end poverty and injustice be taken seriously if some of the very same governments are undermining peace and stability by deliberately approving arms transfers to repressive regimes, regions of extreme conflict or countries who can ill-afford them?"
IDENTITY: A sex extortion scandal involving Thai monks has deeply shaken public trust in the clergy, with 11 monks implicated in financial misconduct Reverence for the saffron-robed Buddhist monkhood is deeply woven into Thai society, but a sex extortion scandal has besmirched the clergy and left the devout questioning their faith. Thai police this week arrested a woman accused of bedding at least 11 monks in breach of their vows of celibacy, before blackmailing them with thousands of secretly taken photos of their trysts. The monks are said to have paid nearly US$12 million, funneled out of their monasteries, funded by donations from laypeople hoping to increase their merit and prospects for reincarnation. The scandal provoked outrage over hypocrisy in the monkhood, concern that their status
The United States Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday it plans to adopt rules to bar companies from connecting undersea submarine communication cables to the US that include Chinese technology or equipment. “We have seen submarine cable infrastructure threatened in recent years by foreign adversaries, like China,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in a statement. “We are therefore taking action here to guard our submarine cables against foreign adversary ownership, and access as well as cyber and physical threats.” The United States has for years expressed concerns about China’s role in handling network traffic and the potential for espionage. The U.S. has
A disillusioned Japanese electorate feeling the economic pinch goes to the polls today, as a right-wing party promoting a “Japanese first” agenda gains popularity, with fears over foreigners becoming a major election issue. Birthed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the Sanseito Party has widened its appeal ahead of today’s upper house vote — railing against immigration and dragging rhetoric that was once confined to Japan’s political fringes into the mainstream. Polls show the party might only secure 10 to 15 of the 125 seats up for grabs, but it is
The US Department of Education on Tuesday said it opened a foreign funding investigation into the University of Michigan (UM) while alleging it found “inaccurate and incomplete disclosures” in a review of the university’s foreign reports, after two Chinese scientists linked to the school were separately charged with smuggling biological materials into the US. As part of the investigation, the department asked the university to share, within 30 days, tax records related to foreign funding, a list of foreign gifts, grants and contracts with any foreign source, and other documents, the department said in a statement and in a letter to