CAAT condemn continued UK military support for Saudi forces during Covid crisis

Campaign Against Arms Trade has condemned the role of UK arms company, BAE Systems, and the RAF, in continuing to transfer and maintain military equipment to Saudi Arabian forces throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

Responding to recent parliamentary questions, the Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said: "These BAE Systems operated flights provide logistics support for UK-supplied aircraft and systems operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force, which play a key role in the defence and security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These flights night-stop at RAF Akrotiri, both inbound and outbound from Saudi Arabia, for the wellbeing of the crew, to refuel and to assure the security of the aircraft and its cargo. These flights do not carry passengers, nor is cargo loaded or off-loaded at RAF Akrotiri. During the present Covid-19 crisis the crews are provided with dedicated on-base accommodation, which allows them to be isolated fully from RAF Akrotiri personnel."

In June 2019, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Government acted unlawfully when it licensed the sale of UK-made arms to Saudi forces for use in Yemen without making an assessment as to whether or not past incidents amounted to breaches of International Humanitarian Law. The Government was ordered not to approve any new licences and to retake the decisions on extant licences in a lawful manner. This ruling did not stop arms from being transferred under extant licences. So far, the Government has not published a timeline for this process.

In the aftermath of the Court ruling, the Government has admitted multiple breaches of the ban on new licences.

The first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Yemen on 10 April, despite this, and despite the announcement of a ceasefire by Saudi-led forces, the air strikes have continued. The UN has called the humanitarian crisis in Yemen the worst in the world, and has warned of the potential impact of Covid-19 in the weeks and months ahead.

Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, the UK has licensed £5.3 billion worth of arms to the Saudi regime, including:

£2.7 billion worth of ML10 licences (Aircraft, helicopters, drones)
£2.5 billion worth of ML4 licences (Grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures)In reality the figures are likely to be a great deal higher, with most bombs and missiles being licensed via the opaque and secretive Open Licence system. BAE Systems, has made £15 billion in revenue from services and sales to Saudi Arabia since 2015.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: "UK-made fighter jets have played a key role in the devastating Saudi-led bombing of Yemen. The war has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, and, especially at this time, further military support for Saudi forces can only make it even worse.

Despite the terrible humanitarian crisis and the outbreak of Covid-19, the war is still raging. There must be a meaningful ceasefire from all sides. The suffering of Yemeni people will be made far worse by the air strikes that Saudi fighter jets are being used for.

We are in unprecedented times, and this should not be happening. Fighter jet maintenance is not essential work, whether it is for the UK or any of the human rights abusing regimes and dictatorships that BAE sells its arms to. Our common security is not advanced by these arms sales or the wars they may be used in."

LINK

Campaign Against the Arms Trade - www.caat.org.uk