Statement on DSEI arms fair and the refugee crisis

Date: 15 September 2015

Human rights campaigners have spoken out on the opening day of London’s DSEI Arms Fair in the context of the current refugee crisis.

Nick Dearden, the director of Global Justice Now said:

“Cameron wants to be seen to be helping refugees, but at the same time he is actively promoting one of the world’s biggest arms fairs. Sales from this arms fair to some of the most fragile places on earth, suffering some of the worst human rights abuses, create the conditions that cause people to flee from violent repression or outright warfare.

We have a responsibility to not only welcome more refugees than the paltry levels that Cameron is talking about, but also to stop promoting arms sales to violent regimes around the world.”

On Friday 11 September, a petition containing over 11,000 signatures was handed in to Downing Street calling on the prime minister to “welcome refugees, not arms dealers”.