FULL CIRCLE - from weapons to wars to refugees
Shut Down H&K | 21.11.2008 14:21 | Anti-militarism | Migration
To highlight the link between the arms trade and refugees, Shut Down H&K and No Borders Nottingham will be holding a demonstration on Saturday 29th November at 12:30 on Old Market Square in Nottingham called FULL CIRCLE – from weapons to wars to refugees.
1. Britain is now the world’s largest arms exporter; responsible for one third of the world’s arms exports. According to UN figures, Britain exports hundreds of thousands of guns every year. Last year, Nottingham-based arms company Heckler & Koch exported £3 million worth of guns.
2. These weapons are sold to repressive regimes and warzones, fuelling conflict around the world. H&K guns have been used by child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, by the Georgian army in South Ossetia, by the Janjaweed militia in Darfur and by mercenaries in Iraq.
3. Millions of people are forced to flee their homes to escape these wars. According to the UN, "Armed conflict is now the driving force behind most refugee flows... Refugee movements are no longer side effects of conflict, but in many cases are central to the objectives and tactics of war."
4. Ten of thousands of refugees who flee to the UK are refused entry or locked up and deported to countries that the UK Foreign Office considers dangerous, including Iraq, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (all countries in which H&K guns have been used).
In short, the policies of successive UK governments have on one hand contributed to suffering on a global scale, and on the other hand refused to take responsibility for the consequences. It is time to expose and confront this vicious circle. Join us on Market Square as we call for an end to exporting guns and deporting people
Bring drums, placards, friends, etc. Weather permitting, we will be holding a die-in to represent the consequences of H&K’s trade, and the horrors from which refugees have fled. If you want to take part in the die-in, then dress warmly with outer clothes that can be splashed with washable fake blood.
Shut down Heckler & Koch! Freedom of movement and the right to remain for all! No guns, no borders!
To help promote the demo you can download and distribute flyers and posters:
http://nottsantimilitarism.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/fullcircle-flyer-spread1.pdf
http://nottsantimilitarism.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/fullcircle-poster1.pdf
2. These weapons are sold to repressive regimes and warzones, fuelling conflict around the world. H&K guns have been used by child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, by the Georgian army in South Ossetia, by the Janjaweed militia in Darfur and by mercenaries in Iraq.
3. Millions of people are forced to flee their homes to escape these wars. According to the UN, "Armed conflict is now the driving force behind most refugee flows... Refugee movements are no longer side effects of conflict, but in many cases are central to the objectives and tactics of war."
4. Ten of thousands of refugees who flee to the UK are refused entry or locked up and deported to countries that the UK Foreign Office considers dangerous, including Iraq, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (all countries in which H&K guns have been used).
In short, the policies of successive UK governments have on one hand contributed to suffering on a global scale, and on the other hand refused to take responsibility for the consequences. It is time to expose and confront this vicious circle. Join us on Market Square as we call for an end to exporting guns and deporting people
Bring drums, placards, friends, etc. Weather permitting, we will be holding a die-in to represent the consequences of H&K’s trade, and the horrors from which refugees have fled. If you want to take part in the die-in, then dress warmly with outer clothes that can be splashed with washable fake blood.
Shut down Heckler & Koch! Freedom of movement and the right to remain for all! No guns, no borders!
To help promote the demo you can download and distribute flyers and posters:
http://nottsantimilitarism.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/fullcircle-flyer-spread1.pdf http://nottsantimilitarism.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/fullcircle-poster1.pdf
Shut Down H&K
Homepage:
http://www.shutdownhk.org.uk/
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