Who's Responsible for Selling Weapons to Repressive Regimes?

Earlier this month, 30,000 arms traders descended upon London’s Excel Centre for Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), a biennial exhibition organised in association with the UK government.

Despite three days of protest demonstrations outside the venue, the event was a huge success with over 29,000 patrons; a 16% increase on the attendance in 2009.

Keen to capitalise on the publicity generated by the exhibition, the government agency that promotes international arms sales, UK Trade and Industry Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), organized an ‘informal buffet lunch’ for arms companies to meet diplomats from British embassies in conflict-stricken regions such as Yemen, Bahrain, Israel, Pakistan and Kenya.

Ironically, in the days since the buffet and exhibition, over 100 people have been murdered in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, and on Sunday government troops opened fire on (and wounded 18) protesters calling for an end to President Ali Saleh’s 33-year rule.

Did the President’s soldiers use British-made weapons purchased on the advice of British diplomats to attack Yemeni civilians?

It wouldn’t be the first time the UK government was caught doing business with a dodgy dictator from the Middle East. 

Just a few weeks ago, leaked documents revealed that in December diplomats working under Defence Secretary Liam Fox (left) sold Colonel Gaddafi’s regime the weapons used to gun down Libyan civilians.

Critics accuse the Tory-led coalition of hypocrisy and double-standards, and they’re probably right.

But the sad truth is; Britain is largely dependant on the £35bn the defence and security industry generates each year; and that’s valuable income in times of austerity.