Quakers Australia is leading a push for greater accountability in Australia's arms trade, launching a major investigative report, and presenting a statement signed by 61 groups calling for a review.
This call for action coincides with the Arms Trade Treaty meeting of State Parties in Geneva this week.
Report launch:
Quakers Australia are launching a new report tonight - Australia's Opaque Arms Industry and Obligations Under International Law.
The launch is being hosted by the Australian Institute of International Affairs, with guest speaker Professor Peter Woolcott AO, President of the UN Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (2014). Link to launch.
Joint Statement:
Australian civil society groups call for review of military trade architecture, stating "Transparency is required to ensure Australia's exports are not used in human rights abuses".
The statement is signed by 61 groups including Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, ACTU, ACFID, National Council of Churches, Jewish Council of Australia, and many other faith, legal and community groups.
Quotes:
Attributable to Jessica Morrison, Quakers Australia Peaceworker and lead author of the report:
Particularly since Australia is rapidly expanding its military exports, Australia must update systems to better safeguard Australian exports from being used in human rights abuses.
The Government needs to be straight up – to the parliament and the public about what we are selling, to whom, and for what purpose.
The dodging and weaving about what Australia is exporting to Israel during a genocide– to only now find out Australia is exporting fighter jet parts directly to Israel undermines the very point of the Arms Trade Treaty.
Australia worked for decades to make the Arms Trade Treaty a reality – being a key player at every step.
However, the Arms Trade Treaty has so far failed to demonstrate any progress towards reducing human rights abuses resulting from arms deals. The lack of transparency from Australia as well as other countries, about what is being bought and sold makes a mockery of the vision of the Treaty.
All documents: www.quakersaustralia.org.au/arms
