campaign organizations 'Control Arms' demand that the English Government to clarify whether the weapons sold to the Moroccan regime is not being used in Western Sahara to violate human rights. Morocco is one of the preferred customers of Spain in defense equipment. ISABEL G.
CABALLERO, NUEVATRIBUNA.ES
Amnesty International Foundation for Peace, Greenpeace and Oxfam, organizations that are part of the campaign, 'Arms control', have asked the English Government to ensure that the weapons sold to Morocco is not in use in the Western Sahara conflict to commit human rights violations.
In 2009, Spain sold defense equipment to the Alawite regime worth 30 million euros, 28 million all-terrain vehicles and 1.7 million in aircraft, and during the first half of 2010 sales amounted to 4.13 million euros, 3.4 million are on a ship, EUR 564,484 cartridges for shotguns and rifles with smooth-bore, 110,000 euros to components of weapons of war, 14,814 euros to shotguns and rifles for hunting or sports shooting 6401 euro parts and accessories for various items. This must add a total of 50 million euros in sales authorized but not yet executed.
These organizations show their "concern" about the possible use of English in the severe events experienced in recent days in the Sahara and say they have no guarantee that the Moroccan army is using against the Saharawi people as different associations denounce pro-Sahrawi . Jordi Armadans per la pau Foundation, says that "Morocco is one of the preferred customers of Spain" and that in the past two years the sale of weapons has increased successively. It is not the first time that campaign officials 'Control Arms' place in Morocco as one of the "sensitive places" but the English government insists that all transactions are discussed very precisely and selling weapons is not being used by Moroccan police in the repression of the Saharawi people .
The Law on Control of Foreign Trade in Defence and Dual-Use, adopted by the English Parliament in 2007, stipulates that operations are denied arms sales to countries that violate human rights, remember Armadans Jordi, who believes "Morocco has given prior evidence that these sales are not made." From Amnesty International has found Morocco in 2009 increased attacks on freedom of expression, association and assembly on issues deemed sensitive to internal and external security of the state and intensified restrictions on those who advocated self-determination of Western Sahara.
Therefore, the organizations claim that "preventive suspension of authorized sales and not yet executed, about 50 million in aircraft, until independently investigate and clarify the situation" because, if true that the material has been used to violate human rights the PSOE government will be breaking the law itself that he initiative prompted precisely these organizations. "Since the adoption of the law are being very demanding for the export of weapons occurs outside legality," he adds Armadans, while regretting the "warmth" with which the Government is acting on the crisis with Morocco the Sahara. Yermo
for Francis, spokesman for Oxfam is necessary that the Joint Board (the body responsible for authorizing or not the transactions case by case) has a "more preventive capacity." This was called the Congress of Deputies in its latest opinion and also supported by the PSOE, recalls.
"Morocco destination is a concern and when there is a worsening of a conflict that is at risk the civilian population must be taken out into the open, "he says. In his view, the English government should, first, do a "diplomatic track that offers guarantees" and, moreover, authorized preventively suspend sales and not yet been made in view of "the situation is sufficiently serious, "he insists. Editor's Note
press: Spain sold arms to Morocco
Another Editor's note: The UN must protect human rights in the Sahara
source: attacmadrid.org
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