In today's press conference, held in response to the DA's allegations (see here) that the National Convention Arms Control Committee (NCACC) had authorised a series of dodgy arms deals, NCACC Chairperson Jeff Radebe did not deny that the Committee had authorised or was considering authorising arms deals with some of the most repressive regimes in the world (see report).
He did not deny that the NCACC has authorised the sale of:
- glide bombs that could be used to deliver nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to Libya;
- multiple grenade launchers to Libya;
- multiple grenade launchers to Syria; and
- thousands of multiple grenade launchers and upgraded assault rifles to Venezuela.
He did not deny that the NCACC is considering authorizing the sale of:
- thousands of aviator G-suits to Iran;
- thousands of sniper rifles to Syria; and
- millions of rounds of ammunition to Zimbabwe.
And he did not deny the NCACC authorized a company to:
- exhibit and demonstrate radar warning receivers for submarines in North Korea.
In fact, he admitted that the NCACC had stopped the sale of thousands of aviator G suites to Iran, and submarine radar warning receivers had been exhibited and demonstrated in North Korea.
Perhaps most scarily the minister conceded that the committee is considering the authorisation of thousands of sniper rifles to Syria and millions of rounds of ammunition to Zimbabwe.
The NCACC is required to take into account certain guidelines before authorising the export of arms. Those guidelines are designed to ensure that we do not sell arms to countries if there is a risk that they will contribute to internal repression, contribute to the violation of human rights or to the escalation of regional conflicts. How then can we be considering authorising the sales of thousands of sniper rifles to Syria and millions of rounds of ammunition to Zimbabwe?
The DA calls on NCACC chairperson Jeff Radebe to:
- investigate how it is that glide bombs that could be used to deliver nuclear, chemical and biological weapons were sold to Libya; and
- investigate whether there was an attempt at sanctions busting by a company based in our country in the arms deal with Iran.
Moreover, the DA calls on the minister to: -
- stop the sale of thousands of sniper rifles to Syria; and
- to stop the sale of millions of 7.62mm and 9mm ammunition to Zimbabwe.
We should not be arming the dictators all over the world.
Statement issued by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence and military veterans, August5 2009
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