14 Sept 2015

KURDS TO DEMONSTRATE AT THE DSEI ARMS FAIR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
London, 14th September 2015
 
KURDS TO DEMONSTRATE AT THE DSEI ARMS FAIR
Kurds are being massacred by the Turkish State and the world is watching…
The 'International Partner' of the Arms Fair is the Turkish government's Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporter's Association.
 
Right now London is hosting one of the biggest arms fairs in the world, with tanks, guns, drones and missiles being showcased at the DSEI Arms Fair in the EXCEL Centre.  Since Monday, protesters have been successfully blocking the vehicles that are transporting the weapons, and even gate-crashing the set-up inside the EXCEL building.
The 'International Partner' of the Arms Fair is the Turkish government's Defence and Aerospace Industry Exporter's Association. Turkey is keen to promote itself as a key exporter of arms, with Turkish companies building new drones, producing new MPT rifles and designing the Altay battle tank for the Turkish military. Turkey is also developing its own TFX fighter jets, the first prototype to be ready in 2023 to coincide with the hundred year anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.
As it steps up its new attacks on the Kurdish population, Turkey is also importing more weapons. It is currently buying F35 fighter jets and Chinook helicopters for its military and police force. Numerous arms companies supply weapons to the military and police of Turkey. The weapons they manufacture are used by the Turkish state in its repression of Kurds and have been used in the suppression of uprisings such as 
Gezi. Evidence has shown that Turkey has been colluding with ISIS and supplying them weapons (read here and here), so arms purchased by Turkey may also fall into ISIS hands.
With Kurdish citizens dying daily in Turkey's 
latest attacks on Kurdish people within its borders, it is essential to campaign against arms sales to Turkey.
Since the pro-Kurdish HDP party passed the 10% threshold in the general elections in June, resulting in winning of seats in the Turkish parliament, the Turkish state has once again carried out vicious attacks on the Kurdish population living within its borders with 100s killed in clashes over a month. In the town of Cizre, which has been under curfew for most of this time, the Turkish military and police killed at least 23 people, almost half of them children, in the last one week.

Purchasing weapons from Turkish military companies also supports Turkish militarism, so at the same time supports the brutal attacks against innocent Kurdish people - It will help Turkey to become a massive, independent military power - We are therefore calling on those who oppose this state terrorism against the Kurds and the collusion of the Turkish state with ISIS to join us at this important demonstration to tell UK and Europe to stop this multi-billion dollar arms trading with the Turkish State (military).
We believe that soullessly exhibiting and marketing guns, bombs and equipment, which will later be used to take the lives of people is against the fundamental principles of Humanity and Life.

Date: Tuesday 15th of September
Time: 14:00
Location: 
Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
 
For information please contact
Zeynep Kurban: Zeynep Kurban z.kurban83@gmail.com
 <mailto:z.kurban83@gmail.com07799285812
Mark Campbell: "Hevallo@gmail.comHevallo@gmail.com
 <mailto:Hevallo@gmail.com07865079415
Peace in Kurdistan Campaign: estella24@tiscali.co.uk
 <mailto:estella24@tiscali.co.ukhttp://peaceinkurdistancampaign.com

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