SOWETAN, Last Updated: 2010/06/29
South Africa is selling sensitive weapon equipment to countries that fail to meet criteria for the export of arms, the Ceasefire Campaign said on Tuesday.
Five of South Africa’s top ten arms purchasers -- India, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Colombia and Saudi Arabia -- do not satisfy the criteria set out in the National Conventional Arms Control Act, said Ceasefire Campaign steering committee member Rob Thompson at a media conference in central Johannesburg.
The criteria in the act includes if the countries have embargoes against them, if they are violating human rights, if they are involved in regional conflicts and what type of export controls they have.
According to the Ceasefire Campaign’s database between 2000 and 2009 South Africa had sold weapon equipment to 58 countries that failed on at least one of the criteria.
Of the R13.2 billion of arms sold to the countries 60 percent comprised of sensitive weapons, said Thompson. - Sapa
According to the Ceasefire Campaign’s database between 2000 and 2009 South Africa had sold weapon equipment to 58 countries that failed on at least one of the criteria.
Of the R13.2 billion of arms sold to the countries 60 percent comprised of sensitive weapons, said Thompson. - Sapa
