NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
It’s quite disgusting that with large sections of the Middle East, from a political perspective, ablaze that the United Kingdom is ‘pouring oil on the fire’ by continuing to supply Saudi Arabia with weapons by which it is conducting a murderous air campaign over Yemen
The United Kingdom has no strategic objective here the only reason it is supplying these munitions is because the Saudi’s are a ‘good customer’ and in addition to the weaponry their purchases of fighter bombers and jet trainers keep the UK aircraft industry (BAe at Warton in Lancashire) ticking over.
The United Nations has now produced a report which condemns both sides in the conflict but it particularly critical of the indiscriminate air campaign which could not continue without British support.
In one of the key findings, the report says:
“The panel documented that the coalition had conducted airstrikes targeting civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international humanitarian law, including camps for internally displaced persons and refugees; civilian gatherings, including weddings; civilian vehicles, including buses; civilian residential areas; medical facilities; schools; mosques; markets, factories and food storage warehouses; and other essential civilian infrastructure, such as the airport in Sana’a, the port in Hudaydah and domestic transit routes.”
It adds:
“The panel documented 119 coalition sorties relating to violations of international humanitarian law.”
Law firm Leigh Day, which is representing Campaign Against the Arms Trade, is considering legal action against ministers to force the suspension of weapons exports to Saudi Arabia.
Of course all this is very remote from us here in Mann and although we should rightly speak out and condemn the UK if it in effect it is complicit in war crimes against civilians in Yemen (described by the UN as war crimes) we have no direct involvement.
Well not quite. The Saudi aircrews that fly these deadly strikes in many instances trained on Hawk Jet trainers at RAF Valley (indeed I believe the programme may still be ongoing although the delivery of Hawk trainers directly to the Royal Saudi Air Force may have ended this) and of course those trainers frequently use Ronaldsway for simulated approaches. It’s a small world!
Photograph: Children killed after a school was bombed by Saudi aircraft are buried
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Celtic News
28/01/16
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