On Wednesday, June 13, Channel 4 news reported the situation in Yemen with emphasis on the Saudi-led attack on rebel-held Hodeidah.
Access to this port is vital for agencies providing desperately needed aid to millions facing starvation. The UK is providing financial support for this work.
Meanwhile, wearing its other hat, it is selling arms to Saudi Arabia which are used to worsen the problem. The USA and the UK also vetoed a UN Security Council motion to condemn the attack on Hodeidah. Andrew Mitchell, former International Development Secretary, when interviewed, said Britain should be neutral in the conflict and not supply Saudi Arabia with weapons – earning £4 billion over four years for our arms dealers – to exacerbate the situation.
How can Glaswegians do anything positive to help? Very little, I fear. But we can try to prevent an arms fair marketing "undersea defence technology” in this city. Speak to city councillors, some of whom have promoted the arms fair, and MSPs, at a protest at the SEC on June 26, organised jointly by Scotland Against Militarism and Campaign Against Armed Trade (CAAT) Scotland.
Have we become inured to the horrors mankind can inflict of the innocent? As long as our pensions are doing well do we wonder how?
Sandra Phelps
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