Manchester
residents have called a national demonstration against a local factory
which they are concerned may be manufacturing equipment that has been
used to commit human rights abuses in Gaza, the West Bank, Afghanistan
and Iraq. The demonstration, on Saturday 17th October, will be at the
site of the Brimar factory in East Manchester, and will include music,
speakers and food. Manchester residents will be joined by concerned
citizens from across the country.
Brimar manufactures visual display units
that are used in a range of military vehicles, including Apache
helicopters, tanks and F16s. Brimar directors admitted in 2006, during
the war in Lebanon, that the company supplied components used in Apache
attack helicopters sold to the Israeli military.
On Monday, 5th October, citizen weapons
inspectors visited the factory seeking information on possible
connections between Brimar's products and human rights abuses. The
visit coincided with the release of a research dossier detailing the
concerns of campaigners, which include the possible use of Brimar
equipment during 'Operation Cast Lead,' the invasion of Gaza by the
Israeli military in December 2008 and January 2009.
Campaigners allege that there is also
evidence that products developed during a research collaboration
between Brimar and the US Marine Corps were deployed with Marine tank
battalions in Iraq in 2004-5, including with forces directly involved
in the Second Battle of Fallujah in November 2004.
Concerns have also
been raised that Brimar products may be incorporated into helicopters
currently being used to fire thermobaric missiles in Afghanistan.
The Target Brimar campaign is calling on
the company, which is owned by private investors and has a significant
financial relationship with the Bank of Scotland/Lloyds Banking Group
and therefore with the British taxpayer, to return to its historically
peaceful manufacture of specialist screens and viewing equipment, and
on the British government to review its arms export policy and to cease
its immoral and economically distorted subsidising of the arms industry.