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European Ban on Saudi Arms Sales Bolsters Foes of Canadian Deal

February 26, 2016

European Ban on Saudi Arms Sales Bolsters Foes of Canadian Deal

Move puts pressure on government to justify $15-billion contract, says Amnesty.

Saudi-Armoured-Vehicles-610.jpg

The Saudi National Guard tweeted this photo of armoured vehicles moving to the Yemeni border in November 2015. An anonymous source told the Globe and Mail they were made in Canada.

A move to ban weapons exports to Saudi Arabia by members of the European Union bolsters the case of Canadians who oppose their own government selling military vehicles to the kingdom, says a human rights group.

On Thursday, the EU passed a non-binding resolution “to launch an initiative aimed at imposing an EU arms embargo against Saudi Arabia” over its involvement in the conflict in Yemen.

“The resolution acknowledges that Saudi Arabia and Iran are instrumental in resolving the crisis in Yemen,” said an EU press release.

The civil war in Yemen has intensified since last March, according to Amnesty International, resulting in the shelling, bombing and deaths of thousands of people.

Saudi Arabia heads a nine-country coalition of nations in the region who have intervened in the conflict on the side of Yemen’s central government.

The coalition has engaged in a heavy-bombing campaign and has been accused by the United Nations of major human-rights violations.

In 2014, the Conservative government facilitated a $15-billion contract for light-armoured vehicles for the Saudi military to be made by General Dynamics Systems Canada in London, Ontario.

The new Liberal government has said while it may not approve of the $15-billion deal in principle, it will not cancel the contract.

Hilary Homes, spokesperson for Amnesty International Canada, said the EU resolution strengthens the case of those pushing for Canada to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, or at least be more transparent about the deal.

“It certainly increases the pressure to explain their ongoing position around the deal,” she said.

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