Volumize Winter 2016 | Page 8

Tackling some Root Causes It starts here. The world’s greatest ever refugee crisis, human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, oppression and violence in Israel/Palestine, war in Yemen, climate chaos, government subsidies for renewables cut… These problems have many causes; and complex factors affecting them. On one level, we could (rightly) say they are very complicated. On the other hand, we could make a great start at tackling all of them just by stopping the sale of weapons! Every two years the government-supported DSEI Arms Fair which takes place in London; and the red carpet is rolled out for arms’ dealers and government delegations from around the world. Israeli companies sell weapons they advertise as ‘battle-tested’. High level delegations are welcomed from Saudi Arabia and other oppressive regimes. While the poor around the UK and in the surrounding area of East London suffer from cuts in the name of ‘Austerity’, the dealers are invited for massages to break up their days of weapon-shopping, and luscious dinners. DSEI is part of wider support the government gives this deadly t Ʌ