No export of weapons! Put a stop to arms production!
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Germany continues to be one of the leading weapons exporters worldwide. In regard to that, Helmut Scholz, member of the executive committee of DIE LINKE, states:
The U.S., Russia, Germany, France and the U.K. are responsible for 80 percent of the international weapons trade. Among the EU countries, Germany is the biggest exporter of arms with an amount of 7.7 million Euros in 2006. Linked with that is the joint responsibility for the deaths of thousands – men, women, seniors and children. And that is not counting economical and ecological damage. We oppose the development of the European Arms Agency which is stipulated in the Treaty of Lisbon. Instead, we call upon the German government to promote the necessary conversion processes in the EU.
DIE LINKE has been criticizing the lack of adequate control of the weapons and ammunition trade for years. No one can guarantee that military equipment from Germany won’t be employed in conflict areas. A demand of transparency is easy to avoid and not a solution. It’s necessity to fundamentally rethink the armament policy and to work towards global disarmament. What isn’t needed is a policy advocating profit-seeking through weapons trade. We demand a drastic decrease in arms production and a general ban on weapons and military equipment.
In this context, it shall be reminded that on this day 15 years ago, the federal government opened the way for the first german troup assignments outside national borders. Today, more than 7,000 soldiers of the Bundeswehr are deployed in foreign countries. The expansion of those missions is discussed continually, recently concerning reinforcement in Afghanistan. That would demand an increase of military spendings and arms production.
War doesn’t bring peace.