CAAT E-News December 2020
Posted: 18th December 2020
In this issue:
1. People Not War podcast
2. Capacity Building: Changes to How We Resist DSEI
3. Yemen day of action 25 January 2021
4. Seville Arms Fair cancelled
5. Are you our next Parliamentary Coordinator?
6. ICYMI: Nine ways we challenged the arms trade in 2020
7. Coming up: training and resistance, save the dates
8. Help us end the arms trade
1. Listen: People Not War Podcast
‘People Not War’ is a podcast brought to you by Campaign Against Arms Trade.
Hosted by writer, producer and campaigner Siana Bangura, in each episode we catch up with campaigners, activists, community organisers, and all-round inspirational people working to end the international arms trade and other intersecting issues.
Throughout the series, we’ll be drawing links between the arms trade and issues as broad as border controls and policing, colonialism, the crisis in Yemen, the militarisation of education, and climate justice, to name just a few, with the hope of showing that all these struggles are interconnected.
Guests include Aderonke Apata, Amina Atiq, Sham Murad, Melina Villeneuve, and Sarona Bedwan.
You can find the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts (iTunes, Spotify…).
2. Capacity Building: Changes to How We Resist DSEI
2020 has been a year of change for all of us. Siana discusses the results of the discussions we hosted with activists and supporters in the Autumn regarding the resistance to the DSEI arms fair, and the move to a capacity building strategy.
This will see CAAT moving away from leading the organising of the DSEI Week of Action, while providing additional support to campaigners working to stop arms fairs around the country, an improved training offering, and the creation of a “Stop the Arms Fairs” support fund.
3. Solidarity: Yemen day of action, 25 January 2021
We’re joining the World Says No to War in Yemen Global Day of Action on 25th January. The war has killed thousands of people and left millions dependent on food aid, and continues to be fuelled by UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Find out what events are happening, download the action pack, or let others know about the event you are organising here:
bit.ly/StopTheWarYemenCantWait
Follow us on social media: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (or our Unis Insta) for updates on the day, and to get more background on this dreadful war.
4. Victory: Seville Arms Fair Cancelled
Great news from Spain as campaigners in Seville have got the Electronic Warfare arms fair cancelled! It was due to take place in the city in May 2021. This was the same arms fair due to take place in Liverpool that was cancelled in October this year.
Local campaign groups came together to get the word out, putting a strong case to local people that this arms fair should not go ahead. A fantastic victory for people power, showing that even if the arms trade is global, so is the resistance to its dreadful work.
5. Jobs: Are you our next Parliamentary Coordinator?
CAAT is looking for an Interim Parliamentary Co-ordinator. CAAT’s parliamentary work is a vital part of many of the organisation’s campaigns and the Parliamentary Co-ordinator leads on this, as well as having responsibility for liaison with other organisations in the UK and overseas when this concerns governmental affairs.
This is a 9-month, part-time (4 days per week) post, based in our North London office, with a salary of £31,612 per annum (£39,516 pro rata), plus 8% into a pension that doesn’t invest in the arms trade.
6. In Case You Missed It: Nine Ways We Challenged the Arms Trade in 2020
2020 was a year like no other, but with your support we continued to make progress in our campaigning against the arms trade. Find out nine ways that we challenged the arms trade in 2020
7. Save the date: Training and Resistance
The arms trade never stops, and neither does our resistance! You may like to put these dates in your 2021 diary, timings and details to be confirmed.
Jan 25: Yemen Day of Action (details above)
Feb 1-2: Arms fair: 3CDSE (Malvern), resistance expected
Feb 11: CAAT training: Online Facilitation 101
Feb 18: CAAT training: Online Decision-Making 101
Mar 9-11: Arms fair: Digital Security & Policing (Online, Farnborough), resistance expected
Mar 19-21: CAAT event: It Starts Here Conference
8. Help us end the arms trade!
CAAT could not exist without your support! Whether it is via a one off donation or regular giving, your contributions help make the work we do possible. You can make a donation or find out more here.
Thank you for your continuing support, and very best wishes of the season.
Kirsten Bayes
Campaign Against Arms Trade