For the attention of M. Francois Hollande and M.Jean-Yves Le Drian
From the 13 to the 17th of June, the 2016 event of the “ Eurosatory” arms fair will take place at Paris –Villepinte; every two years arms manufacturers and traders meet with clients shopping for tomorrow’s wars and states’ security demands. This Arms Fair will have on display the latest in all sorts of equipment destined to cause great loss of life and whose main victims will, as always, be civilians. Let us say clearly, that in the current national and international situation, this fair is indecent, provocative and inhuman.
Although, showing solidarity with Paris, the whole world has just reminded the capital of its values in matters of openness, peace, way of life and freedom of expression, can such a fair be decently held in an area covered by a state of emergency?
Isn’t the fact that the promoters of Eurosatory are widening their “range” to include material for security usage, somewhat disturbing?
Let’s remember, only a few months after Cop21, that the use of arms, and vehicles used on land, sea or in the air are a major cause of the degradation of the environment, causing a deterioration in the living conditions of all the inhabitants of our planet. The mass movement of displaced people and refugees by reasons of war, repression or for climactic reasons is one of the current major problems.
We therefore demand the cancellation of this fair and the abolition of all the death supermarkets.
We also demand that the 1800 billion euros given over annually to military expenditure be reallocated to sectors which benefit people. The skills and equipment put to the design and manufacture of armaments could be converted into dynamic job creation schemes.
To mask its economic failure, the French government is developing the sale of military material and its main clients are the oil monarchies of the Middle East: we demand the opening of a great national debate about the arms trade with total transparency of data and information.
Let’s sign this petition and gather in our towns and in Paris to make this vital protest heard.