Call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to Stop Selling Arms to Saudi Arabia
A bloody conflict has been raging in Yemen for a year – but largely ignored by the rest of the world. It is fuelled by arms sales from a dozen countries including Canada. Evidence of possible war crimes is mounting.
Nearly 3000 civilians have been killed, including at least 700 children, since a Saudi-led military coalition launched airstrikes against Huthi armed groups in Yemen in March 2015. Some 2.5 million people have been displaced.
There is overwhelming evidence that the Saudi-led military coalition is failing to protect civilians, and that some attacks may amount to war crimes. Air strikes have targeted hospitals, schools, markets and mosques. Ground forces of both anti-Huthi and Huthi armed groups have been operating in residential neighbourhoods, putting everyone in the area at risk, including of reprisal attacks.
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen will only deepen unless the supply of arms is cut off. No country should be directly or indirectly supplying weapons, munitions, military equipment or technology that would be used in the conflict until the violations stop.
This includes Canada's current $15 billion multi-year deal to sell Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) to Saudi Arabia. Canadian-made LAVs transferred in previous years could be used to support ground attacks in Yemen. Images posted on social media by the Saudi Arabian National Guard appear to show Canadian-made LAVs being moved to the volatile border area.
Join our call for Canada to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Dear Minister Dion:
Evidence is mounting that war crimes are being committed in Yemen. The humanitarian crisis is deepening while arms sales continue to fuel the conflict.
Canadian-made Light Armoured Vehicles previously sold to Saudi Arabia are at risk of being used to support ground attacks in Yemen. Despite this, Canada is going ahead with a $15 billion multi-year deal to sell additional LAVs to Saudi Arabia.
I call on you to suspend all arms transfers to Saudi Arabia and other parties to the conflict in Yemen – including weapons, munitions, military equipment or technology (or logistical and financial support for transfers) – as long as there is a substantial risk that they would be used for serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.
I further call on you to support an international inquiry to conduct credible, independent investigations into serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by all parties to the conflict in Yemen.
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Sincerely,
[Your name]
