DSEi is the largest arms fair in the UK, and one of the largest in the world. It bills itself as “the world’s largest fully integrated international defence exhibition”. It takes place every two years in early September. DSEi 2007 is due to take place at London’s ExCeL centre from 11th to 14th September.
At DSEi, repressive regimes and arms producers get together to make multi-million dollar deals that will fuel conflicts and impoverish people the world over. The last DSEi in 2005 hosted military delegations from some of the world’s worst human rights abusers including Colombia, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, as well as companies marketing cluster bombs and torture equipment.
an advertisement from the DSEi 2001 catalogue
DSEi costs the UK taxpayer dearly. It is the main event sponsored by DESO – a government department that spends £15m a year promoting the arms industry. Furthermore, a massive amount of money is spent protecting the arms dealers and foreign military VIPs. In 2003, £4.4m was spent policing DSEi – five times more than was spent policing the UK’s largest ever demonstration (the anti-war march of February that year).
Opponents of DSEi pronounce it as “Dicey”. Since its inception in 1999 it has attracted opposition from peace campaigners, anarchists and socialists, faith groups and local residents. Despite heavy security, campaigners have repeatedly managed to blockade and confront delegates, and even infiltrate the arms fair. Meanwhile, publicity campaigns have undermined DSEi by shaming its corporate sponsors.
More info
For more information about the arms fair, check the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, which produced a comprehensive briefing on DSEi 2005. Also, IndyMedia produced a half-hour film about DSEi 2003 called Indefensible DSEi, which you can watch online.
