Sunday, April 17, 2011

The NGOs claim that the problem with this sale is not legal but moral

The organizations that have denounced the situation of arms sales worldwide have not been surprised by the news that Misrata bombed Qaddafi has made cluster bombs in Spain in 2007. "We've been reporting and we have asked the government to suspend arms transfers. Since the Foreign Ministry have replied that we will check all these sales," said Angel Gonzalez, a spokesman for Amnesty International.

Gonzalo clarifies that the sale in 2007 was legal but warned that the Government is in a constant paradox with the sale of these weapons. "In theory can not be sold cluster weapons since December 2008, what happens is that they have continued to sell other weapons, according to reports.

In addition, following is the Code of Conduct of the European Union." In fact, the 'showy' now for the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is more a moral than legal. Spain ratified the Code of Conduct of the European Union in which all countries agree not to sell arms to countries where human rights are respected, given the risk of being used against civilians, and in which there is a conflict permanent.

And in Libya, four years ago, it was clear that there was a human rights issue. "The problem is that this code is not law, is a reference. Therefore, our effort is aimed to equip ourselves with an international treaty to regulate gun sales. These contradictions are curious because Spain supported the United Nations treaty but then continues to sell weapons and not only to Libya, also Israel, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, "Angel Gonzalo complaint.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch also condemned the use of these weapons by forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, describing the situation as "outrageous", according to AFP. "These bombs pose a risk to civilians both during attacks by their nature indiscriminate and after the remains still dangerous spread remaining untapped, "said Steve Goose, director of the Arms Division of HRW.

He adds that" Libya must immediately cease using these weapons and do everything possible to ensure that civilians are protected, "In the month of February, the Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action (IECAH) and reported that the Spanish Government had come to the Libyan government defense equipment worth 6.9 million euros in the first half of 2010, in violation of Article 8 Law 53/2007 on Arms Trade Treaty.

In this case there would be cluster bombs, which can not be marketed in our country since 2008, but aircraft and imaging equipment, even though Libya has been for decades Focus on the lack of respect for human rights. The study was conducted to official statistics from the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade and emphasizes that exports during the first months of 2010 amounted to EUR 730.4 million, up 77% over the same period last year.

This complaint has been endorsed by organizations that have joined in this fight (Amnesty International, Greenpeace, Oxfam and Fundació per la Pau). In fact, the coalition requested at the time an "announcement" by the Executive on the information published Zapatero that the Government was proposing to revoke existing licenses for military equipment to Libya.

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