TRAKNAT is a network of local groups in the Twickenham, Richmond and Kingston area campaigning against UK arms exports. There is more explanation below and on the About Us page, where you will also find a list of the member groups.

We now have a mailing list for occasional news items, like public meetings. Mail web232@traknat.org.uk to be added to the list. Also get in touch if you would like to be more involved and come to planning meetings etc.

Note that the comment facility on the web site has been turned off for the moment as we were getting more spam than proper comments, but we expect to turn it back on in due course when we have more events planned. Thank you to those who have contributed up to now.

Arms Trade Meeting with Zac Goldsmith

About 15 of us held a successful meeting with Zac Goldsmith MP at the Houses of Parliament on 13th May 2013. It was very useful to get his views on transparency, brokers, unwarranted government support for arms exports, lobbyists and Criterion 8. We have issued a Press Release and are now considering our next steps. [Photo © Copyright Paul Hampartsoumian 2013 No unauthorised reproduction]

Public Meeting — 29 November 2012 7pm

We held our meeting “The Arms Trade and its impact on Human Rights and Poverty” with Vince Cable MP at Duke Street Church, Richmond, as planned on November 29th 2012. A big thank you to all those who helped to make it a success. As previously mentioned, Zac Goldsmith MP was not able to attend after all. See Photos and report from November 29th meeting.

The petition was presented to Vince Cable at the meeting, with the names of those who signed the web site petition by 10.00am on November 29th, as well as all the paper signatures.

We are now considering our next steps.

Our Voices are Important

As Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable runs a department which continues to promote and approve weapons sales to regimes which are using force to suppress democracy protesters.

TRAKNAT campaigns for Vince Cable to shut his arms promotion unit, the UK Trade & Industry – Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI-DSO), and stop underwriting loans through UK Export Finance which enable the sales to take place. Until the government stops promoting arms sales, it will continue to ignore its own rules which prohibit arms sales where they may be used for internal repression, or external aggression.

Some countries are still paying Vince Cable’s department for debts that were run up by the UK selling weapons to their former dictators. We call for these, and other unjust debts, to be cancelled. We also call for the withdrawal of export support for climate-wrecking fossil fuel projects and other projects which fuel climate change, result in human right abuses and third world debt.

UK exports overseas can have a massive impact either positive or negative, and the exports our government chooses to promote and support speak volumes about its commitment to human rights, environmental sustainability and social justice worldwide. TRAKNAT is campaigning for the UK government to support responsible, sustainable exports which demonstrate a respect for peace, human rights, and a safe environment and create positive, sustainable jobs in the UK.