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

Current Activity

In December 2015, we launched a campaign aimed at reducing the flow of small arms and light weapons to terrorists and warlords in conflict zones.

We have been meeting with Tania Mathias, MP for Twickenham to discuss this, and we are pleased that she won a ballot for a debate in Parliament on the Small Weapons Trade, which took place on 20 April 2016.

We have lobbied Tania Mathias on UK support for Saudi bombing in Yemen using UK supplied aircraft and bombs. She has presented an Amnesty petition to the Prime Minister calling for a halt to these sales and was critical of Government policy in a Commons debate.

We co-hosted an election hustings at Teddington Baptist Church, Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8PF at 7 pm. on the 25th May 2017. Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat), Katherine Dunne(Labour) and Tania Mathias answered questions on international issues, human rights, the environment and the arms trade. Vince Cable won the election on 8th June 2017 to become Member of Parliament for Twickenham again.

Background

The present and previous governments have, we believe, been lax in its control of arms brokers and, in contravention of its own guidelines, has promoted and subsidised arms sales to repressive regimes and vigorously encouraged poorer countries to spend scarce resources on weapons. Selling weapons to repressive governments legitimises their regimes and demoralises the people they repress. It helps make torture and murder commonplace. Poorer countries are positively encouraged by the UK Government to spend money on arms, diverting spending away from badly needed health and education services.

20 million people in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria face starvation because of conflict fuelled by the arms trade. In Government, Vince Cable, as Secretary of State for Business, was responsible arms exports, including the promotion and sales of planes and bombs to Saudi Arabia which they have used against homes, schools and hospitals in Yemen; a policy vigorously continued by the present Government.

Arms brokers play a major role in the supply of these weapons. Alarmingly the present and previous UK Governments have failed in their responsibilities to control UK brokers and do not even vet them before issuing licences to allow them to trade. One UK Broker, Gary Hyde, brokered the transfer of 70,000 assault rifles, including AK-47s, and 32m rounds of ammunition to Nigeria, enough to arm a small army. To this day no one knows where they are.

Keeping in Touch

We now have a mailing list for occasional news items, like public meetings. Mail info@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, or to see the letters and documents that we have exchanged so far with our MPs.