As residents and community organisations in the London borough of Newham, we call upon Reed Elsevier, the organisers of the Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair, the government's Ministry of Defence that supports them and the management of the ExCel Centre to make a public commitment that the arms fair planned for Custom House in 2007 will be cancelled.

In a borough where refugees from all over the world live in exile from armed conflicts, we deplore the hosting of an event that promotes the trade in weapons that fuel these conflicts. The supply of these weapons increases the likelihood of fighting and prolongs conflicts once they begin. At the arms fair in 2005, torture equipment including electric-shock batons, stun guns and leg irons, all of which are banned for export under British law, were marketed alongside other weapons that are entirely legal but which regularly maim and kill civilians around the world. The UK government also invited countries with terrible human rights records such as China, Saudi Arabia and Colombia to shop for these weapons at the event.

We reject the idea that the DSEi arms fair plays a vital part in the UK’s “national interest”. We believe it benefits no-one but the international companies selling arms and the repressive governments that diverting funds from vital public services in order to buy them. We oppose the way that the UK government provides political and financial support at the expense of the taxpayers and without any economic or ethical justification.

We believe that Reed Elsevier and the ExCel Centre in particular can no longer ignore the overwhelming opposition to the DSEi arms fair within the borough, from a wide range of political parties, religious groups, voluntary & community organisations and concerned members of the public.

DSEi in 2005 is the last time we can tolerate the presence of an arms fair,
in our borough or anywhere else.

We call upon Reed Elsevier and the ExCel Centre to abandon their intention
to hold the DSEi arms fair in September 2007.