Background
HSBC funds Electro Optic Systems (EOS) who sell arms to Saudi Arabia and UAE
Saudi Arabia and UAE are responsible for massive human rights abuses in Yemen
This goes against the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), signed by Australia that states that we must not sell arms to countries involved in human rights abuse. Wage Peace is part of the Australian Arms Control Coalition with Save the Children, Oxfam, Amnesty International who are working on that from a legislative/political level.
EOS seems to get around this treaty by selling weapons systems rather than actual weapons, and sending them to Saudi Arabia via other companies, though packing slips were found that showed they were exporting direct to Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Saudi Arabia targets hospitals, schools, and basic infrastructure like the water supplies in Yemen, sending the country into famine. Saudi Arabia is backed by the US and therefore Australia – EOS will not tell us if their weapons sales contravine the ATT
HSBC Action
On Wednesday 11th March concerned citizens entered the HSBC bank in Martin Place Sydney.
- HSBC is a major funder of EOS, the second largest at $50m
- HSBC promotes itself as an ethical, environmental champion while funding war and environmental damage
- HSBC is Europe’s biggest bank
- HSBC is also funding new coal in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.
People have the power to change the situation but confronting the financial institutions that hold their mortgages, super, bank accounts, investments, shares and insisting they only invest ethically or move their money to an institution that aligns with their values.
EOS (Electro Optic Systems) Action
Then we moved on to the EOS head office.
People from Marrickville Peace Group and the Anti-Bases Coalition have made a monthly vigil outside the EOS office for months.
They have had guest speakers from Save the Children, sing songs, and let the public know what EOS are up to.
Right click or option click to download photos to your computer and share on your own social media
Go to the Wage Peace Facebook page /wagepeaceau and find the post about the video.
Please comment, like and share – Love’s and Wow’s get more points from the Facebook algorithms.
Youtube
Please go to the video on YouTube, watch it, like it and make comments
Also share the video on Twitter, find it at @WagePeaceau
We have only put up a few posts, we are looking for a volunteer that understands Instagram 🙂
Our Aims
To raise awareness of Australia’s complicity in the human rights abuses by promoting the selling of arms
To get people involved in the peace movement
Direct people to our website www.wagepeaceau.org and sign up to receive emails and join actions, – signup button on the front page of the website or direct Signup to Wage Peace
Encourage people to sign the Petition
When people sign the petition, they can tick a box to sign up to the Wage Peace mailing list.
Sign Now: No military exports to Saudi Arabia and UAE for use in Yemen
Photos/graphics to share
I will put photos here, meantime those of you who are members of the Wage Peace Social Media Planning Page can download the graphics from there, there are three batches, sized for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
5 years in Yemen
Source
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/19/us-supplied-bomb-that-killed-40-children-school-bus-yemen