Canada: Human rights concerns raised over Ottawa's $10-billion military vehicles sale to Saudi Arabia

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A January update by Human Rights Watch regarding the Middle Eastern country says: “In Saudi Arabia, 2013 was another bad year for human rights, marred by executions and repression of women and activists.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Globe and Mail
By Steven Chase/Richard Blackwell | February 14 2014

Excerpts:

A multibillion-dollar deal to sell made-in-Canada light-armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia is being championed by Ottawa as a major success for Canadian diplomacy.

But the Official Opposition NDP is raising concerns about arms sales to a country with a poor human rights record.

The deal would see General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, the London, Ont.-based arm of a U.S. defence and aerospace contractor, supply Saudi Arabia. It’s worth $10-billion over 14 years and will sustain more than 3,000 jobs annually in Canada.

International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced the deal is being underwritten by Ottawa’s Canadian Commercial Corporation.
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NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said he’s worried these light-armoured vehicles could be used by Saudi Arabia to oppress citizens. “Is this just open-for-business for whoever wants to buy arms from us?” he said. “I am concerned what these arms could be used for.”

A January update by Human Rights Watch regarding the Middle Eastern country says: “In Saudi Arabia, 2013 was another bad year for human rights, marred by executions and repression of women and activists.”

The rights group also draws attention to Saudi’s treatment of religious minorities. “Saudi Arabia does not tolerate public worship by adherents of religions other than Islam and systematically discriminates against Muslim religious minorities, in particular Twelver Shia and Ismailis,” Human Rights Watch says.



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