MEDICS URGE FOX TO END SAUDI ARMS SALES
As a doctor he should know the suffering caused by UK bombs
Doctors in Scotland are among hundreds of medics who’ve signed a letter calling on the UK Government to end arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
More than 200 doctors sent the letter to Dr Liam Fox, secretary of state for international trade. They are all members of Medact, who were formed in 1992 and campaign on health issues related to war and poverty. Their letter said that war crime allegations levelled at a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen have included attacks on three Medecins Sans Frontieres hospitals which killed patients and medical staff. The Saudis lead a coalition of Arab states backing a Yemeni government who are fighting Houthi rebels. The coal i tion have dropped bombs made in Scotland and been accused of dozens of war crimes – claims the Saudis deny. The most recent incident happened last week when more than 140 mourners were killed in Sanaa after a funeral was bombed. Human Rights Watch investigated and said it was an “apparent war crime”. Former GP Fox – who grew up in East Kilbride and went to Glasgow University – is now responsible for licensing arms exports.
Medcat’s letter said: “We have a duty to speak out against all causes of ill health in Yemen.
“This must include the sale and export of UK weaponry that is fuelling the conflict.”
Signatories to the letter include Eliot Waterhouse, a junior doctor who trained in Glasgow before working at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary.
He said: “The main point of the letter is a direct appeal to Liam Fox’s principles as a doctor, a job in which he practised for a number of years.
“These at tacks have destroyed the country’ s infrastructure, leading to starvation and disease, prolonging the suffering of these already destitute people.”
Retired respiratory physician Duncan Macintyre added: “The UK Government bemoan the results and offer increased ‘ humanitarian aid’ but are not prepared to recognise thei r role in worsening the situation by provision of weaponry to the Saudis, including apparently an accelerated delivery of bombs from Glenrothes.”
The Saudis are investigating the attack on the funeral and Tory minister Tobias Ellwood visited Saudi Arabia for meetings.
HRW say one of the bombs dropped was “a US-manufactured air-dropped GBU-12 Paveway II 500lb laser-guided bomb.”
US arms giants Raytheon make Paveway IV laser guided missiles at their factory in Glenrothes, Fife, but it is not known if the missi le in question was made in Scotland.
Raytheon did not respond to our questions about the claims made by HRW.
The UK Government said: “We operate one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. Risks around human rights abuses are a key part of our assessment.”