BAe talk disrupted by protesters

Students protested Tuesday at a careers talk given in Oxford by Ian Macdiarmid of BAE Systems, over his company’s support for repressive and murderous regimes. A group of students went to the presentation on Tuesday night at St. Antony’s college; they distributed leaflets and held signs detailing some of the company’s activities.

Mr. Macdiarmid was invited to continue his talk, but declined. Those who had come to attend the talk were sympathetic to the protestors’ position, and pressed the BAE manager for answers.

The activists questioned Mr. Macdiarmid over his participation in a company which was responsible for arming regimes from countries such as Indonesia, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe. (The first three are engaged in programs of repression of indigenous peoples, Saudi Arabia is renowned for its anti-democratic internal repression and Zimbabwe has arms embargoes, which BAE has violated.) Mr. Macdiarmid relied that at 53 he was too old to change his mind. He declined to comment on the view expressed by a former head of PR at BAE, Don McLen that ‘Sometimes in this business, you have to leave your conscience at the door.’

It was communicated that anyone participating in such a company would be supporting the murder of civilians, the stability of oppressive regimes and the use of bribes such as the 20 million pound ‘slush fund’ that BAE has kept to bribe Saudi Royals. (The Guardian reported BAE’s corrupt practices two days ago). The arms companies are inevitably engaged in such practices, as are driven by a profit motive.

Macdiarmid protested that it was not his responsibility what his company was doing. It was pointed out that his company was able to continue, because that is the attitude that people took. By working for the company, Macdiarmid supported it.

The activists advocate a philosophy of ‘think global, act local’: being aware of the atrocities being perpetrated in places like Indonesia and trying to address their root causes in our local communities.

Matthew Baker, one of the activists present said: ‘It’s really important that everyone consider the ethical impact of the career they choose.’ ‘Every major atrocity committed in the world is committed with weapons made and sold by some person, with the backing of some other person: we can’t allow this to continue’. He continued ‘don’t believe the propaganda on the company’s website - do your own research’.

Mr. Macdiarmid, who holds a senior position in BAE, was attending the meeting the evening after the company’s Annual General Meeting. When the activists left, it appeared that Mr. Macdiarmid had decided to cancel the talk. The protest had been calm and civil throughout, on both sides. The activists had met through the Oxford Student Activist Network, though this action was independent of that group. They are in support of the aims of the Disarm DSEi and Campaign Against the Arms Trade groups. The group is determined that arms dealers in Oxford will always be confronted by students who will expose the crimes that their corporations have committed.

We call on all JCRs and MCRs to take action to ensure that their college is not investing in arms companies.

The leaflet given out by the activists will follow soon.

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The action was a real success, notwithstanding the fact that only 4 students actually came to hear the BAE warmonger speak, while around 20 protestors showed up to show they strong disagreement with what BAE and arm companies are doing around the world... it was quite clear that he wasn't prepared for that and felt totally "disarmed"!