Write to the PM

Send a letter questioning Australian Government support for weapons exports to countries with poor human right records

This letter is an example of what to say, please copy and paste or customise.


Dear Mr Morrison

I am concerned that, with the support of the Australian government, weapons manufacturers such as Thales, EOS and Rheinmetall-AG, are exporting arms to countries such as Indonesia which have poor human rights records.

There has been wide spread reporting of human rights abuses in West Papua by Indonesian security forces.¹ Yet I understand that Thales is currently cooperating with Indonesian tank manufacturer PT Pindad to develop a weaponised vehicle called the Sanca- and that this is being customised for Indonesian army needs. Australian company EOS has supplied their targeting system EOS RCWS 400 to Indonesia, where it has been fitted to various tanks and armoured personnel carriers including Thales’ Bushmaster weaponised vehicles. 

The company Rheinmetall- AG has sold arms to Indonesia which include Leopard 2A4 tanks; 120mm L44 and L55 tank guns and immunisation and DM11 & DM 53 warheads. Rheinmetall apparently has close partnerships with Australian companies Bisalloy (which supplies it with steel for the tanks) and NIOA ( which makes bombs, bullets and other munitions).

Is it true that the Australian government has been supporting these companies both financially and by diplomacy, helping them secure lucrative deals with the Indonesian government?

This would seem to be in direct contravention of the following three objectives in the Australian Defence Export Controls (DECs) namely:

• minimising regional and international instability and conflict;
• ensuring Australia upholds its international obligations through the responsible export of military and dual-use goods and technology; and 
• preventing the illicit and irresponsible trade in conventional weapons and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

I call upon you to do everything in your power to ensure that Australia complies with these DECs and that the export of arms to countries such as Indonesia is stopped. It is time for our country to act, not as a global supplier of arms, but as a force for peace and stability both regionally and internationally.

I would be most interested to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Regards,

1. https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ASA2124452020ENGLISH.PDF2. https://www.abc.net.au/foreign/the-war-next-door/12239998