DSEI

Every two years, arms dealers converge on London's Docklands for Defence Systems & Equipment International (DSEi) arms fair. It is an important event in the international military equipment sales calendar and is organised in association with the government's Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO).

In 2003 DSEi confirmed its position as one of the leading arms fairs in the world with around 1000 exhibitors from 30 countries. It is a "tri-service defence exhibition", which means it is a forum for selling military equipment of all kinds for land, sea and air. Its organisers, Spearhead Ltd, a subsidiary of information giant Reed Elsevier, puts its mission like this:

"DSEi is a key event for the total supply chain providing a platform for the whole of the defence & military aerospace community... We aim to create the optimal business environment and recognise that DSEi fulfils an important role within the selling process for defence companies... To achieve this we deliver: Well-organised top level international delegations, UK ministers and senior staff involved in UK defence procurement, [and] senior international visitors and military influencers..." (emphasis added)

DSEi's history

Between 1976 and 1991, the British Army Equipment Exhibition and the Royal Navy Equipment Exhibition were held on alternate years in Aldershot and Portsmouth respectively. Overseas delegations attended by invitation only, but those invited often included governments with such poor human rights records as Indonesia and Chile. Despite having been at war with Iran for almost six years, a five-strong delegation from Iraq attended in 1986.

In 1993 the two exhibitions were combined and held every other year until New Labour decided to privatise the exhibition. Exhibitions company Spearhead launched the first DSEi in 1999 at Chertsey in Surrey. In 2001 it moved to its current location at the ExCel centre in the London Borough of Newham.

Of course, just like on the railways, privatisation didn't mean the taxpayer stopped paying. Ministry of Defence estimated it would shell out £400,000 in 'direct costs', plus the time of many civil servants and army personnel (Hansard, 20/5/03).

Political Controversy

The government's DESO draws up the official invitation lists for DSEi, with a supplementary list drawn up by Spearhead. Many of the nations attending have been acused of human rights violations, leading to concerns over their involvement. Arms conventions such as these have also been accused of furthering intra- and international conflicts by providing the weapons used.

For these reasons, the event has attracted much unwanted attention from activist groups. The fairs in 2001 and 2003 were both the target of sizeable protests. Plans are already afoot for similar actions in 2005.

This year's DSEi

DSEi 2005 will be held from September 13th - 16th. The world's military has been promised that it will be 30% bigger than last time, and that "products and services related to Homeland security, anti-terrorism, access control, and personal security" will be on display as well as the usual rockets, tanks and machine guns.

External Links

Official Sites

• Official Dsei Site
• ExCel London
• Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd

Anti-Dsei Links

• Destroy Dsei co-ordinates actions against the arms fair
• Campaign Against Arms Trade Arms Fairs Campaign
• Indymedia UK coverage of 2003 protests