THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION

MEDIA RELEASE: 22 March 2011

The Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack today appealed to the Prime Minister to ban a company which has a contract with the UAE military from working for the London and Lincolnshire fire brigades.

Dear Prime Minister

Given your proper concern to see democracy triumph throughout the Middle East, you should be made aware that AssetCo, the company which owns and maintains the fire engines in London and Lincolnshire, also has a contract with the military in the United Arab Emirates, whose forces are now assisting the ruling family to suppress pro-democracy protests in Bahrain.

The clampdown in Bahrain has resulted in a significant number of protestors being killed. The clampdown, including martial law, is supported by armed forces from Saudi Arabia and from the UAE.

You may be aware that AssetCo is now in serious financial difficulty and may be wound up today.  I therefore have two requests to make to you.

If AssetCo continues in business, I hope you will make it clear that it is not acceptable for them to take British public money, and also to assist the armed forces of the UAE.

And whether or not AssetCo is wound up, I hope you will insist that any company which takes on such work in future, does not also undertake work for military clients involved in the suppression of democracy.

May I remind you that, in 1963, fire hoses were turned on school age civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama. Ever since that deeply alarming moment, fire services have sought to maintain an independent role as a result of their humanitarian responsibilities. We now have a UK firm providing an essential aspect of our emergency service which has close commercial links to a brutal and anti-democratic military. All the talk from politicians about support for democracy in the Arab world is so much hypocrisy if they allow UK public services to operate in this manner. AssetCo and its directors clearly have no regard for the humanitarian role of our service, and are only in it for profit.

Yours sincerely

Matt Wrack, General Secretary

Ends

For further information please contact:- Francis Beckett      020 8349 9194

07813 001372

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