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PBI-Colombia accompanies CREDHOS as it tests water in Sabana de Torres impacted by wastewater discharges

By
Brent Patterson
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On February 7, the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS) posted:

“We continued with our environmental agenda in the territory, this time from the municipality of Sabana de Torres, Santander, making a technical visit of ocular inspection and in situ measurement of physicochemical parameters of the San Isidro and La Gómez streams, the latter impacted by wastewater discharges.

During our tour, we visited the Cabildo Verde Natural Reserve, where an important stretch of the San Isidro stream is preserved.

We thank the Human Rights Committee that accompanied us during this tour and especially Cabildo Verde for allowing us to enter their natural reserve, habitat of rescued species in the Magdalena Medio region.”

That same day, El Frente reported: “James Murillo, director of the Cabildo Verde de Sabana de Torres, denounced that this environmental tragedy has been going on for about half a century. He stressed that the source of pollution is upstream, and includes the release of untreated wastewater from the Bucaramanga metropolitan area.”

Murillo also told Vanguardia: “This [pollution] is because of the discharges that are made from the upper part of the Lebrija River, mainly due to urban discharges, especially from the metropolitan area, that is, from Girón, Piedcuesta, Bucaramanga, Lebrija, all the large cities of the department make their wastewater discharges, all this water ends up in the riverbed and given the levels due to the dry season.”

El Frente further notes: “Fisherman Orlando Estupiñán, a resident of La Esperanza, recounted how his livelihood has been disrupted since February 2. The presence of dead fish, the foul smell and the murky color of the river have made it impossible to continue their work.”

And Manuel Quintero, a fisherman from the Puerto López sector, says: “We ask for the presence of the government, we are even without water, without food and without sustenance, we do not even have fish to go fishing; this can last a month until there is fish again and we support our families merely from fishing and we are helpless, we have to drink from this water because we do not have an aqueduct.”

Just prior to this, on February 1, PBI-Colombia posted: “We accompanied @credhos_paz in Yondó #Antioquia during their water testing in order to assess the impact of different industries in the region, such as palm monocultures, mining and oil companies, among others. These water sources supply communities in this municipality. #RightToWater”

You can read more about that at: PBI-Colombia accompanies CREDHOS as it tests water in Yondó, calls for the right to water to be respected (PBI-Canada, February 3, 2024).

Concerns raised after Ottawa Police follow community members to underground parking lot after Gaza ceasefire protest

By
Brent Patterson
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Still from ottawa4.palestine video.

For seventeen consecutive weeks, thousands of Ottawa residents have gathered either on Parliament Hill or at the Human Rights Monument to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and express their solidarity with Palestine.

While the presence of the police has always seemed disproportionate, there was a noticeable shift around the eleventh week of protest.

On December 23, Ottawa By-law and Regulatory Services (BLRS) officers, backed by the Ottawa Police Service (OPS), began to issue $490 fines to those using megaphones (that BLRS refers to as “sound reproduction or amplification devices”).

Photo by Ashley Fraser/Postmedia/Ottawa Citizen.

By January 15, Ottawa By-law officers began a practice of not issuing all tickets at the afternoon protests, but rather going to at least two homes to issue them (in one instance, on Monday January 22 at nearly 10 pm following a protest on Sunday January 21).

Then, at the most recent mobilization on February 4, Ottawa By-law officers, again backed by Ottawa Police, followed a young woman into the underground parking lot at City Hall (near the Human Rights Monument) after the protest had ended.

As Hassan Husseini of Labour for Palestine has noted: “After the weekly demonstration vs the #Gaza_Genocide in #Ottawa today, @OttawaPolice & @OttawaBylaw followed young muslim women into the underground parking lot where they cornered, harassed, intimidated and terrorised them. This is unacceptable [Ottawa Mayor] @_MarkSutcliffe.”

And in this video posted on Instagram, Ottawa4.Palestine further explains: “Ottawa Police continues to harass our community. They followed one of our community members to the parking lot & blocked the entrance. They refused to let us through. …Meanwhile, the underground parking they were harassing one of our community members, refusing to give their names. …Instead of putting our tax dollars in combatting food insecurity and homelessness, the City continues wasting tax dollars on anti-Palestinian racism during peaceful protests.”

Just three days earlier, Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa had warned in an Ottawa Citizen opinion piece: “These protests will continue for the foreseeable future and bylaw’s repressive approach will continue to cause issues. This unreasonable approach will only raise tensions in the community, as well as at demonstrations.”

Hersh further noted: “City council must take leadership in urging the mayor to direct bylaw to cease the harassment of pro-Palestinian protesters, drop these fines and advocate for an approach that is truly ‘fair, equitable and consistent.’”

Municipal human rights obligations

PBI-Canada has also highlighted concerns about the ticketing with respect to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Section 2(b) – Freedom of expression, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 21, as well as General comment No. 37 (2020) on the right of peaceful assembly (Article 21) that specifically notes megaphones.

Canada acceded to the International Covenant on May 19, 1976.

As Nevena Dragicevic and Bruce Porter of Maytree have previously noted: “Crucially, cities and municipalities are not only well positioned to protect and fulfill human rights, they also have an obligation to do so. While the federal government has constitutional authority to ratify international human rights treaties, it can only ensure good faith compliance with its obligations if all orders of government commit to implementing these obligations.”

While we remain concerned that the City of Ottawa fining people for the use of a megaphone is inconsistent with its human rights obligations, we also find it deeply problematic for its officers to follow young, racialized women into an underground parking lot when a ticket, as unwarranted as that may be, could have been issued at the protest itself.

Following this incident, Ottawa Police tweeted, without providing any further specifics about the incident: “Freedom of expression has reasonable limits to protect citizens, property and businesses from disruptive or unlawful activities.”

Ottawa By-law has not publicly explained its actions of February 4.

We also emphasize that these actions by By-law and Police occurred within days of the Order issued on January 26 by the International Court of Justice that says Israel must “take all measures within its power” to prevent all acts within the scope of the Genocide Convention.

Residents who take measures within their power to try to help stop a genocide should not be targeted by By-law and Police for doing so.

We will be present and attentive to the situation at the next mobilization in Ottawa on Saturday February 10 at 5 pm.

PBI-Canada concerned by threats against CREDHOS, FEDEPESAN and ACVC in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia

By
Brent Patterson
-

Still from Enlace Noticias news report.

From Canada we express our concern that the Regional Corporation for the Defence of Human Rights (CREDHOS), the Federation of Santander Fishers for Tourism and Environment (FEDEPESAN), the Small-Scale Farmer Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC), and other social organizations have been threatened.

Peace Brigades International accompanies CREDHOS and the ACVC and has a close relationship with FEDEPESAN.

Tweet: “Faced with persistent threats affecting the defense of #HumanRights and #Peace in Magdalena Medio, @Credhos_Paz and other social organizations request the creation of a “regional table of guarantees”.

On February 3, Vanguardia reported: “Five pamphlets, allegedly from illegal armed groups, that circulated during the month of January in Barrancabermeja, have generated alarm and fear among human rights organizations. In two of them, threats have been made against leaders and representatives of non-governmental organizations that carry out their work in defense of life and territory in the oil port.”

That article continues: “In the most recent case, a pamphlet allegedly authored by the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces was circulated, declaring seven social organizations military targets, including Credhos, Fedepesan, the ACVC, the Human Rights Workers’ Space, the OFP [Organización Feminina Popular], among others. In addition, death threats have been made against five social leaders.”

CREDHOS president Ivan Madero says: “This is worrisome, in the month of January five pamphlets have appeared, one from the Magdalena Medio Bloc of the FARC [the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] declaring several leaders persona non grata, including the undersigned; There are also other pamphlets that were not known in the city and finally there is a video of the new Marquetalia of which we had no information that they were present in the region or in Barrancabermeja and on February 1, a pamphlet from the AGC appears where they threaten human rights and environmental organizations. in addition to several environmental leaders who are mentioned by name.”

Madero adds: “Here there is a presence of the national armed structures that are part of the armed conflict: the AGC, the Central General Staff, the ELN and today with the video that appeared, the New Marquetalia.”

Photo: PBI with Ivan Madero of CREDHOS.

FEDEPESAN president Yuli Velasquez additionally notes: “There are really no guarantees, neither for the population nor for us who are defenders of the environment and human rights, we are urgently asking the authorities to take actions that allow the leaders to continue working, we need guarantees to do our work; Because it’s not the fact that we have to go out of fear. A serious investigation has to be generated.”

Velasquez adds: “We feel vulnerable, in the early hours of [February 2] we have been receiving intimidation from a number that pretends to be the Gaitanista Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, this same number has registered the telephone number of the other comrades who are dedicated to the protection of the swamps, water, the environment and rights and the tranquility not only of us, but also of our families.”

Photo: PBI with Yuli Velasquez of FEDEPESAN.

We continue to follow this situation closely.

Further reading: Guarantees for life and the defense of human rights in Magdalena Medio (February 2, 2024).

As the CANSEC arms show approaches, where does the CADSI lobby group stand on calls to stop arming the assault on Gaza?

By
Brent Patterson
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Photo: Devastation in Gaza. Photo by AFP.

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) is “the national industry voice” representing its members that include some of the biggest arms companies in the world, notably Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo, Airbus and Thales among many others.

Its membership also includes Elbit Systems, the Israel-based company that provides up to 85% of the land-based equipment procured by the Israeli military.

CADSI “advocates on industry’s behalf” and organizes the annual CANSEC arms show in Ottawa, a two-day gathering that brings together “more than 12,000+ registrants from all over the world” to market, buy and sell weapons.

This year’s CANSEC arms show will take place on May 29-30.

Registration for it opens in March.

If you were to cross-references the list produced by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Action Center on Corporate Accountability of the companies profiting from the attack on Gaza with CANSEC exhibitors, you would find significant overlap.

AFSC says these weapons companies have sold to the Israeli military M109 howitzer mobile artillery systems (BAE), Apache AH-64 attack helicopters (Boeing), M16 assault rifles (Colt’s), MK-80 bombs (General Dynamics), AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (Lockheed Martin), and 120mm tank ammunition shells (Rheinmetall).

CADSI member Elbit Systems also exhibits at CANSEC.

The Elbit-made weapons now in use in Gaza include MPR 500 multi-purpose bombs (that contain 26,000 controlled fragments for “high kill probability”), 155mm artillery shells, Hermes 450 and 900 multi-payload unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Skylark tactical surveillance drones, and the Head-Mounted Display helmet technology used by the pilots of fighter jets and helicopters as well as the crews of battle tanks.

CADSI does not appear to have commented on its X/Twitter feed on the calls from multiple humanitarian and human rights organizations – including most recently Oxfam Canada – for Canadian companies “to immediately halt the direct or indirect transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel”.

Project Ploughshares has further highlighted: “The gravity of this situation calls for immediate action to ensure Canada is meeting its domestic and international obligations to mitigate the risk of contributing to violations of international law, for example, violations of international humanitarian law (IHL), including possible war crimes, in Gaza. Given the substantial risk that Canadian military goods could contribute to such abuses in Gaza, Canada must immediately halt all transfers of weapons to Israel.”

Nor has CADSI seemingly commented on the International Court of Justice finding that it is “plausible” that Israel has committed acts in Gaza that violate the Genocide Convention. Three Toronto-based law professors have noted: “Because the ICJ found a serious risk of genocide in Gaza, continuing to export arms to Israel would be illegal [under the Export and Import Permits Act where Canada’s ascension to the Arms Trade Treaty is reflected]. It would also be flagrantly inconsistent with Canada’s obligation to prevent genocide, and could expose Canada and Canadian officials to liability for participation in genocide.”

We remain attentive to public announcements by CADSI on social media, its lobbying of government institutions, including the Canadian Commercial Corporation (that is also a CADSI member and a CANSEC exhibitor), Canada’s response to the ICJ ruling and the planned mobilizations against the CANSEC arms show.

PBI-Colombia seeks new field volunteers, deadline to apply is March 2

By
Brent Patterson
-

The Peace Brigades International-Colombia Project has posted this call for field volunteers to accompany organizations, defenders and communities for a period of 18 months.

Key dates include:

March 2 – deadline to apply

March 4-30 – 90-minute personal interviews with applicants

May 8-12 – five-day virtual training/selection meeting

June-July – first grouping of new volunteers integrated into field teams in Colombia.

The period of service on the team is 18 months. Volunteers need to be fluent in Spanish and a minimum age of 25 is recommended to volunteer.

PBI-Colombia has noted: “Given the nature of PBI’s work, there are certain personal risks that are well-defined. Team members frequently accompany people who are under threat of all kinds of physical harm. Before applying, each aspiring volunteer should consider whether he or she is prepared to take these risks.”

The list of the organizations defenders and communities you could be accompanying with PBI-Colombia is here.

PBI-Colombia adds:

“Each field volunteer will be assigned to one of the project’s Field Teams (currently based in Apartadó, Barrancabermeja and Bogotá), and will have, among other conditions:

-Monthly stipend for individual expenses of 1,203,000 COP/month [about USD $300/month]

-Volunteers undertake to have as their only residence in Colombia during their volunteer period, the houses that are the headquarters of the Project, where all the expenses of accommodation, maintenance, telephone, internet, services, etc. are covered. The project also provides cell phone lines for each person for the needs of volunteers.

-Monthly Vacations/Days Off/Mental Health Rest Time according to project parameters.

-Financial support from the project for holiday travel to the country of origin.

-Full Health Insurance Coverage.

-Visa, vaccination and travel expenses covered due to the needs of the Project.

-Round trip from the country of origin.”

To read more about the application process, click here.

The application form is here.

If you are applying from Canada and have questions, you can also contact PBI-Canada coordinator Brent Patterson at brent@pbicanada.org.

PBI-Honduras welcomes acquittal of Henry Bonilla, opposes criminalization of the national strike

By
Brent Patterson
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PBI-Honduras has posted: “We attended the trial of Henry Bonilla, accused of the burning of the US embassy, at a demonstration in 2019. He was acquitted and exonerated of all responsibility. We celebrate the work of the @defencofadeh for #HumanRights and against the criminalization of the national strike.”

Defensoresenlinea.com further explains:

“Sentencing Court acquits the young university student Henry Arturo Bonilla Acevedo, unjustly accused by the Public Ministry of arson for events that occurred at the American Embassy in May 2019.

This Monday, February 5, in the Second Chamber of the Sentencing Court of the Supreme Court of Justice, the oral and public trial ended in the case that follows the young man, for the crime of arson, to the detriment of the embassy of the United States of America, where due to lack of evidence and reasonable doubts, the court acquitted the young man of the crimes for which the Public Prosecutor’s Office wanted him to be tried, which they could not prove in the process.

The trial began on January 22, continued on January 26 and concluded on February 5 with the presentation of the conclusions by the defense and by the prosecution, the Public Prosecutor’s Office. In their ruling, the judges declared a sentence of acquittal for the young man.

In 2019, Bonilla Acevedo was one of the many Hondurans who joined the mobilizations of the Platform in Defense of Health and Education, which between April and May of that year carried out more than 70 public actions, to demand that the government of Juan Orlando Hernández not privatize these two rights.

Henry Bonilla Acevedo was arrested in August 2021 and charged by the Attorney General’s Office with the crimes of arson to the detriment of the Embassy of the United States of America.

He was deprived of his liberty for four months and 10 days in the “Marco Aurelio Soto” National Penitentiary, regaining his liberty in December, under the care of Cofadeh, who is providing legal representation.

The previous year he underwent the amnesty process that was approved in February 2022 by the government of Xiomara Castro, but it was denied, ordering the Supreme Court of Justice that the process continue with the oral and public trial, which ended this day, leaving the young man free.”

The full article is at Tribunal de Sentencias absuelve a Henry Arturo Bonilla Acevedo (Riccy Ponce, 5 febrero, 2024).

Our previous article on this is at PBI-Honduras observes trial of student activist accused of arson at US Embassy during national strike protests (January 28, 2024)

PBI-Colombia accompanies investigative journalist Claudia Julieta Duque at meeting with Swedish Embassy

By
Brent Patterson
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PBI-Colombia has posted: “In meeting with human rights defender journalist @JulieDuque1 and Rickard Lunnerdal @SwedeninCOL. We share concerns about security incidents due to surveillance and monitoring. PBI continues to accompany some court cases that are close to statute of limitations. #FightAgainstImpunity”

Duque then tweeted: “Many thanks to @PBIColombia for facilitating these spaces for advocacy and protection, and to all the diplomatic delegations and @ONUHumanRights for their permanent support in my case.”

The Swedish Embassy also tweeted: “Thanks @JulieDuque1 and @PBIColombia for the conversation! Guaranteeing justice and free work for journalists, without persecution and harassment, are the foundations of democracy. Supporting these shared values ​​will always be a priority. #TheStoryWeWriteTogether”

PBI-Colombia has accompanied Claudia Julieta Duque as a journalist and human rights defender since 2010, and from 2004 when she was an associate member of the José Alvear Restrepo Lawyers’ Collective (CAJAR).

They have also explained:

“Among the topics of her investigative and journalistic work are forced disappearance, recruitment of minors by armed groups, the impact of impunity and the right to justice, and the infiltration of paramilitary groups within Government entities. She has investigated the 1999 murder of the renowned Colombian journalist and humourist Jaime Garzón, and the involvement in this crime of the then national intelligence entity, the Administrative Department of Security (DAS).”

Photo: 38-year-old Jaime Garzón was shot five times on August 13, 1999 as he drove his car to the Radionet station in Bogotá.

Duque was illegally followed, kidnapped and attacked, and she and her young daughter received death threats, in a campaign orchestrated by the DAS that began in 2001 after Duque published the results of her investigation of the role DAS played in the murder of Garzón.

Two weeks ago, in an article about allegations against former DAS agent Alba Luz Flórez Gélvez, Infobae reported:

“In November 2023, the Criminal Chamber of the Superior Court of Bogotá sentenced Ronald Harbey Rivera Rodríguez, a former member of the now-dissolved Administrative Department of Security (DAS), to 150 months [12.5 years] in prison. Rivera Rodríguez was found guilty of being a co-perpetrator of acts of psychological torture against journalist Claudia Julieta Duque Orrego between 2001 and 2004, when Duque was investigating the murder of comedian and journalist Jaime Garzón.”

Following this, the Committee to Protect Journalists highlighted: “Duque had been harassed and received anonymous death threats in the early 2000s following her reporting on the murder of Garzón, whom she alleged may have been killed by the DAS. In 2014, a Bogotá criminal court sentenced a former high-ranking intelligence official to 11 years in prison for carrying out a campaign of aggression and death threats against Duque.”

The Canadian-financed Hidroituango Dam

Duque has also reported on human rights violations related to EPM (Empresas Públicas de Medellín) and the Hidroituango hydroelectric dam. PBI-Colombia adds: “Several established media channels cited the facts revealed by Duque’s investigations in their reporting on the Hidroituango case, which caused public outrage in 2019.”

EPM has twice benefitted from the support of the Government of Canada financing agency Export Development Canada (EDC). In 2016 and 2017, EDC provided EPM with financing totalling between 500 million and one billion dollars.

The province of Quebec pension fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has also provided financing for the dam.

To read more about Duque from PBI-Colombia, click here.

PBI seeks Spanish-speaking volunteers for Honduras Project

By
Brent Patterson
-

Peace Brigades International is seeking Spanish-speaking field volunteers to accompany human rights defenders in Honduras.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday February 13.

For more about the application process (in Spanish), click here.

Any help in distributing this call-out to people who may be interested would be very much appreciated.

Retweet this volunteer call-out (and follow us) here.

Brent

PBI-Guatemala accompanies Human Rights Law Firm at hearing for Maya Q’eqchi’ journalist and fishers in Fenix Mine case

By
Brent Patterson
-

On February 1, PBI-Guatemala posted:

“Yesterday, #PBI accompanied the Human Rights Law Firm in the hearing in a criminalizing accusation against the 3 fishermen Tomas Che, Cristóbal Pop and Vicente Rax and the community journalist Carlos Ernesto Choc.

After 7 years of hearings and suspended hearings, the case is finally closed due to the resignation of the accusing party, leaving the fishermen and the journalist free of all charges.”

PBI began to accompany lawyer Édgar Pérez Archila in August 2010 then extended that in late 2013 to the other lawyers of the Human Rights Law Firm who work in high-profile trials to fight against impunity and in defending criminalized human rights defenders.

Our article posted about this on February 1:

Maya Q’eqchi’ journalist Carlos Choc and fishers released by court following criminalization related to Fenix mine in Guatemala

Published by Brent Patterson on 

On January 31, the Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project posted: “Carlos Ernesto Choc was released from the accusations against him in a case of criminalization of #FreedomOfExpression”

Carlos posted the good news on social media: “#MayanCommunityJournalism This day under the energies of Nawal 6 Tijax, a new stage in my life begins. After 7 years of criminalization, today the criminal prosecution against me was definitively closed. Thank you all very much – b’anyox eere, for the support.”

He also tweeted: “#IAmAJournalistNotACriminal Today I demonstrated my innocence in the face of two criminal proceedings against me, for documenting, investigating and reporting environmental damage and human rights violations, in the Q’eqchi’ Mayan territory. Long live the original peoples!”

And Prensa Comunitaria reported: “Three fishermen and community journalist are free after seven years of criminalization. #ElEstor The fishermen Tomás Ce, Cristóbal Pop and Vicente Rax, and the community journalist, Carlos Choc, were released.”

This started with a Canadian mine

Choc has reported on the Fenix nickel mine now owned by the Russian-owned Swiss-based Solway Investment Group.

In 1960, Toronto-based INCO Ltd. began negotiations with the military dictatorship of Guatemala to establish the Fenix mine. By 1965, EXMIBAL, a joint venture between INCO and the Guatemalan state, was granted a 40-year mining licence.

Professor Shin Imai has written: “Colonel Carolos Arana Osorio was responsible for clearing the Indigenous people out of the INCO region in Zacapa-Lake Izabal. He launched what has been referred to as a ‘reign of terror’ in the region, in which the number of people killed is estimated to be between three and six thousand.”

Professor Imai adds: “Major construction began on the El Estor mine in 1974 aided by a $20 million loan from the Canadian Export Development Corporation.”

Vancouver-based Skye Resources bought the mine from INCO in 2004. Skye Resources then merged with Toronto-based Hudbay in 2008.

The mine was purchased by Solway Investment Group in 2011.

In April 2023, Newsweek reported that Montreal-based Central America Nickel (CAN) could purchase the mine with the support of the U.S. Embassy.

Charged in 2017

Choc took a photo of Maya Q’eqchi’ fisher Carlos Maaz just after he was shot dead by police on May 27, 2017, at a protest against the pollution of Lake Izabal by the mine.

Forbidden Stories has reported: “On the pretext that he had participated in the protest, Choc, along with a journalist colleague and five fishermen, was accused of six crimes and misdemeanors by Solway Group. An arrest warrant was submitted against him in August 2017, forcing him into hiding for several months.”

We met with Carlos in Guatemala in May 2023 and then did a webinar with him on August 18, 2023. This was just prior to the August 21 hearing he was to have in relation to the substitute measure he was given in January 2019 on the August 2017 charges stemming from his May 2017 reporting on the police killing of Carlos Maaz.

That hearing was postponed until January 31.

We welcome the good news about Carlos, Tomás, Cristóbal and Vicente, and affirm our support for community journalism and the defence of land and territory.

Canada’s obligations under the Genocide Convention at issue as the CANSEC arms show comes to Ottawa, May 29-30

By
Brent Patterson
-

Photo: A #CeasefireNow march passes the US Embassy in Ottawa; January 28, 2024.

The CANSEC weapons show, that bills itself as “Canada’s leading defence, security & emerging technology event”, will take place on May 29-30 in Ottawa.

The organizing body, the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), highlights that it “welcomes more than 12,000+ registrants from all over the world”, that “74% of attendees have purchasing power”, that there will be “50+ international delegations”, and that “600+ VIPS, generals, top military & government officials” will be present.

Among the exhibitors this year will be the Canadian Commercial Corporation (that helps “forge commercial contracts between Canadian businesses and foreign governments”) and the Global Affairs Canada Trade Commissioner Service (that “helps Canadian companies and organizations of all sizes grow and operate internationally”). The Trade Commissioner Service continues to note on its website that “Defence and Security” is one of the sectors that offers “the greatest opportunities for Canadian companies” in Israel.

The list of exhibitors also notes “Israel Representatives”.

Elbit Systems at CANSEC

The exhibitors this year at CANSEC will also include Elbit Systems, the largest Israeli weapons company with $4.75 billion in sales in 2021.

Elbit supplies hundreds of products to Israel’s Defence Ministry, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), artillery, munitions and electronic warfare systems.

In the third-quarter of 2023, Elbit said it earned $1.65 per diluted share excluding one-time items, up from $1.40 per share a year earlier.

In that third-quarter report on November 28, 2023, Elbit noted: “Since the beginning of the Swords of Iron War, Elbit Systems has experienced a considerable increased demand for its solutions from the IMOD compared to the routine levels of demand.”

Elbit’s fourth-quarter report is expected later next month.

The AFSC Action Center on Corporate Accountability has specified that the Elbit-made weapons now being used against Palestinians in Gaza include MPR 500 multi-purpose bombs (that contain 26,000 controlled fragments for “high kill probability”), 155mm artillery shells, Hermes 450 and 900 multi-payload unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Skylark tactical surveillance drones, and Head-Mounted Display helmet technology used by the pilots of fighter jets and helicopters as well as the crews of battle tanks.

Photo: It is believed that a bullet manufactured by the Elbit Systems’ subsidiary IMI killed Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh on May 11, 2022.

Twelve more companies

In the AFSC’s list of companies profiting from Israel’s 2023-2024 attacks on Gaza, those that will also be present at CANSEC include the American transnationals The Boeing Company, Colt, General Dynamics, L3 Harris Technologies, Leonardo DRS, Lockheed Martin, Palantir Technologies and Raytheon (now RTX); British transnationals BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce; and the German transnationals Rheinmetall and ThyssenKrupp.

These weapons companies have sold to the Israeli military M109 howitzer mobile artillery systems (BAE), Apache AH-64 attack helicopters (Boeing), M16 assault rifles (Colt’s), MK-80 bombs (General Dynamics), AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (Lockheed Martin), and 120mm tank ammunition shells (Rheinmetall).

International Court of Justice ruling

Last month, the International Court of Justice found that it is “plausible” that Israel has committed acts that violate the Genocide Convention.

The Court’s ruling can be read in full here.

Three Toronto-based law professors have commented: “Properly understood, the order should dramatically alter both the foreign and domestic policy decisions of Israel’s allies, including Canada and the United States.”

“The obligation to prevent genocide, combined with the court’s finding of a serious risk of genocide, means that all parties to the Genocide Convention [ratified by Canada in 1952] must refrain from taking steps that would actively frustrate the effective implementation of the court’s order.”

They add: “Because the ICJ found a serious risk of genocide in Gaza, continuing to export arms to Israel would be illegal [under the Export and Import Permits Act where Canada’s ascension to the Arms Trade Treaty is reflected]. It would also be flagrantly inconsistent with Canada’s obligation to prevent genocide, and could expose Canada and Canadian officials to liability for participation in genocide.”

What’s next?

It remains to be seen what will be the intersection between the CANSEC arms show and the ICJ ruling, the calls from Project Ploughshares, Oxfam Canada and others to stop arms sales to Israel, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe who has already welcomed CANSEC 2024 to Ottawa “on behalf of Members of Ottawa City Council”, and Ottawa By-law and Regulatory Services, backed by Ottawa Police Services, that have ticketed at least 12 people nearly $10,000 for using megaphones at #CeasefireNow mobilizations.

It does appear though that Israeli attacks will still be happening when CANSEC takes place in a little less than four months from now.

While at least 27,238 Palestinians have been killed and 66,452 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza over the past 122 days, it has been reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said just two weeks ago that he anticipates the war to continue into 2025, well past this coming CANSEC 2024.

We continue to monitor this situation.

SAVE THE DATE: May 29-30 in Ottawa.

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