"Closed NCACC meeting a deliberate attempt to hide the truth about dodgy arms deals"

 [Note: The parliamentary meetings of committee notice, dated Friday 28 August 2009, states that the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans meeting with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), which is scheduled to take place at 10h00 on Wednesday 02 September 2009, will be a closed meeting.]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that the decision to allow Jeff Radebe, Chairperson of the NCACC, together with officials from the Directorate of Conventional Arms Control, to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in secret is a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth about dodgy arms deals with some of the most repressive regimes in the world.

The public have a right to know how it was that we sold, attempted to sell or demonstrated and exhibited conventional arms in states such as Iran, Libya, Syria, North Korea and Zimbabwe, despite legislation aimed at ensuring that we do not trade in conventional arms with states engaged in repression, aggression and terrorism.

The NCACC should therefore be held to account in an open and transparent meeting by members of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. 

Only then will we be in a position to determine in respect of each dodgy arms deal: -

• who on the NCACC authorised or refused the permit;
• when did the NCACC authorise or refuse the permit;
• what types, quantities and value  of weapons were authorised or refused by the NCACC;
• on the basis of what information - particularly information about human rights, fundamental freedoms and the escalation of regional conflicts - did the NCACC authorise or refuse the permit; and
• whether it was necessary to invoke the so-called "special mechanism" and have the decision to authorise or refuse the permit ratified at a later date by a full quorum meeting of the NCACC.

Moreover, at next week's meeting the NCACC's 2008/2009 annual report will be presented to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. Legislation requires that the annual report - which must specify the name, type of weapons, quantity of weapons and the value of the weapons exported to each state - be released to the public. The question must be asked: why is it necessary to discuss a report , which contains information that legislation requires to be in the public domain, in a closed meeting of the Portfolio Committee?

The constitution requires that the public, including the media, may not be excluded from a sitting of a parliamentary committee unless it is justifiable and reasonable to do so in an open and democratic society.

I have therefore written to Mnyamezeli Booi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, enquiring about: -

• who decided the portfolio committee meeting should be a closed meeting; and
• what were reasons motivating the decision to have a closed meeting that were considered reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society.

We will evaluate the response and take up the matter with either Mnyamezeli Booi or if necessary Max Sisulu, Speaker of the National Assembly.

The facts about the trade in conventional arms and the dodgy arms deals must not be swept under the parliamentary carpet.

Statement issued by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence and military veterans, August 30 2009

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