6 FEBRUARY

BRITAIN SIGNS A TREATY WITH THE MAORIS ONLY TO RENEGE ON IT

[ 6 February 1840 ]

On 6 February 1840, the treaty of Waitangi was signed between representatives of the crown and five hundred Maoris chiefs.

THE BRITISH ARMY LOOTS AND BURNS THE ASHANTI CAPITAL OF KUMASI

[ 6 February 1874 ]

Determined to subdue continual resistance to its colonisation of the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Britain had dispatched 2,500 British redcoats as well as thousands of West Indian troops to the coastal town of Cape Coast.

BRITAIN SUPPLYING ARMS TO BOTH SIDES OF CONGO’S CIVIL WAR

[ 6 February 2002 ]

Today in 2002, Tony Blair had to admit in the House of Commons that Britain was supplying arms to both sides of the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He defended Britain’s blatant profiteering from the conflict, adding ‘Don’t forget there are jobs at stake !’¹ Three years later, Amnesty International, obtained documents and witness statements which showed that three UK companies were involved in six flights of arms and ammunition in October and November 2002 totaling 240 tons, between Albania and Kigali, Rwanda, and destined for Rwandan backed DRC rebels. The equipment included grenades, rocket launchers and ‘several million rounds of Kalashnikov ammunition.’ Amnesty International UK Media Director Mike Blakemore commented:

‘Millions have already lost their lives during seven years of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Armed men are still raping, looting and killing civilians as arms deliveries continue… Evidence that UK-based firms have profited from these deals is sickening. The UK government should ensure that a full, independent and public investigation takes place, with all documentation made public.’²

FOOTNOTES

1. Quoted in Ruth Winstone (editor), Tony Benn, More Time for Politics: Diaries 2001-2007, Arrow Books, London p. 30.
2. ‘UK gunrunners fuelling killings, mass rape and torture in Democratic Republic of Congo,’ Amnesty International UK, accessed online at url https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/uk-gunrunners-fuelling-killings-mass-rape-and-torture-democratic-republic-congo

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