Belgium sells weapons to Nepal

[Geforce]

FN Herstal is planning to sell 5000 Minimi guns to Nepal, a country where a civil war is going on. This can become another new political crisis here, but even the Greens agreed with the deal. The opposition parties are bringing the case to the Belgian suppreme court. Should Belgium go on with the deal? The weapons are needed to fight the communist rebels in the country.


In the meanwhile,

Germany has asked the EU not to allow Belgium to sell the weapons to Nepal. After this news, one minister already resigned. Aelvoet, from Agalev, the dutch-speaking green party said she can not continue her job anymore, because she agreed with the deal, but at the same time, she has moral obligations towards it.
The opposition parties have already asked to form a new gov't with new political parties.

To be continued.



Comes from BBC

Belgium defends arms sales to Nepal


The Belgian Government has been defending the controversial sale of more than 5,000 machine guns to Nepal.
Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel said the Nepalese authorities needed the weapons because of the threat posed by Maoist rebels who are trying to impose a communist dictatorship.

He said the production and sale of arms was not immoral, and the real question was to know who they are going to.

Politicians from other Belgian parties have demanded an urgent parliamentary debate on the deal, claiming that it could infringe guidelines against the sale of weapons to countries embroiled in civil wars.

The issue has split the governing coalition of Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt.

The Maoist rebels have been fighting since 1996 to overthrow the constitutional monarchy in Nepal.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service

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[Rikbe]

Aelvoet did one stupidity too much. She resigned because she approved the deal, but she felt not good with it. She has a long career of taking decisions without knowing what she is talking about.

The governement stays with it's decision to allow the sale to Nepal.
Minister Verhofstadt declared: "The war in Nepal is about communists trying to overthrow the legitimate governement to install a communistic dictature. Not taking a position is to flee our responsabilities."

(According the Belgian law, it is forbidden to sell arms to a country with civil war.)

[Geforce]

Well, I think Belgium should go on with the deal. Otherwise Nepal will just buy weapons from Russia or China. Or maybe even worse, buy them on the black market. Walonnia needs the money, that's for sure. If the nepalese gov't can kill some commie rebels with it, i'm proud we delivered those weapons.

[Rikbe]

Or worse, USA. Wallony need the money more.
I don't think Bush would have a any morality problem with it.