The Netherlands, the Arms Trade and Human Rights

, The Netherlands plays a prominent role in the export of arms. A new report from Campagne tegen Wapenhandel (CtW, the Dutch Campaign Against the Arms Trade) even shows that the country now holds fifth place on a worldwide list of weapons exporting nations. In 2006, the country issued export licences for arms worth in excess of one billion euros. 
 
The organisation's 'alternative' report of the Dutch arms trade says that the Netherlands exported some 1.03 billion euros in arms in 2006. A remarkable aspect is that a number of relatively poor countries were among the main customers of this trade. Indonesia, for example, purchased two navy vessels (corvettes) worth 278 million euros, while 196 million euros worth of electronics for use in frigates was supplied to Venezuela, and Chile ordered some old Dutch F-16 jets (see photo) for a price of 98 million euros. 
 
Structural 
 
According to the researchers at CtW – a 'joint-venture' campaign organisation established by the Dutch peace movement IKV and the charity Oxfam-Novib – the Netherlands comes in fifth, just behind the United States, Russia, Germany and France, on this year's list of the largest weapons exporters. That high position is no coincidence, according to Frank Slijper, one of the report's authors. He says that the Netherlands position among the world's leading arms exporters is a structural one. He comments: “It's a combination of the Dutch business instinct and the fact we've got quite a bit of old defence equipment that needs to be got rid of.” 
 
A matter of methods 
 
The Ministry of Economic Affairs says, however, that the report isn't entirely accurate. It's commented that the calculation methods used by CtW are not completely accurate, because the report allegedly works on the basis of the nominal value of, for example, a given ship or aircraft, whereas in fact the actual figures (prices) are much lower. If these lower amounts are added up, then – according to a spokesperson for the ministry – the list of leading arms exporters would look different, especially so because in the case of the Netherlands, the equipment in question is often quite old. 
 
If this different method is followed then the Netherlands would not rank any higher than eighth. At the same time, it seems rather remarkable that the ministry also says that a total of 1.124 billion euros in export licences for arms were issued in 2006, almost 100 million more than the total reached by the CtW investigators. 
 
Human rights 
 
In any event, both calculation methods still place the Netherlands among the world's top ten arms-exporting nations, and researcher Frank Slijper says this is strange given that the country also wants to play a leading role as a champion of human rights and international justice.”In my opinion, these things really don't go together […] You profess to have a leading role in the field of peace and security and, at the same time, you're one of the most important weapons exporters in the world. On that basis it looks like money is still the most important thing, and – in my opinion – that detracts quite a lot from the Netherlands' credibility as a campaigner for human rights.” 
 
Handled well 
 
However, Charlie Aptroot – a member of parliament for the conservative VVD party – says human rights and Dutch policy on the arms trade have nothing to do with each other: “The amount of money involved and our position of the list don't interest me at all really. The important thing is that we handle it decently and carefully. That we take a good look at the countries and the users involved. And I have the impression that, generally speaking, it's being handled well.” 
 
Roland Kortenhorst, an MP for the Christian Democrat CDA party – the largest in the current three-party coalition government – also fails to see any connection between human rights and the number of export licences issued for arms transactions in 2006. He also believes that the amount this year is exceptionally high because of the defence cuts, which have meant that much equipment has been disposed of. 
 
A debate on the arms trade is to be held in the lower house of the Dutch parliament on 21 December.