Swiss Review 5/2020

Swiss Review / September 2020 / No.5 15 Politics Model tanks, not real tanks – supporters of the “Stop lining the pockets of arms manufacturers” initiative protesting in Berne (2017). Photo: Keystone THEODORA PETER “Stop lining the pockets of arms man- ufacturers” is a popular initiative that was launched with the aim of halting Swiss investment in the global arms industry. The authors of the initiative – the Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSwA) and the Greens – say that pension funds, foundations, and the Swiss National Bank should not be allowed to invest in companies that generate more than five per cent of their sales from the manufacture of military equipment. As a neutral country and custodian of the Geneva Conventions, Switzerland must re- frain from “taking monetary advan- tage of war victims”, they argue. However, the Federal Council and parliament have rejected the initiative without offering a counterproposal. Economics Minister Guy Parmelin (SVP) believes that existing bans on the funding of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons as well as cluster munitions are sufficient. The initiative would affectmany companies with lit- tle or no connection to the arms indus- try, he says, citing the example of a glass manufacturer producing win- dows for the cockpits of fighter jets in addition to normal windows. Backed exclusively by the left- green camp, the proposal is likely to find the going tough – as was the case with earlier GSwA initiatives. In 2009, a popular initiative calling for a ban on the export of military equipment was decisively rejected by around 68 per cent of the electorate. No exports to war-torn regions The prospects look rosier for a cross- party popular initiative that aims to stop arms exports to war-torn coun- tries. Unlike the unsuccessful initia- tive of 2009, this initiative does not want a total ban on military exports. Instead, it is calling for a ban on the ex- Arms industry in the crossfire Swiss arms exports come in for regular criticism. Two popular initiatives have the weapons industry in their sights. One of these is due to be put to voters on 29 November. port of Swiss arms to countries en- gaged in civil war, or to countries in which systematic and serious human rights violations are taking place. The “Correction Initiative”, as it is called, was launched after the Federal Council announced plans to permit military exports to war-torn coun- tries if there was no reason to believe that these exports would be used in conflict. The government’s thinking was that this would boost the Swiss arms industry. Fierce criticism per- suaded it to change its mind. Never- theless, the authors of the initiative still wish to reverse a parliamentary decision in 2014 that permits arms ex- ports to countries known for system- atic human rights violations. The Fed- eral Council wants to submit a counterproposal to parliament that will go some way to satisfying the aims of the initiative. The cross-party alliance have not ruled out withdraw- ing their proposal if appropriate legis- lation is passed. Hence, it still remains to be seen whether any vote on the in- itiative will take place. Twofold increase in arms exports In the first half of 2020, Swiss companies exported military equipment worth 501 million francs. This is almost twice the value of what was exported in the prior-year period (273 million francs). Accord- ing to the government, this fluctuation is not unu- sual and is attributable to a number of major con- tracts. The list of buyers includes 55 countries. Indonesia was Switzerland’s biggest arms importer in the first six months of the year, purchasing air defence systems worth 110 million Swiss francs. Botswana spent 64 million francs on Swiss-made armoured vehicles over the same period. Denmark, Romania and Germany were the biggest recipients of Swiss military equipment in Europe. (TP)