WEEK TWO UPDATE:
Some of you may have received an email from RBS in response to our campaign to call on UK banks to cease all investment in any company involved in the production of cluster bombs. We are just checking the details and scope of their new commitments now.
This looks to be good news, and would never have happened without the 10,000+ Amnesty supporters and RBS customers who took action. Together we sent a powerful message to RBS that their policy was inadequate and unacceptable. Thank you to everyone who took time to express their outrage at a UK bank financing companies involved in production of these vile and indiscriminate weapons. Further updates will follow when we know more details about RBS’s revised policy
WEEK ONE UPDATE:
In just a week, we’re half way to raising what we need to run a hard-hitting advertising campaign. A massive thank you to the hundreds of you who have given so far.
We know that Royal Bank of Scotland are feeling the pressure – it’s vital that we now get our ad campaign into print.
This is one of those campaigns where to succeed we have to be as noisy and annoying as possible. And, in the best possible way, you’ve been incredibly noisy and annoying. Donate now and help us keep up the pressure.
98% of cluster bomb victims are civilians – 30% are children
Despite the UK being signed up to an international treaty banning cluster bombs, last year alone the Royal Bank of Scotland provided over $80million in funding to companies involved in their production. We want that to stop.
Donate now and let’s shame RBS publicly through our hard hitting ad campaign.
UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who has so far donated. For the time being we have stopped taking donations. Watch out for a further update soon.
Royal Bank of Scotland
Cluster bombs are made up of many small bombs that spread far and wide, killing and maiming anyone in the area. That is why 98% of all cluster bomb victims are civilians.
In the video above Chris Atkins reports from Laos on the carnage they unleash on their victims. This is the reality of funding strategies that involve companies that produce cluster bombs.
Taxpayer money
Remember, RBS is over 80% owned by the taxpayer after it received a £20 billion bail out. Whether you bank with RBS or not, it is our money that is being used to fund companies that produce a weapons system that our own government has outlawed.
With your help we will shame RBS into withdrawing their deadly investments.
Your money will be spent on an advertising campaign to shame RBS. Any donations received beyond our target will be used for other arms trade campaigning.
Cluster Munition Coalition
We are part of the Cluster Munition Coalition, an international civil society campaign working to eradicate cluster munitions, prevent further casualties and put an end to the suffering they cause.
The coalition works through its members in around 100 countries to change the policy and practice of governments and organisations and raise awareness of the devastation cluster bombs cause.
Want to know more?
Download the report ‘Worldwide investment in Cluster Munitions: a shared responsibility – May 2011 update‘ by IKV Pax Christi (the Netherlands) and Netwerk Vlaanderen (Belgium) (pdf)
*Texts costs £5 + standard network charge. Amnesty International receives £4.75. Under 18s, please obtain bill payer’s permission. Customer care 0844 847 9800. Charity No. 1051681. Read our full SMS terms and conditions
Perhaps if the ad (“Look what the RBS has been doing with you money”) wasn’t a pop-up I could save it and re-post on my blog (to be seen by 3,700 people) but as it stands, I can’t so pls advise how to do this or post it up in a way that can be saved.
Direct link to the image is:
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/image_library/22/25/32061.jpg
Please stop…words fail me on this occasion…
Take stock on your actions and make positive ethical decisions for the benefits of all.
I’m afraid I’m not able to donate any money at the moment. Is there any other action that I can take?
….. Please stop…words fail me on this occasion…
Take stock on your actions and make positive ethical decisions for the benefits of all.
Anne Marie, I couldn’t agree more – the manufacture (supposedly banned) and supply of these indiscrimate tools of Death must be stopped.
Makes me glad I only bank at Barclays.
I will make my opinions known about this issue to my account manager as my company use RBS for our business account.
@Amy,
You can email the Chief Executive of RBS here: http://action.amnesty.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1194&ea.campaign.id=11583 and ask him to stop funding cluster bombs manufacturers.
You could also share either the action or our ad-funding campaign (or both) with your friends and family and ask them to get involved. Together, we can be even more powerful!
Unfortunately I am not in a position to make a donation until 31st August but I will be closing my account at RBS with effect from the 1st September 2011.
RBS are sponsoring Citizens Advice in York – perhaps they could ask questions?
Today I changed from RBS (after 16 years of custom) to the Co-op. Apparently you are more likely to die that change bank accounts, so go me. Is there a petition anywhere to sign?
Why dont people take loans and overdrafts out with Nat West/Royal Bank of Scotland and then the adverts could say ‘This advert has been paid for by a loan from Royal Bank of Scotland’ The ads in local and national press could run for days and weeks.
Any chance of a link to a print quality version of the ad so it can be printed as a poster?
Banks should not give money for weapons
Shame on you RBS. Use your money by lending to small growing companies that do not make things to kill or maim.
Shame on you RBS. Please use you money to support small growing companies that do not make things that kill or maim.
RBS you should know better than using your money to help kill people.
Remember, God is watching you and you will surely be punished for that during the judgement day.
I am disappointed to hear this RBS. I will withdraw my money from you, if you fail to pull out of this disgusting business!
Go to Co-op Bank, they are the best!
This is why I am a customer of the Co-perative Bank !!
A recent report* finds that UK high street banks are lending or providing investment banking services to cluster bomb producers to the tune of:
– Barclays: US$274 million
– HSBC: US$657 million
– Royal Bank of Scotland (includes NatWest): US$64 million
This is why I choose Nationwide because they make ethical choices. The Coop are also a good ethical banking option.
Verity- where are your stats from? (I dont look to contradict you, just to read up more!) if theyre correct, shouldnt Barclays and HSBC be campaign targets also , as such big investors??
Before you join a bank make sure they have an ethical policy. The Co-op are the best and I’ve been with them for years. Not only do they refuse to invest in a whole range of unethical businesses, they also invest in local communities. Customers can vote on charities and good causes for the bank to invest in.
How can a bank we own invest in something that’s banned? Thank God I have never banked with them and never will. Where’s the government in all this? There is still no real regulation of any of the banks inner workings because that might upset some prominent conservative contributors .
My god, you are all raving lunatics.
The banking system is not the place for ethical decision making. It is there to move money around efficiently and usually does it quite well.
If you want ethics, lobby government, lobby the arms manufacturers, lobby anyone, but don’t lobby banks not to make investments. That is what they do. It is not their responsibility to check whether the investments don’t do anything with which the raving lunatic fringe of UK bleeding heart liberals won’t agree.
These “investments” are with massive and well respected US defence companies. You’re acting like they’re financing small bomb shops in Asia, then handing over some more cash to put the bombs under the kids. The kid in the advert? Got hurt by that bomb years before RBS made these investments.
Please let’s get some perspective and stop the ridiculous hate campaigns that will send us back to the economic stone age.
I have contacted the Scottish Rugby Union highlighting the wrongdoing of the national team sponsor.
Dear friends!
We have to organize our fight against all weapon and not just against cluster bombs. They people-creators of weapon and they are very well organized: They are very big lobbyists and representatives of Weapon Industry: politicians, managers and investors who are interested of the sale of weapon.
Theirs goals are sale of many models of weapon of very good quality to everyone government and organizations.
The Weapon Industry, weapon lobbyists and people around them are really big threat against humanity!
only the army and police are allowed some leeway; the army does not necessarily have to employ democracy in its own ranks in order to be effective deployers of it, neither is it compulsory for the police to subject everyone in thier own ranks to the same law and order in order to efficiently uphold it. Bankers are however not a public service they are subject tot he same rules of law we all are; think! is it legal for me or you to fund arms? I don’t believe it is, so it ought not to be legal for banks.
And yet people villify the rioters, at least a thug in a banaclava robbing me is up front; corrupt hate-inducing firms like RBS achieve the same goals that rioters have, but do so through letter headed papers and fancy terms and indespheriable language; a form of language that ‘…makes lies sound truthful and truth sound like likes and gives sollidity to pure wind’ (Orwell said this) but the end result is very much the same as what the rioters demonstrated – thievery of a working class’s possessions and property.
correction “I believe it isn’t”
I’m shocked to hear that Barclays, & especially shocked to hear that HSBC, are both alledgedly involved in investements in arms manufacturers also, but the RBS the point is we, as UK Tax payers own a substantial part of this company via the bailout funded by UK taxpayers, so we should have a say as to where our money is being ultimately directed, & we we don’t have that say we need to demand that we do, or else we want the money back please.
Whilst I agree that the funding of cluster bomb manufacture is deeply unethical, there is nothing more deeply unethical than the current money-for-nothing banking system. The wars that lead to the deployment of these sinister weapons are also largely due to the banks. They’re all scum.
Is there a campaign petition we can sign up to or is donating money the only way. Many people feel very strongly about both these issues (banks investing in war technology and making money out ‘casino style’ gambling)
We need to put a stop to this unethical practices and ‘out’ them
Well done Amnesty for your great work in this field
KK
Hi Kate, we also have an email petition aimed at RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester here: http://action.amnesty.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1194&ea.campaign.id=11583
As a current customer I’m shocked and disgusted at RBS and will be moving my money if they do not address this (in the meantime I’m using my debit card to donate to the campaign). Also, in response to CD’s comments (do you work for RBS by any chance) “If you want ethics, lobby government, lobby the arms manufacturers, lobby anyone, but don’t lobby banks not to make investments. That is what they do. It is not their responsibility to check whether the investments don’t do anything with which the raving lunatic fringe of UK bleeding heart liberals won’t agree.” Since when can banks not be held accountable, do you believe banking should be an ethics exempt industry? The Co-op, who I’m pleased to say I also bank with, has proven that it is possible to run a successful financial institution without resorting to investing in unethical businesses. And CD since when does caring about cluster bombs and the damage they do make a person a raving lunatic?
Royal Bloody Shame
Vote with your feet people! None of us I suspect is in a posittion to buy enough shares to influence these organisations directly, but you do have a choice about where you bank – if enough do this, then you can have an impact (it’s the same reason I’ve refused to have Sky or buy Murdoch’s papers!). My wife has been with HSBC for more than 15 years and I’ve been with First Direct for about the same time. By the end of next week all our accounts will be with the Co-Op.
Best remember most funds will list where thy place the money they are Give. To invest, this is a good way to determine if the fund is backing weapons com
The only way to make the big banks listen is move your accounts to mutuals (ie building societies) or the Coop.
There are very few products offered by RBS etc that can’t be ethically sourced, so there’s little excuse other than apathy.
… it is this society that needs to be changed. Most banks are just as bad. In the meantime, before we all get ready to radically change ourselves and this society, choosing an ethical bank is a very simple and safe option. Cheers
I use the Halifax, is it connected to the abusers?
Kim, Yes, they are. We are focusing on RBS at the moment but you can find out more about the other banks involved in the full version of the film above here http://tv.amnesty.org.uk/episodes/amnesty-tv-episode-3-cluster-bombs-special/campaigns/ Halifax is owned by Lloyds.
“It is not their responsibility to check whether the investments don’t do anything with which the raving lunatic fringe of UK bleeding heart liberals won’t agree”
Obviously the Co-op bank disagree. Put your head back into the sand, mate
I completely agree with the proposals to stop banks participating in this slaughter, but I don’t really understand why you are focusing on the raising money to change this.
It seems that Hugh F-W changed fishing regulation simply by getting a petition together – a simple website allowing people to enter their names and addresses to petition Parliament and the UN for change.
Surely this is well within the scope of what Amnesty and other UK charities do already?
This article seems a bit like chugging…
….in fact rather than the Donate Now button – couldn’t you have had a “sign a petition” now, button…… surely the donation misses the point….
I bank with NatWest and here’s the online chat I just had with one of their advisers:
Sue: Hi, you’re chatting with Sue. May I take your name please?
You: Hi Sue, my name is Alex Siddall
Sue: How may I help Alex?
You: I wondered why RBS invests in companies which produce cluster bombs, which are outlawed by the UK, and which are munitions which kill mostly civilians including children?
Sue: I’m unable to comment on this, I only deal with query regarding the Online banking service
You: OK Sue, but maybe you could tell me where I could take my query?
Sue: Group Press Office 0131 5568555
You: Thanks. You might want to check this issue out for yourself though Sue, as I’d hate to be working for a company that invests in weapons 30% of whose victims are children. You could google the Cluster Munition Coalition to find out more. Thanks for your time.
Sue: Thank you for chatting with me. We really value your feedback.
Hi Matt, we’ve also got an action aimed at the RBS Chief Executive here: http://action.amnesty.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1194&ea.campaign.id=11583
The money we raise here is being used for an advert to publicly shame RBS. By bringing the issue to the attention of millions of newspaper readers as well sending in emails to RBS, we can have a far greater impact than by doing either alone.
I’m afraid I’m not able to donate any money at the moment. I have e-mailed Chief Executive of RBS as suggested.
I bank with the Co-operative Bank which I belive does its business in a highly responsible way. I am often disappointed at how many of my colleagues who campaign/support the same issues as me still use banks other than the Co-op. I am going to say something to them instead of just ignoring it.
I am going to check out which bank my employer uses and as he is someone who shares many of my views if it is RBS I will suggest he closes the account.
If anyone is a customer of Barclays, Halifax Bank of Scotland, HSBC or Lloyds TSB, they may want to read a report by War On Want called ‘Banking on bloodshed’. It shows how complicit the other main banks are in funding the arms trade:
http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/corporations-and-conflict/banking-a-the-arms-trade/inform/16327-banking-on-bloodshed
Good to see that so many people want to change their bank accounts! I think that CR above needs to ‘get some perspective’ though. This is not a hate campaign that will send us back to the ‘economic stone age’, this is a serious issue that as customers and concerned citizens we should all be aware of and do something about.
There are banks out there that do not invest in ‘well respected US defence companies’ (sic) and are doing perfectly fine. I bank with Nationwide, but Coop and Triodos are also ethical banks that do not fuel wars or environmental degradation through their investments. It is clear to me that lobbying the arms manufacturers certainly won’t work because their profit is dependent on perpetual war. If people really want to make a change, then withdraw your accounts from RBS and the high street banks and put your money in Nationwide, Coop or Triodos. Money talks!
I should add that I resent being referred to as ‘the lunatic fringe’ just because I give a toss about people and the planet. If you want to get further involved in action to stop war and the arms trade, check out http://www.cnduk.org/ and http://www.stopthearmsfair.org.uk/
Please post a link to a high quality printable version of the advert. My local RBS branch has some spaces in it’s windows which require filling.
Amnesty International need to make it clear that RBS includes Nat West. I was not aware of this despite being a Nat West customer for many years. This is one of the biggest high street banks in England.
I have just received an email from Nat West and this is word for word what RBS is sending out. I had asked them to give me assurances that Nat West are not involved in any way in financing companies involved in manaufacturing these weapons or components for them, otherwise I would close my accounts with them. They have failed to do so. I have been a customer of Nat West for over 25 years but will now be moving banks.
Shame on you RBS. When banks such as yours pursue profit over and above any concerns for for the human misery that ensues you bring disgrace on us all. We are in the process of closing our account with you.
Donated £5 via text.
Moved banks to coop/smile about 6 years ago from barclays because of this issue.
If you can’t donate, make a moral stand and move banks. Coop are combining with Britannia to provide more access, I’ve had it assured that it is Britannia who will up their ethics, not coop drop them.
The donation form is terrible. I tried to donate and it came with a red error saying ‘minimum £30 permitted’ – The transaction was also declined by my bank. Please use Paypal, unless they too are backing murderers!
Hi Simon, we are working to redevelop our donation form at the moment and we will include more ways to give money. Watch out for the changes in November.
Kurds are the major victims of these weapons. Using such kind of explosive weapons, Turkey and Iran are repeatedly attacking Kurds since the 80s inside their borders and outside in the Kurdistan region of Iraq causing devastation for life and environment. Unfortunately, The Free World is the major producer of such harmful weapons. My innocent people received the gifts invested by Royal Bank of Scotland! It is shameful that in the 21century humans have no minimum since of humanity treating the others as only a subject for wealth!
On 21 August, the Turkish warplanes attacked Iraqi Kurdistan tearing apart the bodies of 7 civilians. 6 members of one family and another child.
he names of the victims are reported as follows;
Hasan Mustafa Hasan (Father)
Mer Haci Mam (Mother)
Rezan Hussein Mustafa. Female (34-year-old)
Oskar Hussein. Male (10-year-old)
Sonya Shemal Hasan. Female (4-year-old)
Solin Shemal Hasan. Female (6-months-old)
Zana Hussein Mustafa. Male (11-year-old)
Cannot believe anyone would be insane enough to invest in such companies.
Disgraceful. definitely not switching to RBS!
Every thought, word and action has a consequence. This is the universal law.Think on Directors of Royal Bank of Scotland, think on….
I support you to stopcluster bomb’ production.A.I.is completely right in this campaign.Go ahead.
I do not know how to give you ,in a simple way,ten euros,because I cannot use the credit card.
Do you have a solution?
Thanks
Alberto
Would welcome opportunity to make ‘one-off’ donations towards future specifically targeted campaigns as well as this one.
I looked at Triodos. They have an ethical account that supports Amnesty. But Triodos have an account with RBS too! Somebody help me here …
http://mail-communications.rbs.com/x/view.asp?id=2J8158225266P
Your donation link won’t work, at least, not on my email. Problem?
Hi Paul, for the time being we’ve stopped taking donations after RBS made a statement saying they’ll suspend dealings with companies that make cluster bombs. Have a look at the top of the blog post for a more detailed update.
If you’d like to donate to Amnesty generally, just head here: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=2064
Hi ‘ you guy’s don’t know how to use your money on a meanful projects? What did you gain in destroying lives? Do you know that there are many in Africa continent that are dying of hunger every day.As i speak with you now, I don’t have money to feed, to pay my acummulated house rents of N200,000.00.I was given a quit notice to leave my accomodation at the end of this month.Therefore please,kindly assist by sending me money through my Bank details:
Name of Bank: Oceanic Bank plc Warri.(main garage)
Acccount name: bouy gbekieyen felix
Account No:0007686318