앰네스티 인터내셔널은 한국 정부가 바레인에 한국산 최루탄 수출을 중단시키기로 했다고 발표했다고 밝혔다. 이는 바레인 전역에 불고있는 시위에 한국산 최루탄이 사용되었다는 논란 때문인것으로 알려졌다.
이 보도에 따르면 방위사업청은 작년 10∼11월 바레인 수출 승인을 신청한 대광화공 등 최루탄 업체 2곳에 선적을 중단할 것을 지시했다.
파이낸셜 타임지는 이정근 방사청 대변인은 바레인 정세가 불안한데다 최루탄으로 현지인이 숨졌고 인권단체의 항의가 나와 수출 중단 결정을 내렸다고 밝혔다고 전했다.
앞서 국제앰네스티 한국지부 등 23개 인권 시민단체는 지난달 4일 한국 외교부 청사 앞에서 기자회견을 열고 '바레인 정부가 최루탄으로 시위대를 무리하게 진압하 면서 최소 39명이 숨졌다"며 "인권침해에 쓰이는 무기의 수출을 중단하라"고 촉구했 다.
바레인에서는 국민의 다수인 이슬람 시아파 교도들이 수니파 정권을 규탄하는 집회를 대거 벌이면서 강경 진압 논란이 계속되고 있다.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
<관련 영문 기사>
Korea suspends exports of tear gas to Bahrain
South Korea announced a halt to shipments of tear gas to Bahrain, following pressure from Amnesty International and other human rights groups which worked alongside Bahrain Watch’s "Stop the Shipment" campaign, according to Amnesty International.
“The South Korean authorities should be commended for this move to help prevent further human rights violations in Bahrain, which comes after sustained campaigning by activists from Amnesty International and other NGOs in Bahrain and around the world,” said Brian Wood, Head of Arms Control and Human Rights at Amnesty International.
The announcement by South Korea’s defence agency cited pressure from human rights groups following the Bahraini authorities’ repeated – and sometimes fatal – misuse of the toxic chemical agents against peaceful protesters, the organization said in its website.
“South Korea is sending a clear message that the Bahraini authorities’ ongoing repression of peaceful protests is unacceptable and will not be rewarded with future weapons transfers. Other countries that continue to supply Bahrain with tear gas and related equipment should sit up and take notice,” said Wood.
According to a leaked document, published on Oct. 16 in 2013 by local NGO Bahrain Watch, the Bahraini Interior Ministry placed a tender for bids of up to 1.6 million tear gas canisters, 90,000 tear gas grenades and 145,000 stun grenades, Amnesty International said.
The South Korean company Daekwang Chemical, which had also previously supplied tear gas items to Bahrain, was among the companies designated to fill the order. Daekwang’s chief executive told the Financial Times newspaper that his company was “unlikely” to provide future tear gas shipments to Bahrain.
(khnews@heraldcorp.com)
