an indelible dye (to mark protesters so they can be identified later for arrest) or various chemical irritants. Chinese water cannon vehicles are usually armoured and may also have vehicle-mounted grenade launchers and CCTV cameras. Omega has identified a total of 15 Chinese companies that have manufactured or traded these vehicles. While it may be necessary and legitimate to use water canon carefully in line with international human rights standards for law enforcement purposes, some uses can result in serious injury. The high-pressured water from the cannons can disorientate and limit visibility in a volatile crowd situation, thus increasing the danger of injuries. Bearing in mind the dangers outlined above of discharging chemical irritants in an inappropriate manner, Amnesty International and Omega also recommend that water cannon should only be used proportionately, lawfully and to the minimal extent possible in cases where it is strictly necessary to contain or disperse individuals or a group participating in a public assembly who are acting violently and where peaceful measures have failed. Armoured police vehicles: Omega has recorded a total of 16 Chinese companies that have manufactured or traded armoured police vehicles. Armoured vehicles can be used legitimately to facilitate police operations and safeguard the lives of police officers in dangerous situations, such as when confronting violent criminal gangs. However, armoured vehicles sometimes play a key role in human rights violations. For example, such vehicles have been deployed against peaceful protesters and have been used to carry out violent raids on poor neighbourhoods.49 Export licences for armoured vehicles should therefore always be rigorously vetted, and – as with all law enforcement equipment - where there is a substantial risk that the vehicles would be used to facilitate serious human rights violations in the recipient country, the export licences should be refused. 16 China’s Trade in Tools of Torture and Repression Amnesty International – Index: ASA 17/042/2014 © Robin Ballantyne Chinese water cannon