Here is a campaign by Amnesty International that I thought might be of interest to readers of this blog. Find out more at:
Support a bulletproof Arms Trade Treaty
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people suffer because of an unregulated arms trade.
Musician and activist Emmanuel Jal knows more than most about the human impact of an arms trade that is out of control. Aged just 8 he was forcibly recruited as a child soldier to fight in Sudan's bloody civil war.
This year for the first time we had the opportunity to disarm dictators, warlords and child soldiers. World leaders met in New York to draw up an historic document: the first ever international Arms Trade Treaty.
Their talks ended without agreement but a reasonably strong draft Treaty. Now, we have a second chance to make it a reality as leaders prepare to meet again for the UN General Assembly later this year.
We're optimistic we can still get an Arms Trade Treaty that saves thousands lives and improves many more, but it can only do so if it rules out transfers where there is risk that they would directly contribute to human rights abuses.
It's over but we're not doneOn the final day of month-longAn incredible 12,000 of you wrote to members of the UK government, urging them to stand firm on human rights in the final hours of talks to agree an Arms Trade Treaty. Your voice was heard loud and clear and the UK did us proud. Thanks in no small part to your hard work, and the commitment of the UK government to a robust treaty, the talks ended with a reasonable draft treaty and a second chance. We get to take this draft back to the UN in October. And when we do, we do not need consensus for it to be adopted. We just need a two thirds majority. It won't be easy - there is a lot to do to keep up the pressure between now and then - but we are optimistic that we can still get the Arms Trade Treaty we have all worked so hard for. And we will not give up until our dream becomes a reality.
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A BIG THANK YOU
Thanks to you, our team headed off to the UN with a bounce in their step. we might not yet have the Treaty we all worked so hard to get but the incredible campaigning that took place up and down the country in the lead up to negotiations at the UN - from signing the petition to dressing up as a banana and taking the campaign message to a high street - meant that Prime Minister David Cameron made a positive statement, just in the nick of time.
ARMS SUPPLIES FUELLING UNLAWFUL KILLINGS AND RAPE IN DRC
The ease with which weapons and ammunition are available to government forces and armed groups alike continues to fuel multiple human rights violations in DRC including rape, looting, abductions and unlawful killings. The main arms suppliers include China, Egypt and USA.
Senior DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) officials often sell or give weapons to armed groups, including those they are fighting against. Armed groups also frequently obtain weapons and ammunition left behind when FARDC units flee combat zones. And civilians bear the horrific cost of such lack of control, diversion of weapons and impunity.
- Read the blog: An AK-47 - often the 'credit card' for FARDC soldiers
- Get the details in our new report If You Resist, We'll Shoot You (pdf)
 The Control Arms Campaign is an alliance of organisations calling for a robust Arms Trade Treaty. Follow the negotiations at controlarms.org |
POLITICIANS RESPOND
In response to your hard work and action taking, we've had four very positive statements from key politicians supporting a robust Arms Trade Treaty:
- Prime Minister David Cameron reacted to your campaigning - which included 23, 786 petition signatures, MP lobbying and direct appeals from his own constituents - by assuring us, '[We] want to see a Treaty that contains strong provisions on human rights, international humanitarian law and sustainable development'. Read more of David Cameron's statement
- Labour leader Ed Miliband responded to over 7000 emails by reinforcing his commitment to a 'robust and effective global Arms Trade Treaty with comprehensive scope and robust parameters'. Read Miliband's full statement
- UK foreign Secretary William Hague responded to your lobbying on Facebook by stating that the 'UK Government remains totally committed to securing a robust and effective Arms Trade Treaty, with strong human rights and international law provisions at its core'.
- Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that the UK will 'lead the charge for a robust, legally-binding treaty, covering all conventional weapons' Read Clegg's full statement on independent.co.uk
Many thanks to everybody for taking action. You are being heard!
OUR FOCUS
The final negotiations have begun. They run until 27 July. This is our last opportunity to ensure that the treaty is robust and not just hollow law.
We are urging the UK government to ensure it continues to champion robust legislation and lobby for a Treaty that:
- Protects human rights by preventing any transfer of arms where there is substantial risk that they will directly contribute to serious human rights abuses, war crimes or poverty
- Has a comprehensive scope of equipment to include all types of conventional weapons and equipment, their parts and components, as well as technology to develop, maintain and produce them. This must also include small arms, light weapons, ammunition and munitions of all kinds and weapons used for internal security.
- Includes all types of international arms trading so that it covers commercial sales and government deals, gifts and loans as well as all essential services to support these activities - including deals arranged my middle men (brokers), and arms transportation.
- Is enforceable and transparent to ensure all governments adopt strong national laws, rules and regulations to strictly control all weapons transfers from, into, via and through their territories, including all individuals and companies operating under its jurisdiction. All Governments must publicly report on their arms sales so they can be held accountable for their actions
- Enters quickly into force because, believe it or not, even once the Treaty is agreed it will only be binding if a set number of states introduce national legislation to ratify it. This number is to be determined during the negotiations.
BACKGROUND
Every day at least 1,500 people die from armed violence and conflict.
We have been reporting widespread misuse of arms in serious human rights violations and killings for decades. Most recently, we highlighted the use of UK-supplied defense vehicles being used in the crackdown against peaceful protestors in Libya; the ease with which weapons and ammunition are available to government forces and armed groups alike in DRC and South Sudan - fuelling human rights abuses.
Although there are global regulations for all sorts of things - from postage stamps to dinosaur bones - the arms trade, with all its violent consequences, has so far been allowed to function largely unrestricted in the absence of effective international regulations.
In 2006 the world took a major step forward - 153 governments voted at the UN to start work on developing a global Arms Trade Treaty. By 2009 the UN general assembly had launched a time frame for the negotiations, including one preparatory meeting in 2010 and two in 2011.
At these meetings it became clear that not everybody involved wants a robust Treaty - as it stands weapons such as tear gas and crowd control vehicles and even bullets may not be included within its scope.
The formal negotiations have started. With so much at risk we must work hard throughout these negotiations to ensure that human rights are enshrined in the Arms Trade Treaty.
This is vital because any legally-binding piece of legislation connected to the arms trade which is not comprehensive, nor includes binding human rights commitments, has the potential to be far more dangerous than having no treaty at all. Such a weak agreement would allow countries to continue to transfer weapons where they may be used to commit human rights abuses.
REPORTS
- Year of rebellion: The state of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa (PDF) 9 January 2012
- Arms transfers to the Middle East and North Africa: Lessons for an Arms Trade Treaty(PDF) 19 October 2011
- Arms Trade Treaty: National Licensing or Authorisation Systems (PDF) 12 July 2011
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