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2008 Latest News

November 17, 2008

Small Arms Survey criticizes East Timor SALW management

A report issued by the Swiss Small Arms Survey has criticized East Timor's management of small arms, according to a news item from Radio Australia.

In particular, attention has been drawn to the processes involved with the handling of the arms of security forces. Recent legislation proposed in East Timor was subject to criticism for allowing civilians to own guns. The Small Arms Survey author, Edward Rees, is quoted by the Radio Australia report as saying, "I think it's pretty clear that this government, and the political leadership in general and the community, have had enough of guns wandering around the community and villages, and would like them put back safely in the armories. However, while they may be put back safely in the armories, they were safe in an armory before and then taken out and used. And historically guns in armories in East Timor have been badly managed."

In February, 2008, President Jose Ramos-Horta was the subject of an attempted assassination in which he was seriously wounded and after which he received protracted medical care in Australia. The perpetrators were found to be carrying police firearms. Loose control over arms stockpiles is said to have been a feature of the country's gun management for many decades.

radioaustralia.net



November 16, 2008

Ghana small arms destruction "symbolic"

On November 14, 2008 the government of Ghana in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme held a small arms destruction occasion. It was labelled by the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, as a "symbolic" event, in a speech directed largely towards young men, in which he expressed a wish for peace during the coming elections.

The Chairman of the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms, the Honourable Nana Obiri Boahen, called for any civilians who own guns to hand them in to the police.

The UNDP Resident Representative and Coordinator Duada Tuoure spoke on the close collaboration between the UNDP and ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, in their intention to reduce small arms numbers in Africa's West. He acknowledged the role of local production, much of which is unauthorized, and said it is important to find other outlets for manufacturing skills.

There is no evidence that demonstrates symbolic arms-destruction days have any practical effects in reducing criminal activity.

modernghana.com



November 1, 2008

UN agreement on need for Arms Trade Treaty

A panel of the General Assembly of the United Nations has now endorsed a resolution calling for an open-ended working group on the establishment of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The resolution was dealt with by the Committee on Disarmament and International Security. A series of six meetings is to follow, with two scheduled for 2009, in March and July, to be held in New York.

It was in December of 2006 when the General Assembly adopted a resolution that began the movement towards an ATT. The stated aim was prevention of arms transfers to areas of conflict and human rights violations around the world. This resolution, mounted by the United Kingdom, sets out to implement "the highest possible standards to prevent the diversion of conventional arms from the legal to the illicit market, where they can be used for terrorist acts, organized crime and other criminal activities." A British spokesman likened the ATT to the Kimberley process, which regulates the diamond trade, with the aim of preventing diamonds from being used to finance wars.

A number of statements were released by different states after the meeting, suggesting that the method of introducing an ATT would reduce the trade in illegal arms. The USA, however, which voted against the resolution, said:

"We support the goal of promoting responsibility in arms transfers and reducing the destabilizing trade in illicit arms, but we do not believe a global Arms Trade Treaty would accomplish that goal.

"Any ATT would require the support of the major arms exporters to be effective, and we believe that some major arms exporters would refuse to agree to an ATT that required meaningful, effective conventional arms transfer controls policies."


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