Indian Civil Society urge for an International Arms Trade Treaty
- CAFI (Control Arms Foundation of India) -

New Delhi, 12 May 2010

Indian Civil Society urge for an International Arms Trade Treaty to stop the inflow of illegal small arms and light weapons in India

Each year around the world, 500,000 people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. Around 58,000 Indians died due to armed violence in the last 15 years. The highest casualties have been reported from India's Northeast states and Jammu & Kashmir. If the death, injury and disability resulting from small arms were categorised as a disease, we would view it as an epidemic.

Yet the global trade that fuels the epidemic of armed violence is not subject to international regulation. The arms industry is unlike any other. It operates without regulation. There is more regulation in music and film industry than in arms.

From 10 to 16 May 2010 in order to call upon the government of India to support the United Nations process for an international Arms Trade Treaty, Control Arms Foundation of India and many of its partner organizations across India are joining activists from 85 countries around the world in commemorating the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence. Events are being held in more than five states in India namely Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Chattisgarh and national capital Delhi to draw attention to the human toll of arms proliferation and misuse and calling upon Government of India to strengthen the ongoing work at the United Nations for an international arms trade treaty.

During the Week of Action several activities like cycle rallies, press conferences, film screenings, candle light vigils, street plays and talks in colleges will mark the Week of Action in India. The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate global civil society's support for a strong and ethically principled Arms Trade Treaty before the first UN PrepCom 12-23 July 2010.

The movement of arms across the world is a huge threat to human security. 1,135 companies in 98 countries manufactures arms, ammunitions and components worldwide.

According to Binalakshmi Nepram, Secretary General of Control Arms Foundation of India, "90 per cent of conventional arms exports in world are from permanent five members of the United Nations Security Council namely USA, UK, Russia, China & France. They manufacture around 8 million new small arms are manufactured every year and it is these weapons that flood India. At present, it is impossible to monitor or interrupt this deadly flow of weapons. This is because there are no agreed global standards for governments when authorising exports or transfers. Hence we are observing the Global Week of Action to Call upon Government of India to support to make the Arms Trade Treaty happen by 2012".

The idea of a global Arms Trade Treaty was inspired by Nobel Peace Laureates and developed by lawyers, human rights organisations, and humanitarian NGOs. In late 2006, the United Nations General Assembly embarked on a process to help ending this violence caused by illegal arms. Several member states started to draft an International Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a legally binding instrument to regulate international transfers of conventional weapons. ATT aims at preventing the transfers of weapons into the wrong hands. It now enjoys the support of a growing number of governments (153 States), as well as more than 800 civil society organisations worldwide.

In India, the work to make the Arms Trade Treaty is spear-headed by Control Arms Foundation of India and its partner organisations and till date more 50, 000 citizens have given their support to the Treaty by signing on to a petition submitted to the United Nations. Several prominent Indians such as Professor Amartya Sen, Admiral Ramdas, Rabbi Shergill, Nandita Das and several others have supported the initiative.

Moreover, over 60 members of the Indian parliament have given their support to efforts to strengthen international regulations for the trade and transfer of conventional weapons by signing a petition put forward by Control Arms Foundation of India.

Control Arms Foundation of India is hoping that at the UN Preparatory Committee meeting 12-23 July 2010 where a significant number of governments from all world regions will make statements calling for comprehensive scope and high ethical principles and robust rules for making arms transfer decisions, India will consider its current position on the ATT and cooperate with world leading bodies for the Arms Trade Treaty to happen.

For information, please contact :
Ms Binalakshmi Nepram & Ms Mary Khuvung
Control Arms Foundation of India
B 5 / 146, First Floor, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi - 110 029
Phone: +91-11-46018541 Fax: +91-11-26166234
Email : [email protected], [email protected]