International Human Rights Day sees UK fall behind on arms control
Britain is falling behind other nations who are pushing for tough controls on the
international arms trade, said Amnesty International and Oxfam today, on International
Human Rights Day (10 December). An estimated 1,300 people will be killed by
conventional arms in the space of this one day.
Against this daily death toll, the political leaders of Brazil, Cambodia, Mali,
Macedonia, Costa Rica, Finland and the Netherlands have all pledged their support for
an international Arms Trade Treaty. This landmark announcement comes just two months
after the Control Arms campaign was launched by Amnesty International, Oxfam and the
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). Britain, the world's second
largest arms exporter, has often boasted of its 'tough' export controls but has not
yet backed the Arms Trade Treaty.
Since the launch of the Control Arms campaign on 9 October 2003, thousands of people
across the UK have added their faces to the Million Faces Petition, calling on the
British government to back the Arms Trade Treaty.
British celebrities including Emma Thompson, Dido, Liberty X, Daniel Bedingfield, Joe
Fiennes, Jamie Theakston, Frank Skinner, Skin, Harvey, John Hannah, Helen Baxendale
and Beverly Knight have signed up to the campaign. Politicians are also coming on
board with dozens of MPs backing the treaty and Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal
Democrats, choosing Human Rights Day to announce his support for the treaty.
Charles Kennedy said:
"The arms trade is potentially the most deadly trade in the world; it is vital that
there should be binding international regulation. If, as a nation, we are serious
about protecting human rights and working for peace, then Britain should back an Arms
Trade Treaty. This is an important campaign which has the potential to save many, many
lives."
Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK said:
"The growing support for an Arms Trade Treaty shows that governments the world over
recognise the need for tougher controls on the arms trade. The UK, the second largest
exporter of weapons, must now follow their lead and sign up to legally binding arms
control. Without such a commitment their responsibility to uphold the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights can be little more than hollow words."
Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam said:
"Today, fifty-five years after the declaration of human rights was signed, we're
pleased to see a developing commitment to back up the declaration by controlling the
weapons which are responsible for so many human rights violations. We are seeing the
first vital steps towards bringing the arms trade under control. Britain must not
allow itself to fall behind."
Other governments have already agreed to support the Arms Trade Treaty. Brazil's
President Lula confirmed his readiness to play a key role in pushing for an
international treaty to control arms in a recent meeting with Amnesty International.
This reflects his concern about human rights abuses flowing from gun violence in
Brazil and the proliferation of arms in Africa. He committed himself to: "...undertake
all efforts to build a network and create a positive balance in favour of arms
control."
Announcing Finland's support on Human Rights Day, Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Finnish Minister
for Foreign Affairs said:
"Now is the time to proceed in creating international rules for the arms trade.
Finland from its own part is ready to support the process towards an Arms Trade
Treaty."
Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia said: "As a country that has been
severely affected by weapons, Cambodia will support the international Arms Trade
Treaty. The Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to controlling weapons . which
have such a great impact on humanity, society, the economy and peace."
Atzo Nicola�, the Minister for European Affairs for the Netherlands, speaking on
behalf of the Prime Minister, said:
"The government strives for the realisation of legally binding international
agreements on export controls.over small arms and light weapons."
Amadou Toumani Tour�, President of Mali, a country that has been at the forefront of
efforts to address the arms crises in west Africa, said:
"Mali is honoured to launch the Control Arms campaign and we fully support it. Mali
will play its role in pushing for tougher international arms controls... across the
African continent."
Sally Joss, IANSA Network Coordinator said,
"This progress is fantastic news for people who live in fear of armed violence across
the world. After decades of an explosion in arms proliferation, governments are
beginning to listen to their citizens demands for change."
ENDS
Background:
Conventional arms kill more than 500,000 people every year: one person every minute.
There are 639 million small arms in the world, or one for every ten people, produced
by over 1,000 companies in at least 98 countries.
For more information, please contact:
Oxfam: Brendan Cox. 01865 312498. Mobile: 07957 120853. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Amnesty International: Steve Ballinger 020 7417 6355. Out of hours 07721 398 984
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