North Korea
Defector Tells How North Korea Exports Arms - AK-47s Very Popular
ChoSun Ilbo (Seoul)
11 March 2010
Curbing North Korea's illicit arms trade is difficult since the renegade country launders containers carrying weapons three or four times, a defector who was in charge of illicit arms deals told the Chosun Ilbo on Monday. The defector revealed that a factory in Jagang Province, which is believed to produce tractors, is the center of the communist country's weapons production, including chemical warheads. The defector, who is under... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Obama, Clinton Join UN Treaty Push to Set Global Gun Trade Controls
Defense News (USA)
18 February 2010
The United States is working with other countries and the United Nations to impose uniform controls on international sales of conventional arms. But the U.S. State Department said it is likely to be years before an Arms Trade Treaty takes effect. The United States is committed to pursuing a "robust treaty" that sets "the highest possible legally binding standards" for international sales of conventional weapons, U.S. Ambassador... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Russia,Thailand
New Charges in US Battle to Deport Russian Gun Runner from Thai Jail
Associated Press
17 February 2010
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. prosecutors filed new charges Wednesday in their global pursuit of a suspected arms dealer, hoping to convince reluctant officials in Thailand to extradite him over objections from Russia. An updated indictment charges that Viktor Bout and his former business associate, Richard Chichakli, conspired to violate United Nations sanctions aimed at stopping bloody fighting in Africa. The new charges appear... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Congressman Opposes Flood of US-purchased AK-47s for American Wars
Star-Gazette (New York)
9 February 2010
U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday he has additional concerns about the use of taxpayer money to buy foreign-made weapons. During his weekly teleconference with media from Washington, D.C., Massa, D-Corning, said the United States over the past six years has become the largest purchaser of Russian and Chinese small-arms exports to equip Iraqi and Afghan forces. "To spend these amounts of monies on Kalashnikov rifles and... ( gunpolicy.org )
Lebanon,Israel,United States
22 Prominent Gun Dealers Arrested in Arms Trade Plagued by Corruption
United Press International
25 January 2010
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Four Israeli business executives were arrested in Las Vegas, along with 18 Americans, Britons and other nationals, on charges of trying to bribe someone they thought was an African defense minister to obtain a $15 million arms contract. The swoop on Jan. 19 was the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year undercover sting operation by the U.S. Justice Department. It was the largest single investigation under... ( gunpolicy.org )
North Korea,New Zealand,Thailand,Kazakhstan,Iran
Complex International Web Entangles Weapon Cargo Seized In Thailand
Associated Press
22 January 2010
SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan - The trail of the plane seized in Thailand last month for reportedly smuggling North Korean weapons to Iran leads back to a small air freight company housed near an old Soviet airfield on the edge of the Kazakh steppe. The aging Russian plane's odyssey took it through a web of companies, financiers and air cargo carriers with addresses stretching from New York through the Persian Gulf to New Zealand, an Associated... ( gunpolicy.org )
Taiwan
Taiwan Threatens to Sue Client Countries Re-exporting Its Ammunition
Taiwan News / CNA
20 January 2010
TAIPEI -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will sue contractors if they have resold expired ammunition owned by Taiwan to an African country as has been reported, an official said Wednesday. "We have a detailed and sophisticated plan to oversee contracts on the destruction of outdated ammunition, " said Wang Kuo-wu, director of the military procurement center under the MND Armaments Bureau. "In terms of form and documentation,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
British Arms Dealer Sold Guns to War Torn Countries Without a Licence
Press Association (UK)
19 January 2010
A British arms dealer from west London traded thousands of military weapons with war-torn countries across the globe without a UK licence, a court has heard. Gideon Sarig 58, of Lauderale Road, Maida Vale, deliberately chose not to apply for the licence as he arranged for armour-piercing ammunition, pump-action shotguns, bombs and other weapons to be sent to countries including Sri Lanka and Israel. Sarig used contacts... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel,United Kingdom,United States
FBI Charges S&W Exec, 21 US-UK-Israeli Arms Dealers for Gun Sale Bribes
Reuters
19 January 2010
WASHINGTON -- An executive for Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (SWHC.O) and 21 others have been charged with violating federal bribery laws involving the sale of weapons and protective gear, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday. The indictments accused the individuals, including Smith & Wesson Vice President for Sales Amaro Goncalves, with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,United Kingdom,Israel
Smith & Wesson Exec, 21 Others Charged in FBI Gun Sale Bribery Sting
Boston Herald
19 January 2010
A Smith & Wesson executive was among 22 officials at suppliers to police and the military who were charged Monday in Las Vegas with violating anti-bribery laws, the Justice Department announced today. Amaro Goncalves, the Springfield-based gun maker's vice president of sales, was arrested with the others after a 2½-year undercover sting operation aimed at schemes to bribe a foreign official. Smith & Wesson released the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Israel,United Kingdom,United States
Smith & Wesson Executive Among 22 Charged in Gun Sale Bribery Case
Bloomberg (USA)
19 January 2010
A Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. sales executive and a former U.S. Secret Service officer were among 22 officials at companies that supply law enforcement and the military who were charged with violating U.S. anti-bribery laws. Amaro Goncalves, vice president of sales at Smith & Wesson, and R. Patrick Caldwell, chief executive officer of Protective Products Of America Inc. and a former deputy director of the Secret Service, were... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia
Serbia 'Largest' Military Arms Exporter in SE Europe
Balkans.com (Belgrade)
4 January 2010
Serbia has become the largest exporter of arms and military equipment in southeastern Europe, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said. "In 2009, the Serbian military industry exported arms and equipment worth 300 million euros. I hope at the end of 2010 we can say that we earned a billion euros just by exporting military equipment," Sutanovac told International Radio Serbia in a recent interview. "Besides the fact that we... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Yemen
US Ramps Up Arms Exports to Yemen, Feeds Established Gun Culture
Inter Press Service News Agency
1 January 2010
UNITED NATIONS - When Yemen refused to vote in support of a U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution against Iraq during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, a visibly angry U.S. delegate turned to the Yemeni diplomat and said: "That will be the last time you will ever vote against a U.S. resolution." Washington's subsequent retaliation, in the aftermath of that negative vote, was predictable. The United States not only downgraded... ( gunpolicy.org )
India,Nepal
India Resumes Weapon Sales, Gun 'Loans' to Nepal After 4 Year Ban
Indian Express
23 December 2009
Ending a four-year self-imposed ban, India has decided to resume supply of small arms to Nepal. The ban came into effect in February 2005 when then King Gyanendra sacked the democratically elected government. The decision to resume supplies -- to begin with, only small arms will be supplied on "loan" -- was taken at a meeting convened by the Home Ministry earlier this month. Incidentally, Nepalese Maoists oppose any move... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,Canada
Chicago Gun Shop Owner Gets 7.5yrs for Smuggling 200 Guns to Canada
Chicago Sun-Times
18 December 2009
A former suburban gun shop owner has been sentenced to 7½ years in federal prison for illegally exporting more than 200 firearms to Canada -- some of which authorities say have been used in violent crimes. Ugur 'Mike' Yildiz, 39, of Park Ridge, owned the Chicagoland Bells gun store in Franklin Park until federal authorities revoked his license for violating the gun-control act in 2003. Canadian authorities have recovered... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
In 'Significant Shift' at UN, US Votes to Support Global Gun Trade Treaty
Arms Control Today (USA)
10 December 2009
The Obama administration's voting record this year at the First Committee of the UN General Assembly marked a departure from the Bush administration in several key ballots. In other votes, however, the new administration's vote was the same as its predecessor's. The First Committee is responsible for drafting resolutions on arms control and international security issues. One of the shifts was on a resolution on disarmament... ( gunpolicy.org )
Malaysia,Burundi
Malaysia Escapes UN Censure After Officials Scrap Arms Sale to Burundi
Malay Mail (Malaysia)
10 December 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - An attempt by a local company to export some 30,000 assault rifles to Burundi, worth more than RM200 million, nearly caused Malaysia to be censured by the United Nations Security Council, if not for the prompt action by Malaysian officials at the UN body. The Malay Mail learnt that officials from the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the UN in New York had managed to assure the world body that the Malaysian... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Oxfam Chief Calls for Global Gun Trade Treaty to Protect Human Rights
Reuters AlertNet, Opinion
10 December 2009
Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland, is Honorary President of Oxfam International and heads the Ethical Globalisation Initiative. On the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she calls for the creation of a new treaty to control the global trade in small arms. On this 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, threats of new... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States,United Nations
Fear, Fundraising Drive US Misinformation Attack on UN Gun Trade Treaty
FactCheck.org (USA), Fact sheet
5 December 2009
International Gun Ban Treaty? Q: Has Obama found a "legal way around the Second Amendment"? A: The administration's agreement to talk about writing a United Nations treaty to regulate arms exports and imports is a far cry from banning possession of firearms, which Obama says he doesn't want to do and the Supreme Court has said can't be done anyway. FULL QUESTION Is this correct? Obama Finds Legal Way... ( gunpolicy.org )
Switzerland
Swiss Accused of Careless Gun Exports, Cabinet Aims for Clearer Law
SwissInfo
24 November 2009
Questions are being raised in Switzerland over exports of weapons and war material -- and not only by the pacifists behind the nationwide vote on November 29. The government in its official information brochure for voters describes its policy of trading war material as restrictive, transparent, tough and not open to frequent abuses. Throughout its campaign the pacifist group for a Switzerland without an Army has tried to... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria,Ukraine,West Africa
Nigeria, Ukraine to Cooperate in Tackling Gun Running in West Africa
African Press Agency
17 November 2009
LAGOS -- Nigerian President Umaru Yar'adua said on Tuesday that Nigeria and the Republic of Ukraine would cooperate to stem the tide in illegal trading in small arms across West African countries. Receiving a letter of credence from the new Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Valerii Vasyliev in Abuja on Tuesday, Yar'adua expressed the hope that"Ukraine will help us to bring the illegal trade under control". Yar'adua noted... ( gunpolicy.org )
India,United Nations
Rethink India's Decision to Abstain from UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Vote
Times of India, Editorial
13 November 2009
The past few weeks have seen a somewhat contradictory message emerging from New Delhi on the issue of arms trafficking. On the one hand, home secretary G K Pillai has stated Indian concerns about Maoists being supplied arms from China, albeit by private Chinese players rather than by Beijing. On the other, when the UN committee on disarmament and peace voted on a resolution last month calling for talks on a treaty to regulate the global... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa,Ghana
West African Journalists Commend 9 Countries for Tackling Gun Control
Ghana News Agency
12 November 2009
ACCRA -- The West Africa Network of Journalists for Security and Development (WANJSD) on Wednesday commended the "Group of Nine ECOWAS Countries," for ratifying the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), their ammunition and other related materials. Mr Francis Ameyibor, WANJSD Deputy General Secretary, stated in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra that considering the proliferation of SALW constituted a major... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
British, French Foreign Ministers Write: 'Time for an Arms Trade Treaty'
Guardian (UK) / Comment is Free, Blog
11 November 2009
One of the great tragedies of our times is the uncontrolled spread of weapons, often from illegal markets, sometimes in violation of international embargoes. Up to a thousand people a day -- mostly women and children -- are killed by such arms, most of them in the world's poorest countries. These weapons fuel conflict, break down societies and prevent families climbing out of poverty. There is an urgent moral imperative to grip a global... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
US Consensus Redline Rules the Global Gun Trade Treaty. Or Does It?
Disarmament Insight (Geneva), Blog
11 November 2009
The recent adoption of a United Nations resolution to produce legally binding international standards for the transfer of conventional arms is a real boost to the cause of international peace and security. Overwhelming support in the First Committee of the UN General Assembly for the negotiation of these new rules has set the scene for a series of preparatory meetings leading to the convening in 2012 of the United Nations Conference on the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Gambia,West Africa,United Nations
West Africa, 153 UN Member States Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
Daily Observer (Banjul)
9 November 2009
Every year, millions around the world suffer as a result of the non-regulation of the global arms trade. This year, on 30th October, 2009 at the United Nations, after years of discussions and debates, the vast majority of governments -- 153 in total -- agreed on a timetable to establish a"strong and robust Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with the highest common standards to control international transfers of conventional arms, a press release... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
United Nations Global Gun Trade Treaty Takes Aim at Weapon Trafficking
Toronto Star (Ontario)
6 November 2009
In Kenya's lawless slums, you can rent a gun by the hour with no questions asked. In Somalia, teenagers boast of using assault rifles to terrify and rape women. In other parts of Africa, light weapons are supplied especially for child soldiers. For countries where gun violence is an epidemic, there is some good news. Major arms-dealing nations have joined a bid for a treaty that would rein in the $55 billion-a-year (U.S.) trade... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana,West Africa
Ghana to Ratify West African Regional Convention on Gun Control
Ghana News Agency
3 November 2009
ACCRA -- President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday said government would soon put before Parliament the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms for ratification. To this end, government has scheduled the Convention as one of the key issues on the agenda for discussion at the next Cabinet meeting. President Mills gave the assurance in a speech read for him by Mr Cletus Avorka, Minister of the Interior, at the inauguration of the... ( gunpolicy.org )
India,United Nations,Russia,China
UN Gun Trade Treaty 'Likely Very Weak' as India, Russia, China Abstain
Times of India / TNN
2 November 2009
NEW DELHI -- Even as the crucial global arms trade and transfers (ATT) treaty, which seeks to regulate the $55 billion arms trade and promote democracy, found overwhelming support from 153 member countries at the UN on Friday, India was among the 19 who abstained from the meet. These 153 countries -- including top arms suppliers like US, Britain, Germany and France -- supported a UN disarmament committee resolution which will lead... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Praise for US, Jubilation, Caution as UN Agrees Global Gun Trade Treaty
Asian Tribune / Inter Press Service News Agency
1 November 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations, which is pursuing a proposal for "a world without nuclear weapons", will soon turn its attention to another new goal in the field of disarmament: creating a legally-binding treaty on conventional arms. The proposed new treaty, which is expected to be ready for a U.N. Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in 2012, will regulate the global trade in conventional arms, including fighter planes, combat... ( gunpolicy.org )
Germany,United Nations,Russia,China
Germany Backs Global Arms Trade Treaty, China and Russia Abstain
Deutsche Welle
31 October 2009
Germany, along with other key United Nations members, has backed talks on a global treaty to regulate the global trade of weapons. Two major arms suppliers, Russia and China, refused to support the measure. The United Nations resolution calls for talks aimed at agreeing a treaty to police the world's $55-billion (37-billion-euro) arms trade. The UN General Assembly's first committee on disarmament and peace passed the resolution... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Key UN Committee, US Diplomats Back Global Gun Trade Treaty
Associated Press
31 October 2009
A key General Assembly committee voted Friday to allow the U.N. to start negotiations on a new treaty regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and maim thousands every day. John Duncan, Britain's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament, hailed the 153-1 vote with 19 abstentions in the General Assembly's disarmament committee, saying the international community is now... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines,United States
US Gun Dealer Sold 'Cop Killer' Pistols to Alien Now Back in Philippines
Manila Standard
31 October 2009
BALTIMORE -- City police are looking for a Filipino who had accompanied a Filipino couple who had owned a notorious bar in connection with the acquisition of four handguns whose bullets can go through body armor. The Investigative Voice said that a police report confirmed that police raided the Cheerleaders Bar in Fells Point last August looking for four FN 5.7 millimeter guns, The guns had disappeared since they were purchased... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Clinton Backs UN Global Gun Trade Treaty, Abandons Bush Opposition
Bloomberg (USA)
30 October 2009
The Obama administration voted today to support United Nations-sponsored talks on a treaty to regulate the $55 billion-a-year trade in conventional weapons, reversing prior U.S. opposition to negotiations begun in 2006. The General Assembly, consisting of all 192 UN member governments, adopted a resolution setting out a timetable for talks during the next two years on the proposed Arms Trade Treaty, including a UN conference to... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States,Russia
US On Board, Russia Abstains in UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Talks
Reuters
30 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- The world's top weapons exporters agreed to back negotiations on a global treaty to regulate the world's $55 billion arms trade, but Russia refused to show support, diplomats said on Thursday. The deal came after negotiators from four of the top arms traders -- the United States, Britain, France and Germany overcame sharp disagreements on the wording of a U.N. General Assembly resolution that will guide negotiations... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Obama, Clinton Stir 'Perfect Storm' at UN for Anti-US Gun Control Agenda
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia), Blog
26 October 2009
The folks at United Nations headquarters in New York City, and our "allies" at Number 10 Downing Street in London, must be rubbing their hands with glee. Gun control groups here and abroad likewise are at last quietly cheering. Why? After a decade and a half of pushing unsuccessfully to secure America's support for a legally-binding, international instrument to regulate the marketing, transfer and brokering in firearms, they are now on the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Global Gun Trade Treaty Could Be Powerful Tool to Protect Children
Inter Press Service News Agency
25 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- The impact of global weapons trafficking on children and their recruitment as fighters should be on the agenda of talks for an international Arms Trade Treaty, say United Nations experts and non-governmental organisations. Formal negotiations on the treaty have not gotten off the ground since the vast majority of U.N. member states approved a proposal to target illicit small arms trafficking three years ago. But... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia,China
Russia, China Near Copyright Deal to Licence Kalashnikov Production
RIA Novosti (Russia)
22 October 2009
KLIMOVSK -- Russia is working to reach an agreement with China on copyright protection of Kalashnikov assault rifles, the head of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Thursday. "We have received China's national patent for Kalashnikov products. The documents have been handed to the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation to prepare and conclude an intergovernmental agreement in the field," Anatoly Isaikin... ( gunpolicy.org )
Costa Rica,United Nations,United States
Costa Rica's Arias Celebrates US Support for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Daily News (Costa Rica)
20 October 2009
President Oscar Arias is viewing the United States' interest in an Arms Trade Treaty as one more trophy to put on his wall. The disarmament advocate celebrated a statement made by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which announced the commitment of her country to the establishment of international standards for arms trading. Arias said the U.S. interest "is encouraging" because it represents "a radical" change from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya,United Nations
Kenya Leads UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Against 'Merchants of Doom'
East African (Nairobi)
19 October 2009
Kenya is pressing within the United Nations for the start of talks on a binding global treaty to restrict the illegal transfer of small arms that take scores of lives in eastern and central Africa every day. The UN's disarmament committee will decide this month whether to endorse formal negotiations on such a treaty. Continuing in the leadership role it has played on this issue for several years, Kenya has joined Britain,... ( gunpolicy.org )
Guinea,West Africa
Guinea Gun Violence Prompts West Africa to Impose Arms Embargo
Reuters
17 October 2009
ABUJA, Nigeria -- West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS on Saturday imposed an arms embargo against Guinea, accusing the ruling military junta for "mass human rights violations" during anti-government protests last month. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also threatened full sanctions on Niger if President Mamadou Tandja does not take immediate steps to resolve the country's political crisis. International... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,Africa,United States
US U-turn on Global Gun Trade Treaty 'Great News for Africa' - IANSA
Xinhua
16 October 2009
Africa campaigners against gun violence hail the U. S. decision to join the negotiations for a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty. In a joint statement issued in Nairobi, Kenya, the campaigners also urged governments to control deadly trade in weapons. "The U. S. decision to support strong global controls on the arms trade is great news for Africa," said Joseph Dube, Africa coordinator for IANSA, the global movement against... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Clinton Backs Global Gun Trade Treaty Only If Any One Nation Can Veto It
Washington Post
15 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced late Wednesday that the United States is prepared to begin negotiations on a global treaty regulating trade in conventional weapons but said Washington would sign the accord only if all other states agreed. The move marks a shift in policy from the Bush administration, which staunchly opposed U.N. negotiations to regulate the $55 billion-a-year arms trade. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Statement of US Support for UN Global Gun Trade Treaty by Hillary Clinton
US Department of State (Washington, DC), Media release
14 October 2009
Conventional arms transfers are a crucial national security concern for the United States, and we have always supported effective action to control the international transfer of arms. The United States is prepared to work hard for a strong international standard in this area by seizing the opportunity presented by the Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations. As long as that Conference operates under the rule of... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
US Reverses Stance on Global Gun Trade Treaty, But Pushes Veto for All
Reuters
14 October 2009
WASHINGTON -- The United States reversed policy on Wednesday and said it would back launching talks on a treaty to regulate arms sales as long as the talks operated by consensus, a stance critics said gave every nation a veto. The decision, announced in a statement released by the U.S. State Department, overturns the position of former President George W. Bush's administration, which had opposed such a treaty on the grounds that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Oceania,South East Asia,United Nations
Asia-Pacific Countries to Discuss Arms Transfers, Gun Trade Treaty
Bernama (Malaysia)
12 October 2009
KUALA LUMPUR -- Representatives of 28 Asia-Pacific countries will begin a two-day seminar here tomorrow to discuss global transfers of conventional arms as well as controls, according to a statement. The seminar will be officially opened by officials from the European Union and the United Nations, and will be attended by high-level representatives of the relevant ministries of the participating states, international and regional... ( gunpolicy.org )
Germany,Syria,Iran,United States
US Seizure of Iran-Syria Ammunition Cargo 'Embarrassing' for Germany
Spiegel (Germany)
12 October 2009
US troops boarded a German-owned freighter in early October and found eight containers full of ammunition, allegedly headed to Syria from Iran. The shipment is in violation of a UN weapons embargo and has become a source of chagrin in Berlin. An "embarrassing affair," is how one German diplomat described it. The official could also have added: potentially damaging to trans-Atlantic relations. In an operation reported on... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
United Nations Meeting Strengthens Push for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Associated Press
11 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- Seven countries have launched a campaign for the U.N. to start negotiations on a new treaty regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and maim thousands every day. John Duncan, Britain's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament, said the four-week meeting of the General Assembly's disarmament committee, which started Monday, will be "pivotal" in deciding... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
NGOs Hold Gun Exporters to Account for Abuses, Seek Arms Trade Treaty
Inter Press Service News Agency
8 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- With 2,000 people dying daily in armed violence fuelled by irresponsible arms transfers, talks to create an international treaty regulating these weapons can no longer be delayed, says a coalition of NGOs in a new report "Dying for Action" published Wednesday. While nuclear disarmament is high on the U.N. agenda these days, 90 percent of casualties in conflict areas are caused by small arms such as submachine guns,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Claim: Armed Violence Kills 2,000 a Day
Reuters
7 October 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- More than 2,000 people around the world are dying from armed violence each day, on average, advocacy groups said on Tuesday, urging nations to launch negotiations on a treaty to regulate the arms trade. A report by the 12 groups was issued as a U.N. General Assembly committee began considering a draft resolution that would set a timetable for negotiations with the aim of concluding a treaty in 2012. RKBA The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Campaigners Press United Nations for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Agence France Presse
6 October 2009
LONDON -- Some 2.1 million people have died either directly or indirectly from armed violence over the last three years as talks on a global arms trade treaty have stalled, campaigners said Wednesday. More than 2,000 people have died from such violence every day since 2006, when governments agreed on the need to regulate the arms trade, said British charity Oxfam and 11 other non-governmental organisations. "Eight out of... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Korea,United States
South Korea to Make Millions Selling US WWII Rifles to Gun Enthusiasts
ABC News (Australia)
23 September 2009
South Korea is planning to raise tens of millions of dollars by selling vintage US combat rifles to gun enthusiasts in the United States. The ageing M1 and carbine rifles were used by US troops in the Korean and Vietnam wars before being donated to the South Korean military. The rifles have been mothballed for years in military warehouses, but were occasionally used in drills by reserve soldiers. The defence ministry... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Korea,United States
South Korea to Sell 108,000 US Rifles Received for WWII - Back to USA
BBC News
23 September 2009
South Korea has come up with a novel way to boost its defence budget -- by selling a vast stockpile of old Korean-war rifles to collectors in the US. The guns were originally sent to Korea as military aid, and some were also used during the war in Vietnam. For more than five decades, they have been kept mothballed in warehouses. Most of those on offer are M1 rifles -- a weapon once described by US General George... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
America is Right to Oppose United Nations Global Gun Trade Treaty
Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh), Editorial
15 September 2009
Conventional arms control, United Nations-style, won't stem the proliferation of guns that get into the wrong hands. More likely, it will only make bad situations worse. The United States was one of only two nations that voted against the U.N. resolution last year. Its support among member states could advance a legally binding U.N. treaty creating "common international standards" for the import and export of small arms and light... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
UN Mexico Meeting Tackles Global Gun Trade, Security, Development
United Nations
11 September 2009
MEXICO CITY -- Taking weapons out of the hands of those who used them would help save lives everywhere, but that alone would not stop the thriving global arms trade and make the planet safer, Alfredo Ferrariz Lubang, Regional Representative of the Bangkok-based Nonviolence International South East Asia, said as the sixty-second annual DPI/NGO Conference continued in Mexico City this morning. Speaking during a round-table discussion... ( gunpolicy.org )
West Africa
Governments, NGOs Talk Up Fight Against Gun Trafficking in West Africa
Daily Observer (Monrovia)
10 September 2009
MONROVIA -- Stakeholders in the fight against small arms and light weapons in West Africa have ended a one-day retreat at Thinker's Village along Roberts International Airport (RIA) Highway in Monrovia. For years, they have been involved in a holistic fight against proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region. The day-long Inter-Agency Synergy Retreat was organized by the Liberia National Commission on... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Arab Emirates, India, China
Indian Army Grounds UAE Air Force Plane Carrying Guns to China
Times of India
8 September 2009
KOLKATA -- After trying to fob off Indian officials and investigators all of Sunday night, one of the pilots of the United Arab Emirates air force aircraft detained at Kolkata airport since Sunday finally admitted to the plane carrying a consignment of weapons. The C-130 Hercules among the biggest transport aircraft in the world was on its way to Xiangyang, China, from UAEAF's Western Air Command base in Abu Dhabi. Although the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine, United Kingdom, Africa
UK Investigates Murky AK-47 Deal Linking Ukraine, Mystery African Nation
Kyiv Post (Ukraine)
3 September 2009
Once again, nation's reputation takes a hit after arms allegedly end up in an outlaw African nation facing an international arms embargo. The United Kingdom government is investigating a British arms broker in a sale of light arms originating from Ukraine to an undisclosed country under international embargo. Although no claims have been filed against Ukraine so far, the country is implicated in improper licensing procedures of... ( gunpolicy.org )
Indonesia, Philippines, Mali
Indonesia Govt Gun Maker Probed Over Mystery Guns to Philippines, Mali
Antara News (Indonesia)
1 September 2009
JAKARTA -- The Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) will investigate state-owned weapon factory PT Pindad in the wake of its arms sales now being confiscated in the Philippines. "The investigation will be carried out to assure whether or not there is irregularity in the sales of arms produced by Pindad," BUMN Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Monday. Last Thursday, Philippine customs officers detained Panama-registered cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Indonesia, Philippines, Mali
Indonesian Govt-made Assault Rifles 'Disappear' Transiting Philippines
Antara News
1 September 2009
JAKARTA -- The Ministry of State Enterprises (BUMN) will investigate state-owned weapon factory PT Pindad in the wake of its arms sales now being confiscated in the Philippines. "The investigation will be carried out to assure whether or not there is irregularity in the sales of arms produced by Pindad," BUMN Minister Sofyan Djalil said on Monday. Last Thursday, Philippine customs officers detained Panama-registered cargo... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, Russia
MPs, Minister 'Concerned' at UK Arms Dealers Trafficking ex-Soviet Guns
BBC News
19 August 2009
UK-based arms dealers may have been selling former Soviet weapons from Ukraine to blacklisted countries, a cross-party group of MPs has warned. The MPs said they were "extremely concerned" the UK government had not been aware of a list of arms dealers licensed by the Ukrainian authorities. Foreign Secretary David Miliband has ordered an investigation into the alleged transactions. The MPs are calling for tougher... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom
UK Parliamentarians Urge Tighter Controls on Gun, Ammunition Exports
al Jazeera
19 August 2009
The British government should do more to ensure UK arms exports are not used against civilians in conflict zones, an influential group of legislators in the country has said. The Committees on Arms Export Controls has called for closer scrutiny of export licences after confirmation by the UK government that Israeli weapons systems, used in the Gaza conflict, almost certainly contained British-built components. The annual... ( gunpolicy.org )
Central America, South America
Small Arms in Latin America in the Aftermath of the NACLA Study
Council on Hemispheric Affairs (Washington, DC), Web page
18 August 2009
According to the World Health Organization, gun-related fatalities are the leading cause of death among Latin Americans between ages 15 and 44. Overall, gunshot wounds kill between 73,000 and 90,000 people annually in Latin America, demonstrating that the region is inundated with fire-arms. In fact, the North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) claims in its major groundbreaking study that there are at least 45 million to 80 million... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand, United States, Russia
'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout Wonders Why the US Wants Him So Badly
Bangkok Post
16 August 2009
In a series of exclusive interviews, Viktor Bout talks to the press outside Russia for the first time about his arrest in Bangkok and the failed effort to extradite him to the US After the surprise court ruling in Bangkok last Tuesday when the United States was denied the extradition of Viktor Bout, the man they have dubbed the Merchant of Death flashed a "V" for victory sign as he was led in leg irons and an orange prison suit... ( gunpolicy.org )
Virgin Islands (US), United States
Tennessee Guardsman Gets 2½ Years for Gun Running to Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Daily News
14 August 2009
ST. THOMAS -- A 22-year-old National Guardsman has been sentenced to a 2½-year prison term on a gun conviction. On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Curtis Gomez sentenced Shawn Tyson, a member of the Tennessee National Guard, to five years with 2½ years suspended. Tyson will spend the remaining 2½ years on supervised release, Gomez said. In October 2008, Tyson and his co-defendant, Kelroy Morrell, were indicted... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Russia
Licensed Gun Store Owner Guilty in US-Russia Arms Trafficking Case
Citizens Voice (Pennsylvania)
6 August 2009
The owner of a Luzerne County gun store pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy in Scranton's federal court. Mark Komoroski, co-owner of D&R Sports Center in Nanticoke, was one of two people indicted in 2006 for allegedly smuggling of military equipment into Russia, Kuwait, Germany and Japan in violation of U.S. export laws. The federal investigation focused primarily on paramilitary equipment purchases made from D&R in early... ( gunpolicy.org )
India, United Nations
13 Nations Feed Guns to North Indian State, Arms Trade Treaty Needed
Morung Express News (Nagaland)
25 July 2009
DIMAPUR -- Poor regulatory mechanisms, looped policies and national fiscal interests in the arms trade are translating into human costs, fuelling conflicts in war-torn zones like the North East region of India. The United Nations' General Assembly has been reminded of the urgency for an international arms trade treaty and greater humane accountability. Scholar and peace activist from Manipur Binalakshmi Nepram in her speech delivered... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, Congo (DRC)
Zimbabwe, Congo Fuelling Gun, Ammo Trafficking in East, Central Africa
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
21 July 2009
Arms and ammunition manufactured in Zimbabwe could be finding its way to Western markets, despite sanctions on President Robert Mugabe's government, according to a new international report. Zimbabwe -- Arms and Corruption: Fuelling Human Rights Abuses, prepared by conflict researchers International Peace Information Service (IPIS), states that Mugabe is still able to profit from an arms trade that includes agents from Europe and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
United Nations Working Group Inches Towards Global Gun Trade Treaty
Inter Press Service News Agency
16 July 2009
UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations concluded an open-ended working group for an international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Thursday, part of a lengthy and politically contentious process to nail down a basic framework for curbing deadly illegal weapons sales. "An open-ended working group in the U.N. is where all states can come to a meeting, it's an open invitation," Amnesty International spokesperson Brian Wood explained to IPS. "They... ( gunpolicy.org )
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Congo (ROC), Montenegro, United States
US, Congo, Zimbabwe, Montenegro All Involved in Gun Running - Report
Sunday Independent (South Africa)
12 July 2009
Zimbabwe is not only stockpiling modern weapons, but is circumventing sanctions by exporting arms to the US via Eastern Europe, according to a report to be released this week. According to the International Peace Information Service (IPIS), a Belgian research hub, the situation in Zimbabwe is a good example of why the UN-proposed Arms Trade Treaty needs to be as comprehensive as possible. Throughout last year, when the... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
Permissive US Gun Laws Support 28 Percent Rise in Global Gun Sales
Bloomberg (USA)
9 July 2009
Permissive U.S. gun controls rewarded pistol, shotgun and sniper-rifle manufacturers worldwide after Americans spent more on buying and selling weapons than anyone else on earth, the Small Arms Survey said. The U.S. exported around 22 percent and imported around 27 percent of the world's small arms, light weapons and ammunition between 2000 and 2006, the Geneva-based group said today in its 344-page "Small Arms Survey 2009." The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, United Nations
US Demand for Handguns Fuels Spike in Global Gun Trade - Survey
Agence France Presse
9 July 2009
GENEVA -- Ballooning US demand and the handgun's surge in popularity drove up the global trade in small arms by more than a quarter between 2000 and 2006, a UN-backed study showed Thursday. Those weapons in the hands of civilians, security forces or armed groups were behind the deaths of 450,000 people, said the authors of the Small Arms Survey 2009. Pistols, revolvers, rifles and heavy machine guns accounted for 60 percent... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
UN Report Cites Ghana as Major Illegal Gun Maker, Weapon Exporter
Joy Online (Ghana)
8 July 2009
A security analyst at the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Aning says the proliferation of small arms in the country have been necessitated by a mix of poverty, youth unemployment and political manipulations. He also believes the police and other security agencies have been ineffective in clamping down on the illegal acquisition of weapons. Dr Aning was responding to a United Nations report on drugs and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Austria, Croatia, United Nations
US Demand for Handguns Drives 28 Percent Jump in World Gun Trade
Associated Press
8 July 2009
GENEVA -- American demand for handguns has fueled a 28 percent jump this decade in world exports of pistols, rifles, shotguns and other small arms, a global report said Thursday. The 2009 Small Arms Survey reported that the Untied States alone was responsible for about half of the worldwide increase in legal international gun sales between 2000 and 2006. The U.S. now accounts for over half of the world's imports of pistols and revolvers... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Somalia, United States
US Dept of State Pays Ugandan Army to Funnel Guns, Ammo to Somalia
Daily Monitor (Kampala)
8 July 2009
KAMPALA -- Ugandan troops in Mogadishu have been secretly selling guns and ammunition to Somalia's struggling Transitional Federal Government on behalf of the United States government, Daily Monitor can reveal. Explaining American assistance to the TFG during a recent press briefing to US journalists in Washington, D.C., a top US State Department official said Uganda has been supplying arms to Somali troops and picking dollars from... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana, United Nations
Ghana Backs Global Gun Trade Treaty to Curb African Arms Trafficking
Ghana News Agency
7 July 2009
Mr Cletus Avoka, Minister for the Interior, on Tuesday said Ghana had a moral obligation to support other states on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that would ensure responsibility and fairness in the import, export, trans-shipment and transit of conventional weapons. He said that support would also ensure the guarantee of human rights including the economic, political and social rights of persons around the world. In a speech... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Canadians Caught Off Guard by Mystery $1.2m Gun Sale to Saudi Arabia
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
4 July 2009
Local politicians and peace advocates are chagrined that Manitoba is selling guns to Saudi Arabia, one of the most authoritarian countries in the world. "I think a Canadian company exporting small arms to the Middle East is a disgrace," said Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Pat Martin. "Arms dealers fuel conflicts, plain and simple, and God knows what violence the Saudis are sponsoring this month." Federal trade and export data shows... ( gunpolicy.org )
North Korea, Myanmar, United States
Gun Running North Korean Freighter Turns Tail from Myanmar
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / Yonhap (South Korea)
4 July 2009
SEOUL -- The North Korean freighter that changed course after being tracked by the U.S. Navy appears to be carrying conventional small arms, including Soviet-era rifles and anti-tank launchers, a source said Saturday. "Most of its consignments are believed to be small-scale military supplies such as AK-47 rifles and RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launchers," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information has... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Manitoba's Mystery Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia 'A Disgrace': Critics
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
4 July 2009
WINNIPEG -- Politicians and peace advocates say they're ashamed that Manitoba is selling guns to Saudi Arabia, one of the most authoritarian countries in the world. "I think a Canadian company exporting small arms to the Middle East is a disgrace," said Winnipeg Centre NDP MP Pat Martin. "Arms dealers fuel conflicts, plain and simple, and God knows what violence the Saudis are sponsoring this month." Federal trade and export... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada, Saudi Arabia
Canada Sends $1.2m in Guns to Saudi Arabia in Mysterious, Secret Sale
Winnipeg Free Press (Manitoba)
2 July 2009
WINNIPEG -- Manitoba exported a cache of guns worth $1.2 million to Saudi Arabia last year, but the federal government won't say who sold them, who bought them, or what they were used for. According to international-trade data available on the Industry Canada website, Manitoba exported a total of $3.1 million in "arms and ammunition" to foreign countries last year. That could include anything from flame-throwers to shotgun cartridges... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ukraine
Ukraine Sold Arms Worth About $800 Million in 2008, Says State Agency
Interfax-AVN Military News Agency (Russia) / Segodnya
2 July 2009
KYIV -- Ukraine gained about $800 million in arms trade in 2008, UkrSpetsStroy Director General Serhiy Bondarchuk said in an interview posted by the Thursday issue of the Segodnya newspaper. "Arms exports were worth of $700 million in 2007 and about $800 million in 2008, as compared to $400 million in 2004," he said. Ukraine has made a breakthrough in arms trade geography, Bondarchuk said. He referred to the recently signed... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana, United Nations
West African Arms Control Groups Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
29 June 2009
The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) has expressed grave concern over the misuse of arms worldwide. A statement issued by WAANSA to mark the Global Week of Action which fell from June 15-21, 2009, said armed violence and misuse of illicit small arms and light weapons continued to pose a serious challenge in Ghana. The week of action is set aside for civil society around the world to undertake activities... ( gunpolicy.org )
Somalia, United States
Obama Sends Guns to Somalia as Government Fights to Repel Rebels
Washington Post Foreign Service
25 June 2009
The United States has sent a shipment of weapons and ammunition to the government of Somalia, according to a U.S. official who said the move signals the Obama administration's desire to thwart a takeover of the Horn of Africa nation by Islamist rebels with alleged ties to al-Qaeda. The shipment arrived in the capital, Mogadishu, this month, according to the official, who is helping craft a new U.S. policy on Somalia and spoke on... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria, Ukraine, Equatorial Guinea
Crew of Impounded, Gun-filled Ukrainian Plane Moved to Nigerian Capital
This Day (Lagos)
22 June 2009
KANO -- The seven-member crew of the Ukrainian aircraft that flew into the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Tuesday with arms and ammunition were yesterday moved to the Abuja office of the Directorate of Military intelligence (DMI) for further investigation. A Nigerian clearing agent linked with the Ukrainian aircraft, simply identified as Sylvester, was also taken to the DMI office with the crew. Sources also... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sierra Leone, United Nations
Global Gun Trade Treaty 'Bedrock' to Curbing Gun Violence in West Africa
Concord Times (Freetown)
22 June 2009
FREETOWN -- Policy makers, including members of parliament, representatives from various ministries of government, the military, police and civil society organizations Wednesday discussed the arms trade treaty as bedrock to the maintenance of peace and stability in the country. The roundtable conference was organized by the Sierra Leone Network on Small Arms, SLANSA as part of this year's global week of action in raising awareness... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria, West Africa, United Nations
NGOs Urge Nigeria, West Africa to Support UN Global Gun Trade Treaty
Leadership (Abuja)
21 June 2009
ABUJA -- The West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), Nigeria chapter, has called on government to express vocal support for a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in a move to broaden the base of the national assault against gun violence with reference to the restive Niger Delta region. The group's president, Mr. Dickson Orji, who made this call at a briefing to mark the global week of action on small arms and light... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria, Ukraine, Equatorial Guinea
Ukrainian Plane, Gun Cargo Seized in Nigeria May Be 'Meant for Militants'
Vanguard (Lagos)
21 June 2009
Military authorities yesterday said the Ukranian cargo aircraft loaded with arms and ammunition, which was seized at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport last week, was the type of aircraft used for arms smuggling and that they have no reason not to believe that the arms were not meant for militants in the Niger Delta. According to the military, whether the cache of weapons were destined for Equitorial Guinea or Niger Delta,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, United States
Eight US Senators Push Clinton to Support Global Gun Trade Treaty
Export Industry News (USA)
19 June 2009
A bipartisan group comprised of eight senators is urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a strong proponent of an international Arms Trade Treaty to regulate the interstate transfer of conventional weapons. The second session of the United Nations' Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Arms Trade Treaty is scheduled to convene at the United Nations July 13-17. The OEWG is tasked with creating international regulations... ( gunpolicy.org )
Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Ukraine, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa
Nigeria Seizes Planeload of Guns, Military Ammunition for Mystery Client
Daily Trust (Abuja)
19 June 2009
The huge consignment of weapons found in the Ukrainian cargo plane now detained at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano was procured by the Ministry of Defence of Equatorial Guinea, the crew members of the detained plane told security agents yesterday. They insisted that they were on their way to Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, to deliver the arms consignment from the former Soviet Republic of the Ukraine when... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria, Ukraine, Equatorial Guinea
Nigeria Impounds Ukrainian Plane Carrying Guns for Equatorial Guinea
Reuters
18 June 2009
KANO, Nigeria -- A Ukrainian cargo plane bound for Equatorial Guinea has been impounded in Nigeria after security officers found weapons and ammunition on board, a Nigerian official and Ukrainian media said. The official at northern Nigeria's Kano airport, who asked not to be named, said the plane had stopped to refuel late on Wednesday when the arms were discovered during a routine search. Nigerian police confirmed that... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone NGOs Promote Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence
Awoko (Freetown)
18 June 2009
As the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) commenced their Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, they have raised awareness and campaign for better gun laws and push for stronger regulations of the Global Arms Trade. At a round table discussion with Policy makers, on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Conference hall, SLANSA Coordinator Florella Hazeley stated that the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Asia, South East Asia
UN Seminar Tackles Gun Smuggling, Trafficking in South, Central Asia
Indopia / PTI
17 June 2009
KATHMANDU -- Delegates from 13 countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, today participated in a UN-brokered regional seminar in the Nepalese capital to combat arms smuggling in South and Central Asia. The two-day seminar, first in a series of three sub-regional meets on 'Illicit Brokering of Small Arms and Light Weapons' in Asia and the Pacific, began today with an aim to enhance cooperation among the states in the region... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Global 'Gun Fight' Tipped as Handgun Makers Bid to Equip Victoria Police
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
7 June 2009
A global "gun fight" is expected to break out over the lucrative Victoria Police . Police will go to tender on Tuesday and international arms makers from across the globe could be in the running. The contract's specified requirement is that the semi-automatic pistol has a .40 calibre. Austrian company Glock, Belgian gunsmiths Browning and US company Colt all make a semiautomatic pistol with that size bore. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Johannesburg Arms Dealer Gunned Down Because He Knew Too Much?
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
7 June 2009
Arms dealer and manufacturer Ivan Monsieur should maybe have known better. Six months before his mysterious death on Tuesday in an apparent hit carried out by men in police uniform, Monsieur's home had been invaded by three similarly uniformed men, demanding entry on the pretext of police business. They had then put a gun to the head of Monsieur's wife Shengie. The bogus cops, by her testimony, then forced her... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
Murder of South African Gun Dealer Opens Up a Political Can of Worms
Citizen (Johannesburg)
7 June 2009
JOHANNESBURG -- The execution of a prominent arms dealer who attempted to expose illegal weapons trading and a hijacking syndicate operating within the metro police department is turning up more questions than answers. Belgian-born Ivan Monsieur founded New Generation Ammunition in 1991. The company is the only privately owned entity in South Africa licensed to produce new and remanufactured ammunition for both commercial and military... ( gunpolicy.org )
Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States
Record Assault Weapon Exports from Serbia Fuel US, Iraq, Afghan Wars
BBC Worldwide Monitoring / Blic Daily
4 June 2009
Last year Serbia's export of weapons and military equipment reached a record high at 400m euros, with 236m dollars for Iraq. This year export deals are worth more than 500m euros. Five out of six factories of the military industry have sold out their capacities completely for this year. Zastava Arms alone plans to export 30m dollars in 2009, which is 30 per cent more than this year. Manager Rade Gromovic told Blic that the factory... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Global Arms Trade Treaty 'Not Gun Control,' Vows British Foreign Minister
Arms Control Today (USA)
1 June 2009
Bill Rammell serves as minister of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs in the United Kingdom. His responsibilities encompass the Middle East, including Iraq and Iran; counterterrorism; counterproliferation; the Far East and Southeast Asia; North America; drugs and international crime; and migration policy. Arms Control Today met with Rammell May 5 to discuss the United Kingdom's efforts on an arms trade treaty and other international... ( gunpolicy.org )
Czech Republic
New Czech Gun Trade Legislation Enables Opaque Sales, Say Experts
Prague Post
21 May 2009
Five-thousand machine guns, six rocket launchers and thousands of RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers. Back in 2000, the Czech government surreptitiously issued licenses to local arms makers Ceská Zbrojovka and Moravia Arms for the sale of these and other weapons to Zimbabwe, a friendly neighbor of the civil war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, where the weapons could not be exported directly due to international embargoes. The affair was... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa, West Asia
Cargo Firms Delivering African Aid Also Do Arms Trafficking, Says Report
Guardian (UK)
12 May 2009
Air cargo companies involved in illicit arms and drug trafficking have been repeatedly contracted by the UN and other aid agencies to deliver humanitarian aid, a leading thinktank reveals today. Evidence that arms dealers have comprehensively penetrated the world market in aid, peacekeeping and stability operations is disclosed in a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). At least 90% of international... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa
Cargo Airlines Fly Into Africa Delivering Weapons One Day, Aid the Next
Associated Press
11 May 2009
STOCKHOLM -- Air cargo carriers involved in weapons smuggling in African conflict zones are also being contracted for international aid supplies and peacekeeping operations, a prominent peace research group said Tuesday. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said its report found that 90 percent of the carriers identified in weapons trafficking-related reports have also been used by U.N. agencies, European Union and... ( gunpolicy.org )
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