Uganda
Police Abandon 'Crude' AK-47 Assault Rifles for Pistols in Kampala
Observer (Kampala)
7 March 2010
Mean looking AK-47 toting Police constables will soon disappear from the streets as the force moves to introduce sidearm pistols, the universally accepted weapons in modern policing. The Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, told a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Kampala on Friday that the change of weapons was part of a broader plan to transform the Police from a force into a service. "We... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Government Has No Right to Deny Divine Right of US Gun Ownership
Augusta Chronicle (Georgia), Editorial
2 March 2010
In the comedy Roxanne , Steve Martin is a fire chief of an incompetent department that's as likely to start a fire as put one out. "I have a dream," he tells the men after dousing one of their own little fires. "It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream -- and I hope you don't find this too crazy -- is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department... ( gunpolicy.org )
Russia
Policeman Gets Life for Shooting 7, Killing 2 in Moscow Supermarket
Associated Press
19 February 2010
MOSCOW, Russia - A Moscow court sentenced a police precinct chief to life in prison Friday for a drunken shooting spree that killed two people and wounded seven. Maj. Denis Yevsyukov opened fire last April inside and outside a Moscow supermarket. He killed a cab driver and wounded several passers-by in the street, then gunned down a cashier and a customer in the market. He then held two dozen people hostage for several hours and... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations,United States
Professor Targeted by US Gun Lobby Over Her UN Human Rights Report
Minnesota Daily (Minneapolis)
18 February 2010
The polarizing and powerful emotions surrounding gun ownership hit close to home Friday for University of Minnesota Professor Barbara Frey. Frey, director of the University's Human Rights Program through the Institute for Global Studies, was a special rapporteur on small arms for the United Nations from 2002 to 2006 and advocated for tighter gun regulation. Last Friday, Frey started to receive "hate mail" from people, she... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia
Domestic Abuse Shootings Bring Namibia Closer to Tough Gun Control
Namibian (Windhoek)
15 February 2010
The issuing of firearm licences should be stricter, as there have been several reports of women being shot by their boyfriends or husbands, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Libertina Amathila said in Parliament on Thursday. Speaking on the debate on the draft defence policy tabled by Defence Minister Charles Namoloh, Amathila said: "Weapons [licences] are issued easily to the public, are people able to handle guns? Women are shot by their... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand,North Korea
Thailand Drops Charges Against Crew of Plane Carrying N. Korean Arms
SEESAC (Belgrade) / Choson Ilbo (Seoul), Web page
11 February 2010
Thai prosecutors have dropped charges against the crew of a plane carrying North Korean weapons despite United Nations resolutions that bar Pyongyang from selling arms. The Attorney General's office in Thailand said Thursday [ 11 February] it will not prosecute the five-man crew, whose plane stopped in Bangkok with 35 tons of North Korean weapons on board. Thai authorities say the men - one from Belarus and four from Kazakhstan... ( gunpolicy.org )
Angola
Togo Team Bus Attacked by Automatic Gunfire, 1 Dead, 9 Hurt
Associated Press
8 January 2010
LUANDA, Angola - Gunmen in an area plagued by separatist violence used machine guns to open fire Friday on a bus carrying Togo's national soccer team to a tournament in this southwest African country, killing the driver and wounding at least nine people, including two players. Some players said they wanted to pull out of the African Cup of Nations tournament following the violence, but an official in Angola said it would go ahead... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
High-level Corruption Alleged in Kenya Police Gun Trafficking Scandal
Standard (Nairobi)
13 December 2009
Hardly a week after the Cabinet approved police reforms the Administration Police is in the eye of a new storm over an illegal arms haul. The force, which has been adversely mentioned in various reports that accuse it of gross human rights violations that include murder and rape during and after the 2007 General Election is fending off allegations that its top brass is involved in clandestine movement of arms. The centre... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Looming Gun Law Ruling Could Trigger Unhinging of American Culture
Washington Times, Opinion
11 December 2009
Many have heard about the historic gun rights case going to the Supreme Court. Fewer have heard that this is also a major case for businesses and family values. It could lead to anything from court-ordered Obamacare to same-sex marriage. This is the biggest case of the year, and everyone has a stake in it. On March 2, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in McDonald v. City of Chicago. It is a gun rights case, challenging Chicago's... ( 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 )
Kenya
Police Arrest Businessman with 'Licensed' Guns, 100,000 Bullets in Nairobi
Associated Press
8 December 2009
NAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenyan police on Tuesday said they arrested a suspected weapons smuggler with up to 100,000 bullets and an assortment of guns, a huge cache in a country with stringent gun laws. Police recovered the weapons and ammunition in two raids carried out late Monday on the suspect's house in the capital, Nairobi, and on a business site in the western town of Narok, Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere said. Ever... ( gunpolicy.org )
Canada
Gun Lobby Less of a Problem than Silence of the Canadian Majority
Toronto Star (Ontario), Opinion
6 December 2009
Twenty years ago today, an angry man walked into l'École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the men from the women and screaming, "You are all a bunch of feminists!" killed 14 young female engineering students and injured 13 others. Many of us remember exactly where we were when we got the news. And exactly how we felt when we realized it could have been us or our daughters or our sisters. And we remember the outrage when we... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
More Leaked Military Guns Found in Maguindanao Massacre Probe
Manila Bulletin
4 December 2009
The noose further tightened on neck of the embattled Ampatuan clan as authorities discovered on Thursday a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunition near the family residence in Maguindanao which officials said is enough to arm a battalion of security forces. Director General Jesus Verzosa of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said subsequent raids conducted Friday on the houses of four members of the Ampatuan family, including... ( 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 )
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 )
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
Gun Registries to Be Installed Nationwide by Ghana Police
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
4 November 2009
The Ghana Police Service has been directed to instal arms registries across the country as part of measures by the government to properly control weapons. Additionally, the government is also taking steps to ensure a good stockpile management, as well as branding and tracing of official weapons, to deal with the impunity with which small arms are being used for violent crimes and conflicts in the country. The President,... ( 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 )
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 )
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
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
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 )
Saudi Arabia
Saudi to Make Gun Sales Legal, Licence Dealers to Control Trafficking
National (Abu Dhabi)
20 October 2009
JEDDAH -- Saudi Arabia has said it will allow the sale of personal firearms in an attempt to undercut the illegal arms trade in the kingdom, in a move many see as aimed at militants and Yemeni arms dealers who are benefiting from the current insurgency in Yemen. The decision, however, has raised concerns that the greater availability of weapons could lead to an increase in violent incidents among ordinary Saudis. Arms smuggling... ( 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 )
Kenya
Human Rights Worker Faces Charge for Discussing Kenya Gun Running
East African (Nairobi), Opinion
12 October 2009
NAIROBI -- Mid-last week, the British Broadcasting Corporation broke a story pointing to the possibility of arming, with conventional weapons, of both the Kalenjin and the Gikuyu communities in the Rift Valley. The story was picked up the next day by local media houses -- with key quotations to back up the BBC claims being given by Ken Wafula, who works with a human rights organisation in Eldoret. The government, predictably,... ( gunpolicy.org )
South Africa
South Africa 'Too Armed: Too Many Guns Floating Around,' Says President
Business Day (Johannesburg)
8 October 2009
President Jacob Zuma yesterday criticised the level of gun ownership in SA, hinting at the possible tightening of firearm licence regulations. Zuma repeated his call for tough action against violent crime, saying criminals should not be allowed more rights than law-abiding citizens. "We need to be firm to those who undermine the human rights of others," he said in Pretoria at the official launch of the presidential hotline. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Police Take Handgun from Drugged Drunk, Montana Judge Gives it Back
Columbia Daily Tribune (Missouri)
8 October 2009
Earlier this year, the General Assembly seriously considered allowing concealed firearms on college campuses. The twisted logic held that pistol-toting underclassmen would help prevent the next Virginia Tech-style massacre. Now comes the curious case of John L. Richard (pronounced "ree-shard"). In November 2006, Scott County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Richard's home in Benton in response to a domestic dispute.... ( 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 )
India
Indian Women Face Increasing Risk from Guns and Domestic Violence
Morung Express (Manipur), Opinion
8 October 2009
Gun violence can be part of the cycle of intimidation and aggression that many women experience from an intimate partner. Domestic violence is a feature of every nation, irrespective of social, economic, religious or cultural preferences and settings. At least one in every three women is physically abused at least once, usually by an intimate partner, with most experiencing multiple instances of abuse. For every woman killed or... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Carrying Gun to Political Protest Against Obama Poor Taste, Dangerous
Missoulian (Montana), Column
8 October 2009
Recently, self-described "conservatives" have chosen to exercise their free speech rights by vilifying the president in demonstrations in Hamilton and across the nation. This is a nationally coordinated campaign promoted heavily by the right-wing commentators of Fox News and other conservative media. These demonstrators frequently compare President Barack Obama to everything from Hitler to Stalin to the devil, pretty much emptying... ( gunpolicy.org )
Kenya
Influx of Illegal Guns as Kenyans 'Rearm for Ethnic Arms Race, 2012 Poll'
BBC News
7 October 2009
Rival ethnic groups in Kenya who fought after the 2007 election are rearming in readiness for violence at the 2012 poll, a BBC investigation has found. It is feared villagers in Rift Valley province are moving from traditional weapons such as spears to machine guns. Government officials insist they are tackling the influx of illegal arms. But they have been widely criticised for failing to punish the ringleaders... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Gun Control Commission Closed, Govt Corruption Alleged in Ghana
Graphic (Ghana)
6 October 2009
A former Technical Advisor and National Co-ordinator of the Small Arms Commission, Nana Frema Busia, has urged the Government to investigate the circumstances under which the commission was closed down and her appointment terminated by the Kufuor administration. At a press conference in Accra, Nana Frema Busia who is a daughter of former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, said the commission was established to mop up small arms in... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Supreme Court Justices to Weigh Challenges to More US Gun Laws
Associated Press
1 October 2009
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it would decide whether state and local gun control laws may be challenged under the Second Amendment. The court also agreed to hear nine other cases from among those that had piled up over its summer break, including one concerning the constitutionality of an antiterrorism law that is a favorite tool of federal prosecutors. The Second Amendment case, McDonald... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Montana Firearm Lobby Sues to Exempt State from Federal Gun Control
Associated Press
1 October 2009
HELENA, Montana -- If Montana has its way in a lawsuit filed Thursday, there will be far less federal gun control in the state. The state's libertarian streak -- which has spawned efforts to buck the federal Real ID Act and sparked widespread contempt for the Patriot Act -- is now triggering a fight over whether Montana should have sovereignty over made-in-Montana guns and equipment. If gun advocates win, the state could... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Even Gun Control Advocates Say US Supreme Court Will Relax Gun Law
Associated Press
1 October 2009
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court could ignite a vigorous new fight over state and local gun controls across the nation when it rules on a challenge to Chicago's handgun ban. The court said Wednesday it will consider a challenge to Chicago's ban, and even gun control supporters believe a victory is likely for gun-rights proponents. If the court rules that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms doesn't allow the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Namibia,Southern Africa
Local, US Experts Probe Illegal Gun Possession, Crime in Southern Africa
New Era (Windhoek)
29 September 2009
WINDHOEK -- Military and security experts from across Southern Africa, the USA and Europe are meeting in Windhoek to identify practical measures that will help address problems caused by the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The proliferation of SALW poses a serious security challenge, as not only do the they prolong the duration of armed conflict but also threaten long term stability and development... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand
To Curb Gun Violence in South, Thailand Gives 30,000 Guns to Civilians
Inter Press Service News Agency
18 September 2009
YALA, Thailand -- With an insurgency threatening to worsen, Thailand's military is turning to civilians like Nipa Waya to return fire in the three southern provinces close to the Malaysian border. Nipa, a single mother, maintains a vigil through the night armed with a shotgun at the entrance to a Buddhist village on the outskirts of this southern city. With her, on a recent night, were 15 other men and women, similarly armed, who... ( 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 )
Austria, United States
Glock's Secret Path to Profits: Handgun Maker's Troubling Tale of Intrigue
Business Week (USA) Cover Story
10 September 2009
Gaston Glock, an Austrian manufacturer of shovels and knives, had an improbable dream: He would make a fortune selling handguns in America. In the early 1980s, Glock, a self-taught firearm designer, produced an innovative pistol for the Austrian military. He then devised a plan for promoting his invention in the U.S., the world's richest gun market. First, he'd persuade American police they needed a lightweight weapon with more ammunition... ( gunpolicy.org )
Thailand
Firearms Encouraged, Gun Culture Thrives in Thailand's Climate of Fear
Agence France Presse
9 September 2009
NARATHIWAT, Thailand -- The portly assistant school principal pushes aside his paperwork and from his old leather satchel draws a Chinese pistol -- his protection here in the violent Thai south. "The children don't know I carry a gun," says Prachin Ruengchim, as the laughter of young students carries down from the upstairs classroom. "Almost nobody knows, only close friends. Some other teachers don't know." The 59-year-old... ( gunpolicy.org )
East Africa, Central Africa
East, Central African Countries Harmonise Laws to Curb Gun Trafficking
East African (Nairobi)
7 September 2009
NAIROBI -- Countries from the Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa are to harmonise their laws to fight the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. "In order to address the problem effectively, we have resolved to harmonise our laws so that we can rein in the culprits. Our state arms are being marked to help in tracing them if they fall into the wrong hands," Tanzania Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Dominic Hayuma... ( 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 )
Georgia, Russia
South Ossetia Tries to Disarm Its Citizens with Amnesty, Buyback
New York Times
15 August 2009
TSKHINVALI, Georgia -- For years, there was not much difference between a civilian and a soldier in South Ossetia, which was embroiled in a long struggle to separate from Georgia. David G. Sanakoyev, for example, wore a tie during the day. As South Ossetia's ombudsman for human rights, he handled complaints about prison conditions or unlawful firings. Three times a week, after work, he changed into camouflage and took up a position... ( gunpolicy.org )
Mexico, United States
Leaders Pledge to Trace, Stem US-to-Mexico Drug Cartel Gun Running
Reuters
13 August 2009
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- U.S. and Mexican officials signed an agreement on Thursday meant to help stem the illegal flow of U.S.-made guns and ammunition that has allowed Mexican drug gangs to kill their rivals in record numbers. The letter of intent signed in San Antonio would see U.S. federal agencies share firearms trafficking information with the attorney general of Mexico, with the aim of tracing illegal weapons and prosecuting... ( gunpolicy.org )
Yemen
Yemen Fights to Control Rampant Weapon Trafficking and Gun Violence
BBC Worldwide Monitoring, Transcript
10 August 2009
SANA'A -- In Yemen, weapons are considered the main cause of murder and acts of terrorism. However, the heavy weapons that used to be on offer in markets are no longer available due to the government's tough stand on this matter, which arms dealers in the country have resisted. However, you still can buy what you want from black market traders: Anti-aircraft missiles, cannons, offensive weapons, as well as artillery ammunition boxes. ... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Mexico, Canada, Americas
US Gun Lobby Helped Draft Regional Gun Running Treaty, Now Oppose It
Washington Times
9 August 2009
President Obama's call for the Senate to ratify a hemispheric small-firearms treaty dominated his last visit to Mexico, but in the four months since, both the treaty pledge and the drug violence that prompted it have dropped off the radar -- a victim of Congress' full schedule and gun politics. That means on Sunday Mr. Obama will go with an empty hand to Mexico, which blames the U.S. for many of the weapons used by drug cartels... ( 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 )
Sierra Leone
Campaign to Protect Women from Gun Violence in Sierra Leone
Awoko (Freetown)
23 July 2009
Members of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Defense and Presidential Affairs on Tuesday ended a day seminar on Disarming Domestic Violence and the Bill on Arms and Ammunition at the Parliament Building in Freetown. The seminar was organized by the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) in collaboration with Action Aid Sierra Leone (AASL). Giving an overview of the seminar, SLANSA Coordinator, Florella... ( 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 )
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 )
Pakistan
Pakistan Gives Guns to Anti-Taliban Vigilantes, Just As it Did the Taliban
BBC News
5 July 2009
MIANWALI -- Mianwali in Pakistan's western Punjab lies in the shadow of rugged mountains. On the other side of the range lies the North West Frontier Province where the army is engaged in a bloody offensive against the Taliban. In the past few months, that militancy has crept into Mianwali -- with shootings and bomb attacks and the arrest of several suspected militants, including a would-be suicide bomber. The local police... ( 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 )
Kenya
Kenya Destroys 22,634 Guns, But Criminals Still Have More Than 10,000
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
30 June 2009
More than 10,000 firearms are in the hands of criminals in Kenya today, posing a big threat to security, a government body revealed on Tuesday. The National Focal Point on Small Arms has thus drafted a memo to the cabinet seeking to introduce harsh penalties on people convicted of gun crime. Initial proposals pushed for the death sentence but have since been scaled down to the life sentence, head of the unit David Kimaiyo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Cameroon
Communities in Cameroon Urged to Join Global Gun Control Campaign
Cameroon Tribune
29 June 2009
Granting a press briefing in Yaounde recently on the dangers of the gun in most communities, as part of activities of the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, the Executive director of the Cameroon Youths for Peace (CAMYOSFOP), Eugine Ngalim Nyuydine recalled the United Nations efforts to stop Small Arms and Light weapons (SALW). Taking questions from journalists on the week long activities against gun violence, he said they... ( gunpolicy.org )
Oceania, Mexico, Australia, United Nations
Even Small Numbers of Guns Can Turn a Pacific Community to Chaos
PacNews / Pacific Islands News Association
25 June 2009
Guns in the Pacific region have the potential to create chaos, economic damage and social disruption, a just-completed conference has been told, reports Radio Australia. The meeting of Pacific Island officials in Sydney, Australia, was sponsored by the United Nations Disarmament Office and the Australian Government. It looked at the scale of the problem and initiatives to tackle it. It was chaired by Mexico's Pueblo... ( gunpolicy.org )
Oceania, Australia, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, United Nations
Guns Threaten Pacific Stability, Ammunition Controls on Way, UN Told
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave)
24 June 2009
Guns in the Pacific region have the potential to create chaos, economic damage and social disruption, a conference has been told. The meeting of Pacific Island officials in Sydney was sponsored by the United Nations Disarmament Office and the Australian Government. The two-day event, which has just wound up, looked at the scale of the problem and initiatives to tackle it. It was chaired by Mexico's Pablo Macedo,... ( 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 )
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 )
Philippines
More Than a Million Illegal Guns Are Now 'Loose' in Philippines - Report
Manila Bulletin
18 June 2009
Small arms and light weapons (SALW) is estimated at 640 million worldwide with the Philippines accounting for 1,110,372 loose firearms, the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS) reported. Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Avelino I. Razon Jr. has supported the call by the United Nations to put an end to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, saying these weapons are "a threat to peace... ( gunpolicy.org )
Gambia, United Nations
Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence Underway in Ghana
Daily Observer (Banjul)
17 June 2009
The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, organised by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) runs from 15-21 June 2009. In the course of this period, events are held in over 80 countries across the world, aimed at drawing attention to the human costs associated with proliferation and misuse of guns. Campaigners in The Gambia are also in the thick of things, joining their colleagues around the world... ( gunpolicy.org )
Sudan
To Redevelop Sudan, Buy Back Guns from Ex-Combatants and Civilians
New Sudan Vision, Opinion
24 May 2009
Sudan as a whole is and will continue to be in oddities from the post-conflict spilt over small arms and their misuse for quite sometime. If we, however, inject some science in this scenario in order to define and justify this eccentricity, it would be logical to see the inter-tribal small arms' conflict as after-shock from the aftermath of the twenty one years of a brutal war with each other. These definitions and many others will help... ( 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 )
Kenya
Street Shootings Claim Prominent Victims, 'Gunmen Run Wild' in Nairobi
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
6 May 2009
A spate of unresolved killings in Nairobi and its environs over the past two months has raised the alarm over the level of gun crimes in Kenya's capital city. From March, over 26 people have been shot and killed in circumstances that suggest planned murder rather than opportunistic crimes or robberies gone wrong. The number could be much higher given that the Nation figures are based only on reports of high-profile killings. The... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States
Columbine Truth 10 Years On: It Can Happen Here, Where You Live
San Francisco Chronicle
20 April 2009
"Columbine" The five Galileo high school students looked at each other and shook their heads. No, each said in turn. Never heard of it. What is Columbine? It's a Colorado high school where 10 years ago today two gun-toting students in black trench coats killed 12 classmates and a teacher, striking them down near the school's entrance, in the hallways and outside the cafeteria. Most of the carnage was in the library,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Mexico, Americas
Obama Blames US for Mexico Gun War, Urges Senate Gun Control Battle
Washington Times
17 April 2009
MEXICO CITY -- Meeting face-to-face with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, President Obama on Thursday said the U.S. is to blame for much of Mexico's drug violence, and he set up a major congressional gun-control battle by calling on the Senate to ratify a treaty designed to track and cut the flow of guns to other countries. Mr. Obama said he wants to renew a ban on some semiautomatic weapons but that it is not likely to pass Congress.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Mexico
US Border Agents Intercept Money, Guns as Mexico Violence Stirs Fears
San Francisco Chronicle, Blog
12 March 2009
With Congress expressing growing concern over drug-related violence along the U.S.-Mexico border and what the United States can do about it, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are turning fresh attention to interrupting the flow of guns and cash that fuels Mexico's drug cartels. That's a strategy that Mexico has long urged the United States to take. And it seems that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who oversees... ( gunpolicy.org )
Europe, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland
European Countries Tighten Gun Laws But More Needed, Say Experts
Associated Press
12 March 2009
School shootings and other gun crimes have spurred European governments to tighten their gun laws but the measures have been uneven across the continent, experts said Thursday. Dramatic incidents, such as Wednesday's rampage by a 17-year-old gunman who killed 15 people at his former school in Germany, often jolt authorities into action. Finland announced plans Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on firearms, including... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Thailand, Russia, United Nations
Gun Runner Bout Has Thailand, Russia, US in 'Geostrategic Dilemma'
Far Eastern Economic Review
6 March 2009
BANGKOK -- Today marks the one year anniversary of alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout's arrest in Bangkok, a contested covert operation that has put Thailand in the geopolitical middle of the United States and Russia. It remains to be seen whether Mr. Bout will be extradited to the U.S., where he faces charges of conspiracy to provide weapons to a foreign terrorist organization. After Canada and Mexico, Thailand extradites... ( gunpolicy.org )
New Zealand
Australian Experience Makes Case for Gun Law Reform in New Zealand
Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand; Vol. 15 No. 2, p. 24
1 March 2009
The gun death rates in New Zealand from suicide and homicide are considerably higher than in Australia. In 2005, these gun death rates per 100,000 people were .91 in Australia (1,2,3) and 1.3 in New Zealand. (4) Are the higher death rates in New Zealand a result of your country's relatively relaxed taws in relation to gun ownership? Apart from exceptions such as pistols, military-style semi automatic firearms and restricted weapons, New... ( gunpolicy.org )
Australia
Australia's Head of State Dumps Gun Owners, Resigns as Shooters' Patron
Age (Melbourne)
26 February 2009
Roses, the RSPCA, stamps, rugby union, depression, dinghys and Girl Guides -- but not guns for Australia's Governor-General Quentin Bryce, even if it's a right royal tradition. The former human rights activist has offended Australia's gun lobby by ditching a long-standing tradition that the Queen's representative be patron of the National Rifle Association of Australia. The Age has been told that Ms Bryce delivered the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Africa
Professor's Research on Gun Trafficking in Africa Will Empower Citizens
Targeted News Services / Northeastern University, Boston, Media release
23 February 2009
BOSTON -- Curbing the "unregulated and irresponsible" arms trading business -- an almost $50 billion per year industry that leads to more than a thousand deaths worldwide every day -- is "one of the most pressing issues of this century," says Denise Garcia, assistant professor of political science and international affairs. Garcia, whose book "Small Arms and Security -- New Emerging International Norms" examines illicit arms trafficking... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ecuador
Street Gang Members Give Up Handguns for Destruction in Ecuador
Christian Science Monitor
22 February 2009
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador -- In the most dangerous neighborhood of Guayaquil -- Ecuador's largest and most crime-ridden city -- a dozen youths are busy working in the Paz Urbana Print Shop. By the entrance, a young man designs a T-shirt logo with graffiti paint. In the back, amid the hip-hop music and paint fumes, tattooed young men with baggy pants and baseball caps compile an order of worksheets for schools. The print shop is... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, United States, United Nations
Obama, Support Global Gun Trade Treaty - Oxfam, Saferworld, Amnesty
Times (UK), Letter
10 February 2009
Sir, President Obama's moves to cut America's stockpiles of nuclear weapons and to engage in a "legally binding arms reduction process" must be welcomed ("Obama to seek cuts in nuclear warheads", report, Feb 4). Cutting nuclear weapons will make the world a safer place in the long term, but in the short term the control of conventional weapons and small arms could have a massive impact on the lives of millions of people around the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Pakistan
Curb Demand for Weapons in Pakistan: Global Gun Trade Treaty Urged
News (Karachi)
29 January 2009
PESHAWAR -- Speakers at a daylong seminar here Wednesday urged the government to come out with a well-contrived policy to put a leash on proliferation of small arms, which was fuelling violence and terrorism in the society. "The unhindered spread of small arms is furthering the culture of violence, honour killings and human rights violations in our society," they observed during a seminar on 'Arms Trade Treaty' held here under the... ( gunpolicy.org )
Congo (DRC)
Congo Buyback Collects 3,000 Guns, Mainly from Women: Many Stolen?
IRIN (UN News)
15 December 2008
KINSHASA -- Hundreds of people in Kinshasa have handed over illegal weapons for cash and cloth in a no-questions-asked campaign to reduce crime in the Democratic Republic of Congo. AK-47 automatic rifles, Uzi sub-machine guns and rocket launchers were among the 3,000 or so weapons collected over the past three weeks by the Ecumenical Programme for Peace, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (PAREC), an NGO. Those in working... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Critical Nations Stall as UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Creeps Forward
Arms Control Today (USA), December
1 December 2008
More than 140 countries voted at the UN First Committee to continue discussion next year on the creation of a global arms trade treaty, marking some progress on a resolution first passed in 2006. The United States voted against the measure and has not yet decided whether to continue its participation in the discussions. With or without the world's top arms trader, significant hurdles exist in reaching a legally binding instrument. Continued... ( gunpolicy.org )
Ghana
Fear of Election Violence Prompts Peace Plea, Polling Gun Ban in Ghana
Joy Online / Daily Graphic (Ghana)
13 November 2008
A security and small arms expert, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, has cautioned that reports that some people, particularly the youth, are being armed to foment trouble during the December 7 elections pose a serious threat to the peace and security in the country. He has, therefore, called on the police and the other security agencies to act decisively to deal with the situation, while calling on the general public to report any person involved... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, United States, Zimbabwe
UN Votes for Global Gun Trade Treaty: 147 in Favour, 2 Against
Associated Press
31 October 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly endorsed the idea of an unprecedented treaty regulating the global arms trade Friday, despite opposition from the United States. Of the U.N.'s 192 member nations, 147 voted in favor of drafting the treaty. Only the U.S. and Zimbabwe voted against it, with the other nations absent or abstaining. Proponents say they hope to adopt a treaty within five years imposing... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, United States
United States, Zimbabwe Alone in Opposing UN Global Gun Trade Treaty
Reuters
31 October 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- The United States and Zimbabwe may not be on the best of terms, but they had a rare moment of unity on Friday when their U.N. envoys joined forces to vote against establishing global arms trade standards. Nearly 150 nations voted in favor of drafting a legally binding arms trade treaty that would tighten regulation of, and set international standards for, the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons.... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations, United States
Lopsided UN Vote Kicks Off Negotiations for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Agence France Presse
31 October 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- A UN General Assembly panel on Friday overwhelmingly backed steps to draft a treaty establishing international standards for the arms trade. It endorsed a resolution urging UN member states to consider how 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."... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, United Nations
UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Faces 'Crucial Vote, Make-or-break Moment'
Guardian (UK) / Comment is Free, Opinion
27 October 2008
In these days of giant bank bail-outs and financial calamity involving sums in the billions, 1,000 seems like a small number. Except it is the average number of people killed by small arms every day, and to me that number is devastating. Many of these deaths happen because armed weapons are too easy to buy and sell. There are at least 640m firearms in existence in the world today and up to 14bn bullets are manufactured every year,... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, United Nations
UN Gun Trade Treaty: As of Last Week, 111 of 192 States Had Signed Up
Sunday Herald (Glasgow), Opinion
26 October 2008
Someone has just been killed. Soon their family will know. Their mother and father, or sons and daughters, or husband or wife will face the grief of a loved one lost, the expected future ended, and potential hardship as they face life without them. Today, as you are reading the Sunday papers and hopefully relaxing after your week, somewhere someone has been killed by firearms. Not just one person, but about 50 this hour and every... ( gunpolicy.org )
Philippines
NGOs in Philippines Promote United Nations Global Gun Trade Treaty
ABS-CBN News (Manila), Column
24 October 2008
On October 21, the UN General Assembly's Disarmament and International Security Committee received the report of the commissioned Group of Government Experts that examined the feasibility, scope and parameters of a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT is a new legal regime in the making that will determine whether or not we can expect in the next decades more loose firearms killing or maiming more people around the world. To... ( gunpolicy.org )
United States, Mexico, United Nations
'Global Treaty Against Guns' Could Slow US Weapons to World Criminals
Foreign Policy In Focus (USA)
23 October 2008
We've heard a lot about gun control and the second amendment in this election season. A McCain-Palin poster, featuring Alaska's 44-year-old governor with a big gun and the viewer in her rifle sights, is just one of the more graphic indications that gun control is a lightning-rod issue that distracts, distorts, and dismays. More than 200 years after our founding fathers enshrined the right to "bear arms" in our Constitution, we have... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Tutu Urges 192 UN Ambassadors to Support Global Gun Control Treaty
Agence France Presse
22 October 2008
NEW YORK -- South Africa's retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Tuesday appealed to UN member states to "end the slaughter" resulting from the uncontrolled small arms trade by backing a global arms trade treaty. In a message delivered to all 192 missions to the United Nations here, he pointed out that "in the last two years almost three quarters of a million people have died as a result of armed violence. "You can and must... ( gunpolicy.org )
Uganda, Sudan
Proliferation of Guns in South Sudan Threatens West Nile, Uganda
Daily Monitor (Kampala)
13 October 2008
Illicit acquisition and open sale of small arms in South Sudan capital Juba poses a threat to security in the West Nile districts, the Arua Municipality MP has said Mr Akbar Godi said today the trade could lead to formation of armed groups who could attack the West Nile districts at will. "I was in Juba three months ago and discovered that guns like pistols are sold in open markets in Sudan," Mr Godi said. "If we don't check out... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Unchecked Gun Trade Fuels Conflict, Poverty: UN Treaty Seen As Urgent
Inter Press Service News Agency
11 October 2008
UNITED NATIONS -- With 1.3 trillion dollars spent every year on the world's militaries, countries enmeshed in conflict are often flooded by weapons which are then turned against helpless civilian populations, say human rights organisations pushing for an international treaty to closely regulate arms sales. "If a country is likely to be involved in warfare, then it is unjustifiable to sell arms. There must be regulation or control... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Kingdom, United Nations
UK Union Boss, Amnesty International Call for Global Gun Trade Treaty
Guardian (UK), Letter
10 October 2008
This week marks the start of crucial discussions at the UN on whether or not to start work on a treaty that would stop weapons ending up in the hands of abusers, and that would tighten controls on the huge number of weapons flooding our planet (China warns US over plan for $6.5bn arms sale to Taiwan, October 8). Such a treaty is desperately needed. Every day 1,000 people die as a result of armed violence. And 639m small arms are in circulation... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
How, Why UN Small Arms Meeting Made Headway - Chairman Speaks
Arms Control Today (USA)
10 October 2008
When I was nominated in December 2007 as the chair-designate of the third biennial meeting of states (BMS3),[1] my team and I immediately focused on the task of ensuring a successful outcome. This, of course, is the duty of any meeting chair; but in this case, the need for success was acute. The first two biennial meetings held to consider the implementation of the Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small... ( gunpolicy.org )
United Nations
Nukes, WMD Make the Headlines, But Guns Kill 1,000 a Day - UN Treaty
The World Today (UK) October 2008, Vol 64, Issue 10
1 October 2008
By tightening and universalising the trading rules of a 'responsible' international arms market, a[n arms trade] treaty would aim to crowd out illegal and informal arms trafficking and, over time, dry up the pool of illegal conventional weapons and limit the death and damage with which we have become too familiar. Of the 192 member states of the United Nations, 153 voted for the resolution at its launch, and a remarkable hundred or so have... ( gunpolicy.org )
Nigeria
Nigeria Pushes Global Gun Trade Treaty to Stem Proliferation of Firearms
Daily Trust (Abuja) / NAN
1 October 2008
Nigeria yesterday in New York called for a legally binding global instrument to stem the proliferation of small arms in Africa. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, made the call while delivering Nigeria 's statement at the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly. Maduekwe said that the legal moves became necessary due to the devastating impact of illicit trade in small arms and light weapons which fuel... ( gunpolicy.org )
India
Political Will Required for India to Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
Hindu (India), Opinion
30 September 2008
Over 1,000 people are killed every day by arms. Eight million small arms and light weapons are produced every year. Each year at least a third of a million people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. Based on an evaluation of the value of total exports for 2005-07, as officially reported by the authorities of each country, listed for... ( gunpolicy.org )
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