All UN member states are meeting in New York this month to discuss security and disarmament.

Members of International Arms Network on Small Arms (Iansa), the global movement against gun violence, are campaigning for a treaty that will ban transfers of arms or ammunition if they will:

+ be used for serious violations of human rights or war crimes;
+ undermine development or involve corruption;
+ provoke or worsen armed conflict;
+ contribute to violent crime; and
+ risk being diverted into acts of terrorism

The decision of the United States to join the negotiations for a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty was welcomed this week by campaigners against gun violence.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, announced that the US is committed to “actively pursuing a strong and robust treaty” containing “the highest possible, legally-binding standards for the international transfer of conventional weapons.”

This is a major policy reversal.

The previous US administration consistently opposed the effort to create a treaty.

“The US decision to support strong global controls on the arms trade is great news for countries in Asia like the Philippines where arms proliferate,” said Jasmin Nario-Galace, member of the Philippine Action Network on Small Arms (Philansa).

No doubt, the proliferation of arms in the Philippines, particularly in Southern Mindanao contributes greatly to the rates of injury and death, human rights, and international humanitarian law violations as well as armed conflicts.

Philansa believes that the sale and supply of small arms and ammunition must be strictly controlled.

States should pursue an arms trade treaty that would require the refusal of transfers when there is a clear risk that the arms will intensify armed conflicts and derail development initiatives.

The shift of US policy on small arms as articulated by Hilary Clinton is great news and a fresh wind for campaigners across the world.

The US is the world’s largest arms exporter. To read Hillary Clinton’s statement, please click here.

In the Philippines, the campaign on the control of small arms is lead by Philansa.

It is a network of 14 organizations and networks across the Philippines. They all work to address the complex issue of supply and control of small arms in the country.

Philansa is a member of Iansa, the global network that addresses the proliferation of small arms and it leads the campaign at the UN for an International Treaty on Small Arms.

The havoc of the uncontrolled sale and supply of small arms is deeply felt in conflict areas, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

In Southern Mindanao, violence and conflicts show their ugly faces in the form of widespread supply of small arms. Government troops, rebels, warlords, bandits, and terrorists have access to small arms beyond belief.

An international Treaty on Small Arms will, definitely, seek to control the transfer, sale and possession of small arms.

Over 90 percent of deaths in conflict areas are caused by small arms that include among others M 16 and M 14, the standard issue for combatants, warlords’ army and bandits, terrorists, and militias.

The staggering statistic of violent deaths related to small arms makes it imperative for all people of goodwill to muster their resources and capitalize on the new and fresh wind coming from Washington DC for a new push for intensive lobby on a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty with strict enforcement standards at the level on the United Nations.

If you desire to join the campaign contact:

PHILANSA c/o Jasmin Galace on +63 906 465 2744
IANSA c/o Alastair McKay on +44 (0)20 7065 0870