Email Louise Rimmer (IANSA Communications Officer) for the contact details for the organisers of these events.
Australia
The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in collaboration with the University of Sydney's International House opened the photo exhibition ‘Men and Guns’ as part of the Global Week of Action. The exhibition, originally created for the 2006 UN Review Conference on small arms, contains compelling portraits of men who have been shot and disabled, men who have been in gangs and armed groups and men who work as advocates or governmental officials to control the trade in small arms and light weapons. The exhibition was accompanied by a lecture for students highlighting national campaigns which have resulted in strengthened gun laws, including South Africa, Brazil, Sierra Leone and Cambodia.
Azerbaijan
Young women from Centre Women and Modern World met with state representatives, NGOs, religious organisations during a roundtable which was complemented with IANSA materials.
Bangladesh
* ‘Stop the Bullet’ video before and after TV news bulletins
An impressive five TV channels broadcast the ‘Stop the Bullet’ video before and after regular news bulletins throughout the week. Congratulations to the Changemaker organisation, which arranged the broadcasts.
* Over 1000 people take part in Week of Action
Congratulations to our members in Bangladesh, who through a wide range of activities may have broken the IANSA record by involving 1000 people directly in their Week of Action!
Around 600 people stood shoulder-to-shoulder to form two spectacular human chains in support of stricter arms control in the Satkhira and Jessore districts. The rallies were jointly organised by the Bangladesh Development Partnership Group (BDPC) and the Bangladesh Action Network on Small Arms (BANSA). The groups also collaborated on a conference on legal strategies against armed violence at the Office of the Deputy Commissioner in Dhaka. 120 delegates attended, including district judge Khan Abdul Mannon and Khandakar Aminul Hoque, the Assistant Attorney General of the Government of Bangladesh.
Almost 300 people attended a rally against gun violence in Dhaka jointly organised by BDPC, BANSA and South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE Bangladesh). Information leaflets were distributed among the crowd calling for the government to implement the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and to form a National Peace and Security Commission to address gun violence. The event was covered by 31 English and Bengali daily newspapers and two TV Channels; BTV and Channel 1.
BDPC organised a press conference at the National Press Club to mark the Global Week of Action. Director Sharif A Kafi documented the rise of armed violence in Bangladesh by highlighting a recent spate of gun deaths in April, when 164 people died. A total of 104 illegal firearms were recovered in the same month. The organisation also expressed its support for an international ATT and prepared a recommendation report to help control illegal arms trade. The press conference received significant media coverage, including the Daily Star.The same newspaper continued coverage on 8 June.
BDPC, BANSA and Chittagong Social Development Forum (CSDF) joined forces for a second press conference, focusing on armed criminal activities. Speakers included Nazer Hossain, Chairman of CSDF and Jasmeen Sultana, Chairperson of the Chittagong District Committee for Preventing Violence against Women. A keynote speech by BDPC Director Sharif Kafi was also broadcast live on a major station, Radio Today.
BDPC submitted a declaration urging the government to implement the UN PoA and the ATT to parliamentarians in the Ministries of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Law and Justice and the National Bangladeshi Police. The media were briefed on the declaration’s content at a final press conference on Sunday 8 June at the National Press Club.
India
* Radio interview on gun violence
Binalakshmi Nepram from Control Arms Foundation in India (CAFI) gave an interview on 3 June on the national TV network, CNN-IBN. The interview focused on the causes of rising gun violence in India and the legal loopholes that exist within national arms licensing policies. Nepram also discussed steps that are needed to improve the country’s situation of armed violence. Meia coverage included Kangla Online.
* Stop the Bullet video to be launched on TV
Dr Geeta Kurhade of Medicovet in Nagpur has arranged for the powerful Stop the Bullet video to be shown on the national TV network, Bharat Cable Network. The video is a particularly powerful tool for promoting awareness about gun violence.
* Regional workshops on small arms
IIPDEP held several educative workshops on 2-5 June in the states of Nagpur, Manipur and Rajasthan. The workshops focused on the illicit trade in small arms and its effects on different regional state borders of India. Over 60 people participated in each event, with as many 90 at the Rajasthan workshop, and there was wide media coverage by both TV and newspaper outlets.
* Market exhibitions
Medicovet Rural Welfare Society engaged the public through exhibitions in the market places of Nagpur. Representatives carried banners through the market stalls to generate interest in the campaign and initiated discussions with market goers and stall holders.
* Meeting of parliamentarians
In New Delhi on 5 June, several Indian parliamentarians gathered at the Constitution Club of India to discuss the role of parliamentarians within the national arms control campaign. The Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) report that a number of participants pledged to work together to create a National Commission on Small Arms during 2008. The parliamentarians included Dr Thokchom Meinya, Francis Fathome and Dr Karan Singh Yadav. India's former Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms Arundhati Ghose also launched her book about the need for national gun law reform.
* Gun camp
Rural Development and Youth Training Institute (RDYTI) held a two day youth camp on gun violence and misuse in Chandbawri Village. There was a large turnout, with the event attracting over 1400 participants. RDYTI sensitised the community about gun violence through puppet shows and cultural displays. The event ended with youth leaders declaring a gun ban in the village.
* Meeting with Delhi Arms Licensing Office
Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) met with three officers from the Delhi Arms Licensing Unit on 6 June to discuss how to reduce gun violence. As a result, CAFI and the unit agreed to exchange information and join forces to review loopholes in the 1958 Indian Arms Act.
* Seminar on small arms proliferation
The Citizens Collective organised a seminar on arms proliferation in the state of Assam on 4 June. The “Stop the Bullet” video was screened before a discussion about the need to involve parliamentarians in small arms control. Those attending included NGO representatives, and scholars including Dr Stuti Deka and Dipak Talukdar.
* Gun laws under scrutiny at conference
The Martin Luther King Centre for Democracy and Human Rights held a seminar on the role of youth in gun violence prevention on 8 June in Orissa. A round table conference on strengthening gun licensing measures was also held on 10 June with participants including lawyers from the Orissa High Court.
* Doctors speak out about gun injuries in the emergency room
Dr Balkrishna Kurvey of the Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament & Environmental Protection had an extremely fruitful week. He organised workshops in two regions with specific small-arms related problems; Rajasthan, which suffers from arms trafficking over the border with Pakistan, and Hydrabad, capital of Andrah Padresh, which is seriously affected by gun violence from armed militia. The workshops were attended by local schoolchildren, state politicians, doctors, women’s groups and the media. Doctors reported that they were seeing more women and children present with gun injuries, while one schoolchild said they ‘were living in the shadow of fear of small arms’. Politicians were urged to increase India’s commitment to UN processes such as the Programme of Action on Small Arms and the Arms Trade Treaty. Reports of the workshops and the IANSA WoA statement were broadcast on regional TV and reported in local newspapers.
* Youth campaign to stop gun proliferation
Swadhina in India put its full weight behind raising awareness in Calcutta on the dangers of small arms. Information leaflets were sent to 100 civil society organisations and a press release was distributed 30 leading newspapers. Five hand painted posters were also designed by artist Saumitra Chaudhury while 100 specially designed t-shirts were handed out to youth to promote the fight against gun violence. Swadhina invited 50 youth to participate in a discussion led by a number of expert speakers on 7 June that addressed a wide range of gun-related issues. Saswati Roy from the India Section of War Resisters’ International spoke about how poverty and social status can fuel the use of guns while Sharmistha Goswami, a senior staff reporter of the ABP group, highlighted the glorification of violence in the lifestyle of youth.
Japan
Japan Centre for Conflict Prevention (JCCP) spoke about small arms, gender and security sector reform during a symposium attended by 40 participants. Yasumitsu Kida from the Japan Assistance Team for Small Arms Management project in Cambodia (JSAC) spoke about threats that the presence of small arms pose to post-conflict communities and described the JSAC programme in Cambodia to illustrate the benefits of weapons surrender. Miho Fukui from the Japanese Secretariat of International Peace Cooperation Headquarters focused on the plight of women in conflict zones while Rumiko Seya from JCCP touched upon the importance of security sector reform.
Mongolia
Amnesty International Mongolia organised a friendly football match between the national adult team and the national youth team in support of the Control Arms campaign. The match was held on 2 June and the National team wore Control Arms Campaign t-shirts. The match was followed by a photo session with the players and a musical piece by a young violinist who is part of AI Mongolia’s youth group.
Nepal
South Asia Small Arms Network (SASA-Net Nepal) organised a workshop on the impact of illicit small arms misuse and the need for stricter arms control. The workshop on 8 June involved 65 participants, including representatives from SASA-Net, youth groups and the newly elected Nepalese Constituent Assembly. Click here to read the report.
Pakistan
* Inaugural ceremony and group discussion
40 girls and women, between the ages of 13-35, attended a Week of Action inaugural ceremony on 2 June organised by the Ecumenical Commission for Human Development (ECHD). ECHD also held an educative group discussion about gun violence on 3 June which involved 65 female participants.
* Children’s essay and drawing competition
Blue Veins, a member of the IANSA Women’s Network in the North West Frontier Province, is marking the Week of Action with an impressive range of events. In Peshawar, an essay and drawing competition on the subject of gun violence was held for children and young people. The winners will be awarded with trophies later in the week. Grassroots in Action held a seminar with female survivors of gun violence in the Charssada district, while focus group discussions were organised by students of Frabi Degree College and the Sargodha Girls College. Coverage of these activities has featured in at least 10 newspapers including the Daily Express, Daily Statesman and Daily Alakhbar. Click here for photos.
* Local arms dealer closes for Week of Action
Grassroots in Action, another group based in the North West Frontier Province, claimed a significant victory when a local arms dealer agreed to close his shop for the duration of the Week of Action.
* Display stall at university
On 4-5 June, Community Appraisal & Motivation Programme (CAMP) and Sustainable Peace and Development Organization (SPADO) joined forces and set up a display stall at the Students Teachers Center (STC) at the University of Peshawar. This helped raise awareness about the trade in small arms, and information about an ATT was distributed among students and teachers. A petition in support of an ATT was also circulated.
* Peace walk in Peshawar
Local citizens took part in a public walk in Peshawar to raise awareness on small arms proliferation. The walk was organised by the Community Initiatives Support Services (CISS) and took place on Friday 6 June. A local colonel addressed participants on national attitudes towards small arms in the region, and urged men to reject guns as a symbol of masculinity and consider the negative impact of small arms on women and children.
* Women’s group recruits men for street demonstration
Women Empowerment Organisation held a demonstration involving both sexes in the central business district of Islamabad on 5 June. The organisation then visited the Islamabad College for Girls where they encouraged teachers to talk to students about the dangers of weapons. A further discussion involving 50 women in Banigala village was held on Saturday 7 June.
* Experts examine firearms law
SPADO and CAMP organised a seminar entitled ‘The Cost of Weak Firearm Laws‘ with expert calling for more effective laws on the arms trade. Raza Shah Khan, Executive Director of SPADO and Asghar Ali Khan, Programme coordinator of CAMP, spoke during the seminar at Peshawar Press Club on 9 June.
* Religious scholars debate gun use
Peace Foundation gathered over 25 religious scholars and NGO representatives in Peshawar to discuss Islamic beliefs against the use of small arms. The forum recognised the lack of security among tribal areas in the country where a wide variety of arms are easily available and where there is a high number of guns kept in homes.
Philippines
* Discussions with National Police officials
The Philippines Action Network on Small Arms (PhilANSA) is meeting with officials from the security sector as part in the Week of Action. On 3 June a meeting was held with the Head of the police Firearms Division to discuss the monitoring of both licensed and unlicensed arms. Members also met with representatives of the Philippines President’s Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes.
* Public forum on armed violence
The Armed Violence Reduction Resource Group (AVRRG) held a public forum on armed violence in Sulu on 5 June. Speakers included Police Chief Inspector Amil Baanan, Romeo Villanueva, Executive Director of Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), and Cocoy Tulawie, Chairman of Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Societies (CBCS). Presentations covered a range of topics including the rates of armed crime and the impact of small arms on the civilian population and children.
Sri Lanka
South Asia Small Arms Net Work (SASAnet) marked the Week of Action with a broadcasts on several Sri Lankan radio stations, including SLBC City FM, SLBC National and Sri FM. The broadcasts covered the impact of armed violence on young people and potential approaches to reduce gun crime.
A particular highlight: on 5 June SASA-Net continued to engage the public through a live radio discussion on NETH FM Radio. Speakers included Lieutenant Colonel Susantha Fonseka from the Sri Lankan Army, and Bernard Edirisinghe from SasaNet. The title of the show was ‘War, Weapons and Civil Society’ and Lieutenant Fonseka explained how legal small arms supplies are diverted for illicit use during war.
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