Introduction
The proliferation, easy access and misuse
of small arms and light weapons endanger the security of people,
communities and nations; and West Africa is no exception. Small
Arms are the main weapons used in armed robberies, intra and
inter communal feuds, local wars, armed insurrections, armed
rebel activities and terrorism. They are used to facilitate
drug trafficking, smuggling and other such crimes. Small arms
and light weapons are used to grossly violate human rights,
to facilitate the practice of bad governance, to subvert constitutions,
to carry out coup d'états and to create and maintain
a general state of fear, insecurity and instability.
The misuse of small arms and light weapons
only therefore produces catastrophic results including serious
physical and psychological wounds to large sections of the
population, internally displacing millions of people, condemning
several million others to the life of refugees, the breaking
up of families and communities, and the destruction of economies
and the environment. The net effect is untold human sufferings
excruciating poverty, deepened underdevelopment, more violent
conflicts and the absence of peace.
Conflicts in Africa, and especially those
in the West African sub-region, exacerbates to bloody and uncontrolled
proportions because of the easy accessibility and availability
of small arms. In combating the problem posed by the proliferation
of small arms and light weapons, one is confronted with the
demand and the supply for the weapons. Demand in West Africa
is provoked by bad governance, insecurity and poverty. Small
arms are supplied mainly from external sources motivated by
profit, greed and the desire for domination.
Whatever the reasons for the supply and the
demand, small arms and light weapons kill people, destroy property,
cause incalculable human suffering.
Every country in the West African sub-region
has experienced one form or the other of armed conflict in
which small arms were the choicest tools. It is estimated that
of the estimated five hundred and fifty million small arms
in circulation in the world, West Africa alone accounts for
about eight million.
The world has awakened to the danger of the
menace. Africa has taken a stand. West Africa has begun to
act. West African political leaders took the first step by
declaring a moratorium on the manufacture, exportation and
importation of small arms in October, 1998 and by renewing
same for another three years in October, 2001.
Civil society in Africa, and in particular,
West African civil society have been forced by the specific
experiences of their societies to make small arms control an
important part of their individual and collective mandates.
Civil society organisations working in all spheres are cooperating
and collaborating to save life by combating small arms proliferation
and violent conflicts.
Since 1998, many organisations have been consulting
to build a network for effectiveness in their work. Key among
the consultations are the following: The World Council of Churches,
Norwegian Church Aid/Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers
(NCA/NISAT) and Fellowship of Councils of Churches in West
Africa (FECCIWA) organized Ecumenical Consultation on Micro-disarmament
in the Sub-region of West Africa held in Accra, September,
1998; the West African NGOs Consultations held with the support
of NISAT and the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament
in Abuja in the sidelines of the Economic Community of West
African States (ECOWAS) Summit that first declared the Moratorium
on the Manufacture, Exportation and Importation of Small Arms,
in October 1998; the Consultations held when the Programme
for Co-ordination for Assistance on Security and Development
(PCASED) was launched in Bamako, March, 1999; the Centre for
Democracy and Development, Center for Democratic Empowerment,
Campaign for Good Governance and African Strategic and Security
Research Group organized Workshop on Private Military Intervention
and Arms Proliferation in Conflicts in Africa held in Monrovia,
July, 2000; the UN REC organized Consultation on Small arms
held in Lome, December, 2000; the PCASED, Foundation for Security
and Development in Africa, ASDR organized Consultations on
Small Arms in Accra, June, 2001; and the numerous other consultations
among West African participants in small arms and other events
held in Europe and America since 1998.
A number of West African civil society organisations
were part of the efforts that created the International Action
Network on Small Arms IANSA) and are now members of and active
participants in IANSA. They are interacting with governments
to stop the illicit trade and flow in small arms. Realising
that effective work on small arms control can be done through
cooperation and solidarity, the organisations have deemed it
necessary and urgent to create a sub-regional network on small
arms.
Name
The name of the network of civil society organisations
that are cooperating to stem small arms proliferation and save
life shall be the West African Action Network on Small Arms
(WAANSA).
Vision
WAANSA's Vision shall be for the people to
live in a just, equitable, democratic, safe and peaceful West
African sub-region, free of illicit small arms and their misuse.
Mission
WAANSA will serve as a collaborative civil
society instrument for non-proliferation and against the illicit
manufacture, trade, circulation and use of small arms and light
weapons in West Africa.
Objectives
The objectives of the network shall be:
a) to serve as a forum for the exchange of
information, views, experiences and strategies in combating
the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in West Africa;
b) to work for the reduction of demand for
small arms and light weapons in West Africa;
c) to be a source of solidarity among all
those who work on small arms issues and may be affected as
a result of their work or who may be victims of small arms.
Membership of the Network
Membership in WAANSA shall be open to the
following who may subscribe to the vision and mission of WAANSA:
a) National civil society organisations;
b) National networks or coalitions of civil
society organisations;
c) Sub-regional networks or coalitions of
civil society organisations;
d) Experts, civil and political leaders, popular
and outstanding figures, stars in sports, arts and culture
and others, as may be acknowledged by the Steering Committee
of WAANSA.
Associate membership shall be open to organisations
which may not necessarily be working on small arms but which
may identify with the vision of WAANSA.
Honorary membership shall be bestowed upon
influential and distinguished personalities by the Steering
Committee.
Nature of the Network
WAANSA shall be a loose network of organisations
and, where necessary, individuals bound together to save life.
Each organisation will maintain its identity and shall work
only on those programs it wishes to work on and support those
policies it can associate with, provided however that such
an organisation shall work consistent with the vision and mission
of WAANSA.
Structure of the Network
The decision-making and implementation structures
of WAANSA shall be as
follows:
1. General Conference: This organ shall be
the highest policy making body of the network. It shall elect
the Steering Committee of the network and review the work of
the Steering Committee. The Conference shall be held once every
year and shall be attended by members, associate members and
honorary members of WAANSA as well as others as may be invited
by the Steering Committee.
2. Steering Committee: This shall be the second
highest organ of the network. It shall take decisions between
General Conferences for the smooth running of the network.
It shall appoint the principal officers of the Secretariat,
review the work of the Secretariat, ensure its proper functioning
and approve the budget of WAANSA. The Steering Committee shall
be comprised of individuals representing organisations that
are part of national networks or sub regional networks. Not
more than one person from national organizations or networks
of the same country and not more than one person from a sub-regional
network shall be elected to the Steering Committee. Unless
otherwise decided by the General Conference, there shall be
nine members on the Steering Committee to be headed by a chairman,
assisted by a vice chairman. The term of office for each member
of the steering committee shall be two years, renewable only
once. The Steering Committee shall meet in ordinary sessions
every six months.
3. The Secretariat: This organ shall implement
the decisions of the General Conference and the Steering Committee.
It shall be built incrementally by the Steering Committee based
on need and resource availability. The Steering Committee shall
determine the processes for the creation of the Secretariat
as well as the human and material requirements for the proper
functioning of the Secretariat. Until the secretariat is fully
created, the Chairman of the Steering Committee shall carry
out Secretariat functions with the assistance of members of
the Steering Committee as may be deemed necessary.
4. Advisory Council: This body shall advise
the Steering Committee on policy matters and its members shall
promote the work of the network according to their individual
preferences and abilities. It shall be made up of distinguished
personalities as may be determined by the Steering Committee.
Location of the Secretariat
The Secretariat shall be hosted by a national
network member of WAANSA. The head of the Secretariat shall
be appointed by the Steering Committee from a country other
than the host country of the Secretariat. The Steering Committee
shall recommend an appropriate location for the Secretariat
to the General Conference for final decision.
Adopted this 21st Day of May 2002 at the Foundation
Conference of the West African Action Network on Small Arms,
held in Accra, Ghana.
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