IANSA Update 5 June 2009

Sri Lanka: EU countries sold weapons to government?
UK: Launch of the Global Peace Index 2009
OAS adopted Declaration ‘Towards a Culture of Non-Violence’
Colombia: Ecumenical conference on arms transfers
Remembering international researcher Pablo Dreyfus
Other news: 1 week to the Week of Action; Seminar about weapons in Europe; Summary report of African ATT Seminar; IANSA members on African TV; IRIN’s new film on Central African Republic.

Sri Lanka: EU countries sold weapons to government?
EU countries sold military equipment to the Sri Lankan Government in the last three years of its war against the Tamil Tigers, according to the London paper The Times. The sales were cleared despite the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, which prohibits transfers to countries facing internal conflicts or with poor human rights records. The EU Council had stated that it did not support a military solution and expressed concerns about human rights abuses in the country. The US sold military equipment to Sri Lanka in 2006 2007 but suspended all military aid and sales early last year because of concerns about alleged rights abuses. Read more here.

UK: Launch of the Global Peace Index 2009
New Zealand has been named the world's most peaceful nation by the Global Peace Index 2009, which was launched in London on June 3. The GPI uses 23 indicators to calculate the relative peacefulness of 144 countries. The factors include military expenditure, arms transfers, ease of access to weapons and crime statistics. Whereas most countries in Africa ranked low, Botswana ranked 34th. Botswana has minimal militarisation and absence of external or internal conflicts, although the homicide rate is still high. Read more here.

OAS adopted Declaration ‘Towards a Culture of Non-Violence’
The Organisation of American States adopted the Declaration ‘Towards a Culture of Non-Violence’ during its General Assembly held this week in Honduras. The 34 states attending recognised that violence in their societies, including armed violence, hinders the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. They agreed to make progress in implementing the UN Programme of Action and to increase cooperation to combat illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms. Read more here.

Colombia: Ecumenical conference on arms transfers
Churches, church related organisations and ecumenical groups from the Americas, Asia and Europe met in Bogota (Colombia) on 26-27 May to discuss the role they might play in supporting the Arms Trade Treaty process. The international seminar was organised by the Gothenburg Process and the Colombian Episcopal Conference. Participants agreed to incorporate work on small arms and the ATT in their regional agendas. Read more here.

Remembering international researcher Pablo Dreyfus
Thank you to the members and friends of IANSA all over the world who have shared their memories to celebrate our colleagues Pablo Dreyfus, Ana Carolina Rodrigues and Ronald Dreyer, who were in the Air France plane that disappeared on 1 June while flying from Brazil to France. We have received more than 80 messages. To read them and add your own please go here.

Other news

• One week to go to the Week of Action! IANSA members are working hard to organise their WoA events and to contact media outlets. Members in Togo will participate in live radio and TV programmes. The WoA activities will be updated daily on IANSA website. Remember to send your updates to bruce.millar@iansa.org
• IANSA member Fundació per la Pau in coordination with Justícia i Pau organised a seminar in Barcelona (Spain) about weapons in Europe. Participants discussed European security policies, military industry and defense programmes. The seminar coincided with the European Network against Arms Trade (ENAAT) annual meeting which was focused on arms export legislation.
  
• The summary report of the Central, Northern and Western Africa Regional Seminar on the Arms Trade Treaty is now available on the UNIDIR website. Several IANSA members participated in this meeting, which was held in Dakar (Senegal) on 28-29 April 2009.
  
• Cameroon IANSA member Ngalim Eugine Nyuydine from CAMYOSFOP and IANSA Africa Coordinator Joseph Dube were interviewed in the African Views TV programme, broadcast by SABC on June 3 across West Africa, North America and some parts of Europe. They spoke about the ATT, gun violence and development in Africa.
• IRIN’s new documentary film, Under the Gun, is a testimony on how armed violence has forced hundreds of people from their villages in the north of Central African Republic. It can be viewed here.
  

Please send your stories on developments in small arms from around the world to adriana.medina@iansa.org

Join the IANSA Women's Network: email women@iansa.org

Join the Million Faces petition in support of a global Arms Trade Treaty