IANSA Update 26 September 2008

Finland: Call for stricter gun laws after second campus tragedy
Bosnia: EUR 3 million to destroy arms from the Bosnian war
ATT: 71 countries celebrate Week of Action
Antigua: CARICOM conference on ATT and sustainable development
UN: African women's statement
Other news: IANSA singer in Grammy, ATT viral, CLAVE meeting, Peace Day in Kenya, Women building peace

Report of the GGE report on Arms Trade Treaty
Finland's prime minister has called for gun laws to be tightened after a campus shooting left 11 people dead. A 22 year old student killed nine other students (8 women, 1 man) and a male teacher at a catering college in the western town of Kauhajoki, on Tuesday 23 September. He then shot himself with the Walther .22 calibre semi-automatic pistol for which he received a license in August. This is the second campus shooting in Finland in 10 months. Six students, a high school principal and school nurse were shot dead in Jokela last November. That killer was 18 years old and also committed suicide. Under current Finnish law, a 15 year old can apply for a handgun license with parental consent. IANSA sends its deepest sympathies to all those affected by this terrible tragedy.
News story in the Economist.

Bosnia: EUR 3 million to destroy arms from the Bosnian war
Tens of thousands of tons of small arms and ammunition are to be destroyed in Bosnia, thanks to an EU and UNDP donation of EUR 3 million. UNDP estimate that around 100,000 guns and 25,000-30,000 tons of ammunition are surplus to military requirements following the Bosnian war of 1992-1995. Denis Hadzovic from the Centre for Security Studies in Sarajevo welcomed the donation, noting that ammunition in particular posed a threat to human security in the region. Read more here.

ATT: 71 countries celebrate Week of Action
A total of 71 countries participated in the Global Week of Action for an ATT on 13-19 September, as part of the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration Human Rights. This is a huge achievement by Control Arms campaigners. Radio, TV and print media worldwide reported on IANSA members' activities and statements during the Week, and a range of inspiring stunts kept the importance of an ATT in the public arena. The IANSA secretariat thanks our members for reporting their activities so promptly. A comprehensive account of events by country is here.

Antigua: CARICOM conference on ATT and sustainable development
Representatives from Caribbean governments are meeting in St Johns, Antigua on 1-2 October to discuss how an Arms Trade Treaty will promote sustainable development in the region. The meeting is being hosted by COPPY, WINAD, IANSA and Oxfam GB.

UN: African women's statement
Women United for Peace in Africa (FUP) has released a statement to coincide with the opening of the 63rd General Assembly at the UN this week. Pointing out that the UN Millennium Development goals are as yet unfulfilled, the statement condemns the 'hypocrisy' of countries in the global North who continue to supply arms to 'the poorest countries...in the grip of civil war, those dealing with the devastating consequences of underdevelopment and those wrestling with HIV and Aids epidemics'. The full statement is online here.

Other news

• One of IANSA's Colombian members has been nominated for a Latin Grammy Award. Adriana Lucia is part of the band Almaparlantes, which played at the UN Review Conference small arms in New York in 2006. Almaparlantes uses guitars made from converted guns. Adriana has been nominated in the Cumbia/Vallenato category for her album Porro Nuevo.
• Thousands of people around the globe have signed onto the Control Arms campaign viral, which is an online game available in 5 languages. Please play it and pass it on.
  
  CLAVE, the coalition of IANSA members in Latin America, is holding its annual assembly from 1-3 October in Costa Rica.
• PeaceNet in Kenya marked International Peace Day with meetings and musical entertainment involving local leaders, civil society groups and residents of conflict-affected communities. Three AK-47s, 22 other guns and 641 rounds of ammunition were surrendered to government officials in the Coast Province.
• IANSA Women's Network Coordinator Sarah Masters is attending the WomenPeacemakers Conference, 'Crafting Human Security in an Insecure World' in San Diego. Sarah is speaking on the role of women in peacebuilding and how guns in the home and the community pose a threat to human security.
  
  Young women from civil society organisations are invited to participate in the Women Peacemakers Program (WPP) International Orientation. The 6-week orientation facilitates skill sharing, developing human rights and gender awareness and an introduction to international peace work. The course will take place in early 2009 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. For the application form and other information please visit the WPP website: or contact Cristina Reyna.

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