IANSA Update 28 March 2008
South Africa: 3,856 police guns lost or stolen last year
DRC: Now is not the time to lift the arms embargo, say Amnesty International
Angola: Women must be part of disarmament process says Minister for Family
Italy: Young people mobilise against arms trafficking and organised crime
URGENT REMINDERS: 2 weeks left for BMS accreditation and Week of Action funding
Other news: MALAO in Senegalese press; West African advisory board on small arms. Brussels research meeting, jobs
South Africa: 3,856 police guns lost or stolen last year
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has reported that 3,856 service firearms were lost, stolen or misplaced between May 2006 and 2007. This is a 68% increase in lost or stolen weapons since 2005/6 and a fivefold increase since police began reporting missing firearms in 2002. South African police have been required to submit records of their firearm stocks since the Firearms Control Act (FCA) came into effect in 2004. The FCA requires police officers to carry a renewable firearm permit and for SAPS to annually audit their weapon stockpiles. Read more here.
DRC: Now is not the time to lift the arms embargo, say Amnesty International
The UN arms embargo on DR Congo must not be weakened say Amnesty International (AI). The existing arms embargo expires on 31 March 2008. Under the terms of the embargo, the DRC government can obtain arms imports for the use of security force units that have gone through the national programme of integration and reform. There is a ban on supplies to units that have not completed this process, but the UN Security Council is discussing removing these restrictions. Conflict is still occurring in the east and armed groups and government security groups are responsible for using arms to kill, rape and torture civilians countrywide. Read more here.
Angola: Women must be part of disarmament process says Minister for Family
Women play an essential role in the Angolan disarmament process, according to the director of the Ministry of Family and Promotion of Women in Luanda province. Genoveva Lino said that women are a strong influence in the voluntary removal of weapons kept in the home. Sarah Masters, IANSA WN coordinator commented: "The recent Argentinean gun buyback has shown that women are the driving force behind the voluntary surrender of firearms from civilians. We hope that the women in Angola will be similarly empowered." Read more here.
Italy: Young people mobilise against arms trafficking and organised crime
Young activists came together in Bari, Italy from 12 - 15 March as part of the Freedom, Legality and Rights in Europe (FLARE) programme. FLARE aims to develop into a network of young people working against organised crime, including the illegal trafficking of small arms and light weapons. The meeting culminated in a march attended by tens of thousands of people to honour mafia victims. Roberto Forte, Programme Coordinator at FLARE said "The illegal trafficking of small arms have permitted the mafia to wreak devastation on the lives of Italian civilians. FLARE calls on young people across Europe to mobilise against the illicit trafficking of guns and take a stand against organised crime in all countries". Read more here.
URGENT REMINDERS: 2 weeks left for BMS accreditation and Week of Action funding
The deadline for applications for NGOs seeking funding for the 2008 Week of Action Against Gun Violence is only two weeks away (11 April). IANSA has limited funds available to assist with Week of Action activities. We may be able to provide funds up to maximum of US $500 to help with printing or other costs. If you are planning to take part this year, please contact Bruce Millar at bruce.millar@iansa.org.
There are just two weeks until the deadline for accreditation to the BMS (13 April). We encourage each individual NGO to seek accreditation from the UN. IANSA members are not automatically accredited - all members must apply. Even if you do not plan to attend, you should apply to demonstrate support for the small arms process. To apply for accreditation, please complete the draft letter on our website. The letter must be on your organisation's letterhead and signed and sent to Silvia Mercogliano at the UN. You can fax it to +1 917 367 5369 or scan the letter electronically and then email to salw-unoda@un.org. If you decide to email the letter, please also copy IANSA UN Liaison Mark Marge on mark.marge@iansa.org.
A draft letter can be found here.
Other news
- Senegal-based NGO Movement Against Small Arms in West Africa (MALAO) organised a seminar on the impact of guns on women's lives for International Women's Day (8 March). The event received coverage from the Senegalese media.
- In September 2007, the President of the ECOWAS Commission inaugurated an Advisory Board on Small Arms Control. This is chaired by Dr Ogunbanwo, the Nigerian expert who was the lead international consultant drafting the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms. The mandate and members of the Advisory Board are now available here.
- European researchers attended a workshop on small arms research in Brussels (Belgium), 17-19 March. This was the final meeting of a four-year project to coordinate European research into small arms. IANSA staff members César Marín and Alun Howard attended. Read more here.
- Jobs: UNDP is seeking a Programme Specialist in Small Arms; several vacancies at the UN Committee on Disarmament; and the International Bureau for Children is seeking a Project Manager in the Country Profiles Programme, whose mandate will focus on the Great Lakes region in Africa. IANSA Job Board.
Join the IANSA Women's Network: email
women@iansa.org
Join the Million Faces petition in support of a global Arms Trade Treaty
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