Arms Trade Treaty another step toward countering gun violence
A tiny shift in the tectonic plates of the world's military arms trade took place this spring in New York when the United Nations General Assembly passed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Those who have been working for the ATT's passage, including civil society organizations including Project Ploughshares in Canada, Oxfam Great Britain and Amnesty International, as well as Christians around the globe, are hopeful that a tsunami-effect will follow, to stop the illicit and illegal trade in weapons that has left a trail of death and destruction in so many countries.
The idea of a treaty to control military exports reaches back to 1993, when human rights workers began connecting the use of illegally obtained guns to systematic human rights abuses in developing countries, where crimes against humanity and genocide were becoming more frequent. The current violence in Syria and Mali is directly connected to unrestrained movement of guns and ammunition.
The ATT passed on April 2, following a final two-week negotiating session. Prior to its passage, the National Association of Evangelicals in the U.S. called for prayer in support of ATT.
"Evangelicals are deeply engaged in missionary and humanitarian work around the world," said Galen Carey, NAE vice president for government relations. "We care about the people whose lives are upended by senseless violence, and we pray that they, like us, 'may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness,'" (1 Timothy 2:2).
The World Council of Churches also used its international network of member churches to put pressure on countries to support the ATT in their own capital cities.
"Every day, somewhere in the world, 2,000 people die as a result of armed violence," its leaders said. "There are currently more global regulations for the sale of a banana than for the sale of weapons. As people of faith, we hear, witness and experience the effects of this uncontrolled trade or irresponsible transfer of weapons..."
Ken Epps, senior program officer at Project Ploughshares, the ecumenical peace centre of The Canadian Council of Churches, has worked on Ploughshares' behalf for creation of the ATT since 1998 and was in New York for the final negotiations and passage of the treaty. Epps was also the co-chair of Control Arms, an international coalition of civil society organizations that has campaigned for passage of the ATT.
Epps acknowledges that the text of the treaty isn't perfect. Compromises were made to get a deal. But on the whole, he says, it provides a solid basis for all countries to start publicly tracking and reporting on weapons' sales. Increased transparency puts pressure on everyone to improve their behaviour. Provisions for periodically updating and improving the text are in the treaty.
Ploughshares continues its work to ensure that the ATT is signed, ratified, and implemented. Canada voted with the vast majority of states at the UN to pass the ATT. It will be interesting to see if Canada is, in turn, one of the first to sign the treaty when it opens for signature on June 3.
The treaty will enter into force 90 days after the 50th country signs and then ratifies it, which may take several years.
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