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Landslide UN vote in favour of developing an Arms Trade Treaty

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:10:57 +0000

One hundred and forty-seven states voted overwhelmingly at the United Nations on Friday to move forward with work on the main elements of an Arms Trade Treaty. Only two countries voted against – the USA and Zimbabwe.

"This big UN vote moves the world closer to an Arms Trade Treaty that could include respect for human rights at its heart," said Brian Wood from Amnesty International. "That is the only way such a treaty can really help stop the widespread carnage and abuse from armed violence. But there are still sceptics and opponents."

The Control Arms campaign, made up of Amnesty International, the International Action Network on Small Arms and Oxfam International, welcomed the vote but called for more urgency from states in moving the process forward to ensure a strong Treaty with international human rights law, international humanitarian law and sustainable development at its heart.

The increasingly global consensus in favour of the treaty is likely to be reflected again at the General Assembly in December. The large “yes” vote was particularly strong in Africa, South and Central America and Europe indicating demand for arms control both from countries severely affected by armed violence and from major exporters.

Twelve states in the Middle East abstained. Only the US and Zimbabwe governments voted against the ATT resolution, which Brian Wood said was them "turning their backs on the overwhelming majority in an unprincipled stand against a Treaty that would save so many lives and livelihoods."

Every day, over 1000 people are killed directly with firearms and many thousands more die indirectly as a consequence of armed violence or are driven from their homes, forced off their land, raped, tortured or maimed. Since the UN process started in December 2006, approximately 700,000 people have been killed directly with firearms, illustrating the urgent need for a treaty.

Amnesty International invited two senior military officers to brief the UN in New York – Rt Brig Gen Mujahid Alam from Pakistan who has served the UN in the DRC and Kosovo, and Lt Colonel John Ochai of Nigeria, who was chief of Operations in the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan.

Rt Brig Alam told UN officials that: “From the study of DRC, it is proven that violations of arms embargo are frequent and ongoing. The complicity of governments in the region is the most critical aspect in the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

"UN arms embargoes are sometimes needed but unless we have an effective Arms Trade Treaty and establish common standards, the embargoes will neither be respected nor effectively enforced.”

The new UN decision is that the principles of the UN Charter and other state obligations must be considered as central to any Treaty. The UN will set up a series of up to six meetings of all states – called an Open Ended Working Group - to discuss the potential scope and principles of an Arms Trade Treaty.

Landslide UN vote in favour of Arms Trade Treaty

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:54:44 +0000

Today 147 states at the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to move forward with work on an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The Control Arms campaign, which represents millions of campaigners around the world welcomed the vote but called for more urgency from states to advance the process quickly and ensure a strong Treaty with human rights and development at its heart.

145 states supported for the Treaty and two others subsequently added their names, an increase on the 139 states who voted to start the UN process in October 2006, showing increasing global consensus in favour of the Treaty. 116 of the yes voters also co-sponsored the resolution. The vote was particularly strong in Africa, South and Central America and Europe indicating strong demand for arms control both from countries severely affected by armed violence and from major exporters. Only the US and Zimbabwe voted against, ignoring increasing global consensus for an ATT.

Every day, over 1,000 people are killed directly with firearms and many thousands more die indirectly as a consequence of armed violence or are driven from their homes, forced off their land, raped, tortured or maimed. Since the UN process started in December 2006, approximately 695,000 people have been killed directly with firearms, illustrating the urgent need for an Arms Trade Treaty. Any further delay means more lost lives.

Brian Wood from Amnesty International said: “This big vote today moves the world closer to an Arms Trade Treaty with respect for human rights at its heart, the only way such a treaty can really stop the carnage. Today’s decision is that the principles of the UN Charter and other state obligations must be considered central to the Treaty. It is shameful that the US and Zimbabwe governments have taken an unprincipled stand today against a Treaty that would save so many lives and livelihoods.”

Anna Macdonald from Oxfam International, said: “Most governments now support an Arms Trade Treaty and they must now move forward with urgency. Today’s vote is one step closer to turning off the running tap of irresponsible arms transfers which have flooded the world’s conflict zones for decades, fueling death, injury and poverty, such as is happening now in DRC. However we need leaps forward not steps, as every day lost means hundreds more lives lost”.

Mark Marge from the International Action Network on Small Arms said: “This vote is a victory for the millions of campaigners in countries around the world. But we cannot afford to rest. All those against the misuse of arms will continue to pressure their governments to move quickly to implement a strong, legally binding treaty.”

Background to the ATT process

In 2006 the resolution ‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty’ was co-authored by Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, Finland, Japan, Kenya and the United Kingdom and tabled for voting at the UN General Assembly, when 153 countries voted yes, 24 abstain and only the US voted No.

The massive December 2006 vote set in motion a UN process to consider the feasibility, scope and draft parameters for an ATT during 2007 through submissions of views by states (over 100 submitted views, which was unprecedented) and during 2008 though examination by a UN Group of Governmental Experts. The latter Group reported back to the UN in August 2008 identifying some points of consensus and some differing views.

Why is the ATT vote this October so important?
The resolution to be tabled by the co-authors is the critical next step to widen and deepen discussions amongst all states to enable stronger regulation of the global arms trade. It will set out the next stage in the process towards agreeing the framework, scope and principles of a legally binding treaty to bring the arms trade under much stricter control by states.

The Control Arms campaign is made up of Amnesty International, the International Action Network on Small Arms and Oxfam International. You can find out more on the Control Arms campaign and the Arms Trade Treaty at www.controlarms.org

Further to this vote the United Nations will set up an Open Ended Working Group to allow all states to discuss the potential text of an Arms Trade Treaty.

Photographs available here

Arms Trade Treaty could fail without human rights

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:25:15 +0000

Every year,more than 300,000 people are killed with conventional weapons. Millions more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. Many of the weapons used to commit these violations are sourced on the poorly regulated international arms market.

Amnesty International's new report, Blood at the Crossroads: Making the case for a global Arms Trade Treaty, uses nine detailed case studies of the catastrophic human rights consequences of unrestrained arms trading.

Launched as UN member states prepare to meet in October to consider further steps to move towards negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty, the report says that world leaders should adopt a "Golden Rule" to help protect human rights when arms are transferred between countries.

The "Golden Rule" states simply: that governments must prevent arms transfers where there is a substantial risk that they are likely to be used for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

From the ongoing conflict in Darfur, military crackdowns in Myanmar and Guinea to the proliferation of sectarian violence in Iraq, the report shows how and why the current variations and loopholes in national arms legislation allow massive violations of human rights to occur. It also demonstrates that without an effective human rights provision, a global Arms Trade Treaty could fail to protect those most vulnerable.

The report is launched during a global week of action by activists and supporters of the Control Arms Campaign. Campaigners are reminding governments that "The World is Watching", a theme during the week of events and activities to ild up pressure for an agreement on an effective Arms Trade Treaty as quickly as possible.

Worldwide support for a UN process to develop a global Arms Trade Treaty was reflected when 153 states voted in favour (1 against (US), and 24 abstained) during the General Assembly in December 2006. Then during 2007 almost 100 states submitted their views to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, proposing human rights protection as one of the top considerations.

In the run up to October's UN discussions at the General Assembly First Committee meeting on Disarmament and Security, a few states - including China, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Russia and the US – have been attempting to block, delay and water down proposals. These attempts could make the treaty fail in its objectives and allow the continued unchecked trade in arms.

"Despite the massive green light from most of the world community, a small minority of sceptics want to keep the status quo shambles so they can turn a blind eye to blatantly irresponsible arms transfers, rendering most national arms controls and UN arms embargoes weak and ineffective," said Brian Wood, Amnesty International’s arms control manager.

China, Russia, the US and many other nations, are highlighted in the report as trading arms to countries with well documented human rights violations.

China and Russia remain the largest suppliers of conventional arms to Sudan that are used for serious ongoing human rights violations by the Sudanese armed forces in Darfur. Russia supplied military helicopters and bomber aircraft, while China sold Sudan most of its arms and ammunition.

In Iraq, the US Department of Defense has funded most of the supply of over one million rifles, pistols and infantry weapons for 531,000 Iraqi security force personnel in a poorly managed and unaccountable process since 2003. This supply has compounded the massive proliferation of arms and gross human rights abuses that began under the former Saddam government.

The new supplies have sometimes involved dubious players in international supply chains and a lack of accountability by Iraq, US and UK governments, leading to diversions of supplies to armed groups and illicit markets.

In Myanmar, despite the persistent pattern of well documented human rights violations committed by Myanmar government forces, China, Serbia, Russia and the Ukraine have between them supplied armoured personal carriers, trucks, weapons and munitions. India has recently offered to supply more arms.

The report shows graphically how violations of the UN arms embargo continue on Cote d'Ivoire, Somalia and Darfur in Sudan because of weak national laws and lack of commitment and capacity by some governments. The failure of over 80 percent of states to establish laws to control arms brokering and arms transportation makes this problem worse.

A UN Group of Governmental Experts examined the Arms Trade Treaty from February to August 2008 and its report will be considered at the UN First Committee of the General Assembly in October.

Amnesty International and its partners are now calling for states during their discussions at General Assembly to agree in December to start a negotiating process during 2009 so that the international community can benefit from a legally-binding and universal Arms Trade Treaty by the end of 2010.

"Discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty have reached a crossroads," says Helen Hughes, one of the researchers on the report. "Governments can either carry on ignoring the horrific consequences of irresponsible international arms transfers or they can meet their obligations in an Arms Trade Treaty with a 'Golden Rule' on human rights that will actually help save people's lives and protect their livelihoods."

Read more:
Play the Control Arms game
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 60th anniversary
The Control Arms website

A “Golden Rule” on human rights is essential for an effective Arms Trade Treaty

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:35:00 +0000

As UN member states meet in October to consider moving towards negotiations on an Arms Trade Treaty, a new detailed report by Amnesty International urges world leaders to adopt a “Golden Rule” on human rights. This rule states simply that governments must prevent arms transfers where there is a substantial risk that they are likely to be used for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

In the run up to October’s UN discussions, a few states - - including China, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Russia and the USA - - are attempting to block, delay and water down proposals, which could make the treaty fail in its objectives and allow the continued unchecked trade in arms.

“Despite the massive green light from most of the world community, a small minority of sceptics want to keep the status quo shambles so they can turn a blind eye to blatantly irresponsible arms transfers, rendering most national arms controls and UN arms embargoes weak and ineffective,” said Brian Wood, Amnesty International’s arms control manager.

The report Blood at the Crossroads: Making the case for a global arms trade treaty is the first detailed examination of the parameters and scope of such a treaty using nine detailed case studies of the catastrophic human rights consequences of unrestrained arms trading. From the ongoing conflict in Darfur, military crackdowns in Myanmar and Guinea to the proliferation of sectarian violence in Iraq, the report shows how and why the current variation and loopholes in national arms legislation allows massive violations of human rights to occur. The report demonstrates that without an effective human rights provision, a global Arms Trade Treaty could fail to protect those most vulnerable.

“Discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty have reached a crossroads. Governments can either carry on ignoring the horrific consequences of irresponsible international arms transfers or they can meet their obligations in an Arms Trade Treaty with a “Golden Rule” on human rights that will actually help save people’s lives and protect their livelihoods,” adds Helen Hughes one of the researcher of the report.

China, Russia and the USA, amongst many other nations, are highlighted in the report as trading arms to countries with well documented human rights violations. The report uses the detailed case studies of Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Guinea, Iraq, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan & Chad and Uganda to demonstrate how and why a “Golden Rule” is essential to making an Arms Trade Treaty work:

China and Russia remain the largest suppliers of conventional arms to Sudan which are used for serious ongoing human rights violations by the Sudanese armed forces in Darfur. Russia supplied military helicopters and bomber aircraft, while China sold Sudan most of its arms and ammunition

In Iraq, the US Department of Defense has funded most of the supply of over one million rifles, pistols and infantry weapons for 531,000 Iraqi security force personnel in a poorly managed and unaccountable process since 2003. This supply has compounded the massive proliferation of arms and gross human rights abuses which began under the former Saddam government. The new supplies have sometimes involved dubious players in international supply chains and a basic lack of accountability by the Iraq, US and UK governments, leading to diversions of supplies to armed groups and illicit markets.

In Myanmar, despite the persistent pattern of well-documented human rights violations committed by Myanmar government forces, China, Serbia, Russia and the Ukraine have between them supplied armoured personal carriers, trucks, weapons and munitions, while India has recently offered to supply more arms.

The report shows graphically how violations of UN arms embargoes continue on Cote d’Ivoire, Somalia and Darfur in Sudan because of weak national laws and lack of commitment and capacity by some governments, making the case for an effective treaty even stronger. The failure of over 80 per cent of states to establish laws to control arms brokering and arms transportation makes this problem worse.

“The time for an Arms Trade Treaty is now. Sixty years after the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the same governments can and should deliver an effective agreement on international arms transfers with human rights at its heart.”

Background
An historic vote at the UN General Assembly in December 2006 saw 153 governments vote for a resolution to start working towards a global arms trade treaty. There was one vote against (USA), with 24 abstentions (Bahrain, Belarus, China Egypt, India, Iran Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lao, Libya, Marshall Islands, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, UAE, Venezuela, Yemen and Zimbabwe).

Amnesty International has joined with Oxfam and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) to set up the Control Arms campaign. The campaign calls for an international Arms Trade Treaty that could save thousands of lives and hold irresponsible arms dealers to account. Since it started in October 2003, Control Arms has gathered the support of more than one million people worldwide.

Saturday 13 to Friday 19 September 2008 is Arms Trade Treaty Week of Action. More than 50 countries will be hosting events related to this campaigning Week of Action, with activities to remind governments that ‘The World is Watching’. There is also a viral game pressing governments to support an effective arms trade treaty – http://www.controlarms.org/en/games/catch-bombs

For details of events and materials, see the Control Arms website at www.controlarms.org

Global week of action to support Arms Trade Treaty

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:11:05 +0000

Activists and supporters of the Control Arms Campaign in more than 50 countries will be taking part in the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) week of action, starting on Saturday 13 September.

The World is Watching week will see campaigners urge their governments to reach an agreement on an effective Arms Trade Treaty as quickly as possible. UN member states will consider such negotiations at the General Assembly meeting of the First Committee on Disarmament and Security in October.

Each year at least a third of a million people are killed with conventional weapons. Many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. Many of the weapons used to commit these violations are sourced on the poorly regulated international arms market.

Events planned for the week of action include awareness raising football matches in Mali, a street march in Tanzania, a film screening in Edinburgh, a parade in Mongolia and a stunt outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Spain.

The ATT week of action is part of Amnesty International's celebration of the 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It also coincides with the release of the Amnesty International report, Blood at the Crossroads: Making the case for a global arms trade treaty. Released on 17 September, the report describes how arms supplies fuel serious human rights abuses around the world.

Worldwide support for a UN process to develop a global Arms Trade Treaty was reflected when 153 states voted in favour (1 against (USA), and 24 abstained) during the General Assembly in December 2006 and during 2007 when almost 100 submitted their views to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, proposing human rights protection as one of the top considerations.

Throughout 2008, a group of government experts from 28 countries has been meeting at the UN to discuss the content of the treaty. With further successful campaigning, it is hoped that discussions leading to the negotiation of the treaty could continue into 2009.

Cluster munitions treaty agreed in Dublin

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:18:48 +0000

110 states agreed a provisional text for a historic new Convention on Cluster Munitions, which is a treaty to ban the "Use, Production and Transfer of Cluster Munitions", in Dublin on Wednesday.

The agreement was reached after worldwide civil society campaigning and several international conferences of governments and NGOs, which started in Oslo in February 2007 and finished on Friday after ten days of intense negotiation in Dublin under Irish government leadership.

The provisional treaty text will be formally adopted in Dublin on Friday 30 May 2008 and opened for signature in Oslo in December 2008. As soon as the formal adoption takes place, over 100 participating states - including many NATO allies such as the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Spain and Belgium – will be committed to ending the use of these indiscriminate weapons. The treaty will become legally binding once 30 states have ratified it.

Amnesty International has joined with our CMC (Cluster Munition Coalition) campaign partners and allies across the world in welcoming this landmark agreement that will set new international legal standards on the prohibition of indiscriminate weapons and the protection of civilians in and after armed conflict.

Amnesty International believes that, while the new treaty is not perfect, it will enable states to significantly reduce the risks of civilian deaths and injuries in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Amnesty International has for several years helped expose the effects of cluster bombing, for example in Iraq and Lebanon, and has been an active member of the CMC since 2007. Several Amnesty International sections – especially AI Norway, AI Peru, AI New Zealand, AI Austria and AI Ireland - have played a part in the “Oslo Process” meetings, while many sections have lobbied their home governments. This included in producer states, such as AI Belgium, AI France, AI UK and AI USA. An Amnesty International delegation of experts also participated in the conference in Dublin.

Significantly, the text of the treaty enforces a categorical ban on cluster munitions. Despite stockpiler nations initially trying to protect their own stockpiles, no transition period and no exceptions are allowed.

Moreover, the text on humanitarian assistance for victims and affected communities, as well as obligations of affected countries and donors on clearance of contaminated land, go beyond what was agreed in the landmine treaty and build on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

However, the controversial new provision in the treaty on joint military operations with states that refuse to join the treaty is disappointing. Nevertheless, campaigners are insisting that the treaty must be interpreted to prohibit foreign stockpiling and intentional assistance with use of the weapons.

Cluster munitions are weapons that open in mid-air and randomly scatter dozens or hundreds of individual submunitions (or “bomblets”) over a large area. Cluster munitions pose severe risks to civilians’ lives and livelihoods both at the time of their use and after hostilities have ended. This is due to the wide-area effect of cluster munitions and the large number of sub-munitions they leave unexploded. Unexploded sub-munitions have a long-term impact. They cause human rights violations and hinder humanitarian assistance, peace operations, post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts. Unless practical international steps are taken, the hazards to civilians from cluster munitions will increase as cluster munitions continue to proliferate and the numbers being used rise globally.

Zimbabwe: No supply of arms until state sponsored violence ceases

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:27:10 +0000

All shipments of small arms, light weapons and ammunition ordered from China by the Zimbabwe Government must be halted as there is a real risk that it may lead to increased human rights violations in Zimbabwe, said Amnesty International.

“The international community must not supply small arms to Zimbabwe until state sponsored violence has ceased and the rule of law is re-established.”

Amnesty International extended its call to include a halt of sales to Zimbabwe of security equipment including tear gas, water canons and other anti-riot equipment which has been used in the past by the Zimbabwe Republic Police to suppress the right to peaceful protest. Since 2000, police have used excessive force against human rights defenders.

The organization has documented serious human rights violations committed by soldiers and police in Zimbabwe against opposition supporters after the elections held on 29 March 2008. These abuses assaults and torture by soldiers, police, so-called “war veterans” and supporters of the ruling party, ZANU-PF, against people who have been accused of not having voted “correctly.” Though some victims have reported these crimes to the police, no arrests have been reported and it appears that perpetrators continue to commit abuses with impunity.

Amnesty International welcomed the mobilization of civil society in South African and other southern African countries to stop the delivery of arms to Zimbabwe through legal and civil action taken in solidarity with victims of state sponsored violence in Zimbabwe. The organization welcomed the mobilization of the trade union movement which has appealed to its members not to offload the cargo if the ship docks at any African port.

“The mobilization of civil society has proved critical in view of the inaction of governments to put an end to arms trade to countries where there is a pattern of gross human rights violations,” said Amnesty International.

“All political leaders in southern African must urgently support the efforts of civil society and demand an end to state-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe and the return of the rule of law.”

The An Yue Jiang Chinese cargo ship carrying arms supplies to Zimbabwe, highlights the absence of a global treaty to ensure proper regulation of the conventional arms trade. Following a vote of 153 states in favour to one against, Members States of the United Nations are considering the feasibility, scope and parameters for a global Arms Trade Treaty that would prevent the irresponsible trade in conventional arms, and Amnesty International and its partners are appealing for such a treaty to contain provisions to fully respect international human rights and humanitarian law.

Amnesty International called on all states to support the early establishment of a global Arms Trade Treaty that contains robust provisions to reflect states’ obligations under international law and ensure these are incorporated into national law.

Background
On 10 April 2008 the arms shipment arrived aboard a Chinese cargo ship – the MV “An Yue Jiang” - in Durban, South Africa. The ship’s owner was the parastatal Chinese Ocean Shipping Company and it was carrying cases of weaponry and ammunition in six containers. The shipper of the arms was Poly Technologies Inc of Beijing China, the delivery address on the shipping documents was the Zimbabwe Defence Force, Harare, and the point of origin on the cargo manifest is Beijing, China. The cargo in question consisted of 3080 cases of arms contained in six containers. The Arrival Notification described the contents as follows:

    7.62 x 54mm Ball - 1000 cases containing 1 million rounds
    7.62 x 39mm Ball - 1331 cases containing 2 million rounds
    RPC7, 40mm Rockets - 250 cases containing 1500 rounds
    60 mm mortar bombs - 227 cases containing 2703 rounds
    31mm mortar bombs - 176 cases containing 581 rounds
    31mm mortar tubes - 93 cases containing 31 items

Legal action to stop this Chinese arms consignment was taken on 18 April by concerned South Africans with the support of human rights legal organizations in a bid to constrain the authorities from allowing transhipment of the arms through South Africa to Zimbabwe. The application was brought in the Durban High Court on the grounds of South African national law, which prohibits arms transfers that may contribute “to internal repression or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedom” or “to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms”. An interim ruling was issued on 18 April to confine the arms to Durban harbour pending a final court hearing but the ship sailed away. Currently many governments, including in the SADC region, and organisations worldwide are appealing for the arms transfer to be prevented to Zimbabwe, but it is feared that the arms cargo may be delivered to Zimbabwe through another route.

Zimbabwe: No supply of arms until state sponsored violence ceases

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:53:41 +0000

“The international community must not supply small arms to Zimbabwe until state sponsored violence has ceased and the rule of law is re-established.”

Amnesty International extended its call to include a halt of sales to Zimbabwe of security equipment including tear gas, water canons and other anti-riot equipment which has been used in the past by the Zimbabwe Republic Police to suppress the right to peaceful protest. Since 2000, police have used excessive force against human rights defenders.

The organization has documented serious human rights violations committed by soldiers and police in Zimbabwe against opposition supporters after the elections held on 29 March 2008. These abuses assaults and torture by soldiers, police, so-called “war veterans” and supporters of the ruling party, ZANU-PF, against people who have been accused of not having voted “correctly.” Though some victims have reported these crimes to the police, no arrests have been reported and it appears that perpetrators continue to commit abuses with impunity.

Amnesty International welcomed the mobilization of civil society in South African and other southern African countries to stop the delivery of arms to Zimbabwe through legal and civil action taken in solidarity with victims of state sponsored violence in Zimbabwe. The organization welcomed the mobilization of the trade union movement which has appealed to its members not to offload the cargo if the ship docks at any African port.

“The mobilization of civil society has proved critical in view of the inaction of governments to put an end to arms trade to countries where there is a pattern of gross human rights violations,” said Amnesty International.

“All political leaders in southern African must urgently support the efforts of civil society and demand an end to state-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe and the return of the rule of law.”

The An Yue Jiang Chinese cargo ship carrying arms supplies to Zimbabwe, highlights the absence of a global treaty to ensure proper regulation of the conventional arms trade. Following a vote of 153 states in favour to one against, Members States of the United Nations are considering the feasibility, scope and parameters for a global Arms Trade Treaty that would prevent the irresponsible trade in conventional arms, and Amnesty International and its partners are appealing for such a treaty to contain provisions to fully respect international human rights and humanitarian law.

Amnesty International called on all states to support the early establishment of a global Arms Trade Treaty that contains robust provisions to reflect states’ obligations under international law and ensure these are incorporated into national law.

Background
On 10 April 2008 the arms shipment arrived aboard a Chinese cargo ship – the MV “An Yue Jiang” - in Durban, South Africa. The ship’s owner was the parastatal Chinese Ocean Shipping Company and it was carrying cases of weaponry and ammunition in six containers. The shipper of the arms was Poly Technologies Inc of Beijing China, the delivery address on the shipping documents was the Zimbabwe Defence Force, Harare, and the point of origin on the cargo manifest is Beijing, China. The cargo in question consisted of 3080 cases of arms contained in six containers. The Arrival Notification described the contents as follows:

   7.62 x 54mm Ball - 1000 cases containing 1 million rounds
   7.62 x 39mm Ball - 1331 cases containing 2 million rounds
   RPC7, 40mm Rockets - 250 cases containing 1500 rounds
   60 mm mortar bombs - 227 cases containing 2703 rounds
   31mm mortar bombs - 176 cases containing 581 rounds
    31mm mortar tubes - 93 cases containing 31 items

Legal action to stop this Chinese arms consignment was taken on 18 April by concerned South Africans with the support of human rights legal organizations in a bid to constrain the authorities from allowing transhipment of the arms through South Africa to Zimbabwe. The application was brought in the Durban High Court on the grounds of South African national law, which prohibits arms transfers that may contribute “to internal repression or suppression of human rights and fundamental freedom” or “to governments that systematically violate or suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms”. An interim ruling was issued on 18 April to confine the arms to Durban harbour pending a final court hearing but the ship sailed away. Currently many governments, including in the SADC region, and organisations worldwide are appealing for the arms transfer to be prevented to Zimbabwe, but it is feared that the arms cargo may be delivered to Zimbabwe through another route.

Afghanistan arms fuel further abuse

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:24:45 +0000

The US and other NATO states are supplying arms to Afghanistan that could be used for serious human rights violations, warns Amnesty International.

At this week's NATO Summit in Bucharest (2-4 April), the organization is expressing its concern about excessive quantities of small arms, light weapons and munitions being supplied by member states of NATO and allied states to local Afghan security forces and police. There is a substantial risk that such equipment will be used for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Amnesty International fears that civilians caught up in the armed conflict in the country are increasingly vulnerable to failures by all sides – including the Afghan government, international military forces and the Taleban - to uphold their international legal obligations.

Despite millions of small arms already being found within Afghanistan, 409,022 more small arms have been imported and redistributed since 2002, according to data received by Amnesty International. This is despite a ceiling for all Afghan security forces (including police, army and security services) of just 182,000 people.

This level of supply is disturbing, given that the population is already saturated and abused with small arms. Processes to reform Afghanistan's security sector are faltering. Vital safeguards regarding arms - such as stockpile management, human rights training, control of the use of force and transparent oversight - are still not in place.

China: Amnesty International calls for end to executions, not expansion of lethal injection method

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:18:51 +0000

Amnesty International today strongly condemned the expansion of China’s lethal injection programme and called on the Chinese authorities to accelerate the abolition of the death penalty.

“This move goes against the spirit of the Olympic Charter for the Beijing Olympics, which places the preservation of human dignity at the heart of the Olympic movement. There is nothing dignified or humane in the state killing of individuals by whatever means,” said Catherine Baber, Director of Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme.

It has also taken place just weeks after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions.

Amnesty International also challenges Jiang Xingchang’s, vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), to explain how lethal injection execution is more humane than execution by shooting.

“The extension of the lethal injection programme flies in the face of the clear international trend away from using the death penalty and ignores the problems inherent in this punishment. Arbitrary application, miscarriages of justice including execution of the innocent, and the cruel and inhumane nature of the death penalty cannot be solved by changing the method of execution, said Baber.”

According to Amnesty International, lethal injection as a method of execution raises particular concerns. These include:

• Diverting attention from the suffering inherent in the death penalty by suggesting that death by lethal injection is humane. Evidence shows that it can cause convulsions and a prolonged and painful death.
• The potential to cause physical and mental suffering through botched implementation.
• The involvement of health personnel in executions. Virtually all codes of professional
ethics that consider the death penalty oppose medical or nursing participation.

Amnesty International has welcomed the Supreme People's Court review of all death sentences passed in China (in force since January 2007), which is expected to result in the reduction of the number of executions. Yet the lack of transparency in the application of the death penalty in China will make it impossible to assess or verify any change in the number of executions being carried out.

“The Chinese authorities must take concrete steps towards the abolition of death penalty. As a first step, China must make public the actual numbers of people executed and radically cut the number of capital offences. A positive legacy for the Beijing Olympics can only be achieved when China’s world record of executions comes to an end,” said Baber.