The Hindu : New Delhi News : Call for a global arms trade treaty

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 15, 2006
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New Delhi

Call for a global arms trade treaty

Staff Reporter

Will help curb uncontrolled transfer of arms, say eminent personalities

Kuldip Nayar

NEW DELHI: Eminent personalities from different walks of life have called for a global arms trade treaty (ATT) that would help curb uncontrolled transfer of arms between countries for non-defence use. They were speaking at a function organised here on Wednesday to mark the global day of action on Control Arms Campaign that seeks to put pressure on the governments to come together and sign the ATT at the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting in October.

The honorary vice-president of Control Arms Foundation in India, Anuradha Chenoy, said the ATT was a very important treaty for India because the country was a victim of unregulated arms trade. India should engage proactively in the negotiations on the treaty and, besides signing the treaty, help the countries reach a consensus on the issue, she added.

Former Indian Ambassador to the UN, Arundhati Ghose, said some kind of international regulation on transfer of arms was not only necessary but also feasible.

Noted journalist Kuldip Nayar said arms were no solution to any dispute.

Silent protest

Earlier in the day, activists from various non-government organisations, including Oxfam, Control Arms and International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), staged a silent protest at Jantar Mantar to draw attention of the people and the Government to the negative impact uncontrolled arms trade can have on the people, particularly the youngsters.

The gun survivors, family members of gun victims and representatives from gun-affected areas also participated in the march and recounted their tales of horror.

Activist-writer Patricia Mukhim said: "Today people believe they can resolve their personal and societal problems through the barrel of a gun. But how long can we go on like this? Can we allow the next generation too to have guns as their toys?"

To drive home their point about easy availability of guns in the countries, the activists also put up mock stalls that sold guns, along with everyday items like betel nut.

They also put up placards with slogans denouncing uncontrolled arms trade.

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