ConflictVoice

KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of Congo is to launch on Tuesday a “firearm for 50 dollars” disarmament campaign in the vast country’s volatile eastern region, a minister said Monday.

Communication Minister Lambert Mende told AFP the government counted on collecting “20,000 to 30,000 guns at first” but did not say how long the operation, financed by President Joseph Kabila, was intended to last.

The joint statement of Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the UK and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa after their recent meeting included the following:

“The ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons requires cooperation on a number of important international initiatives. The UK and South Africa therefore look forward to President Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit next month and progress in the international treaty framework to stop nuclear proliferation, control the number of nuclear weapons and approve a new international conventional arms trade treaty through the UN. There was recognition that Iran remained in breach of five UN Security Council Resolutions on its nuclear programme and, that in order to pursue a legitimate nuclear energy policy, it should engage positively with the international community and the IAEA.”

Israel’s arms trade with India stands to expand dramatically following New Delhi’s decision to increase its defense budget to $32 billion.

“India plans to rebuild substantial parts of its armed forces and we will be there, offering everything they need,” a source within the Israeli Military Industries said.

During November and December 2009, Amnesty International researchers travelled to Conakry in Guinea. We went to document one of West Africa’s most serious episodes of violence and human rights abuse in recent years: the ‘Bloody Monday’ massacre on 28th September 2009, when Guinean security forces opened fire with tear gas and live ammunition at protestors trapped in Conakry’s stadium, killing over 150 people and publicly raping more than 40 women.

Contrary to popular opinion, Mullah Baradar’s capture by the CIA acting in concert with the Pakistanis is not a game-changer. At best, it presents the Taliban with a minor inconvenience. Baradar was the deputy defence minister during Taliban rule in Afghanistan and was quoted as claiming just a few months ago that “in every nook and corner of the country a spirit for jihad is raging.” He will be replaced by others unless Afghanistan is fixed.

The United Nations is poised to bring an international agreement on global arms trade and finalise ‘a strong and robust’ Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the conference to scheduled for July 2012. Already 153 nations have voted in favour of the resolution towards this while 19 countries including India abstained while one voted against it. 

Can ATT help to check the rising tide of terrorism and other forms of violence by armed non state groups (ANSG)? This question is of immediate relevance to South Asian nations, particularly India and Pakistan, who are facing sustained ANSG inspired violence for a few years now. 

This article tries to answer this question and examine some of the priority areas for action for using the ATT advantageously in the fight against ANSG violence in South Asia.

Le 21 janvier 2010 est sorti le nouveau rapport d’Amnesty International, intitulé « Somalie : Reexaminer les conditions de l’aide internationale à destination de l’armée et de la…

The Hindu, New Delhi News: Twenty-one organisations from across the country have come together to appeal to the Government to go for welfare instead of warfare.

In a parallel event to the Defence Expo-2010 starting this Monday, these organisations, representing civil society, are gathering for “Delhi disarmament events and conference for an arms trade treaty,” which will focus on the consequences of arms trade and the way military spending is prioritised over the well-being of the people.