David Martin's EU Tribune

Campaign for Arms Trade Treaty must go on!

One person dies every minute because of armed violence!

I read in the latest edition of Oxfam’s Scottish Newsletter that delegates at the United Nations (UN) have scuppered the hopes of people around the world that they would agree to a global Arms Trade Treaty – this is a monumental failure for the influence world opinion. World leaders continue to ‘listen and then do as they please’!

But the fight to end the illegal and irresponsible arms trades goes on.

During a month of negotiations, it appeared that there was majority support for an Arms Trade Treaty that would cover all conventional arms including ammunition.

But in the final hours of negotiations, the United States, Russia, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela all asked for more time – time for what? To go on killing and maiming innocent victims, including children throughout the world!|?

Governments now have a second chance to make the Treaty a reality by taking the text forward to the UN General Assembly in October.

Campaigning in Scotland and around the world has had a big impact on the strength of the draft Treaty. Over the next few months Oxfam, as part of the Control Arms Coalition will need our help to keep up the pressure until a binding Treaty is agreed.

Scottish dad David Grimason – whose son Alistair was shot dead with an illegal weapon in Turkey nine years ago – was at the United Nations throughout the talks.

David marked the ninth anniversary of his son’s death in New York – it was the first anniversary he was not at Alistair’s graveside.

He met with the UK Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt and lobbied delegates from around the world, keeping the pressure on for the strongest possible Treaty. His final blog from New York tells why he feels it’s so important for a Global Arms Trade Treaty.

One person dies every minute because of armed violence and we want a strong Arms Trade Treaty to prevent arms transfers that fuel human rights abuses, poverty and conflict.

Keep up-to-date on what happens next visit: www.controlarms.org