Disarmament and International Security
Topic: B
Illegal Arms Trade
Submitted by:
Afghanistan
Ever since the creation of small arms in 1364, they have been built, sold, and stolen
illegally. The same has happened with weapons of mass destruction, and still happens
today. In Afghanistan, the war on terrorism has waged on since 2001. Many of these acts of
terrorism were committed with illegal arms, sold, built, or smuggled illegally to radical groups.
Afghanistan has one of the top black markets in the world. They are ranked at 29 in the
world, with the black market worth around 7.3 billion U.S. dollars (approx. 420990985399.99
Afghani). In the U.S., the Chinese model of the AK-47 assault rifle averages over 600 U.S.
dollars. In Afghanistan, the same firearm can be bought for less than 400 U.S. dollars. These
black market weapons are both cheap and available to many. Even people trusted to uphold
the law will sometimes jump at the opportunity. In 2010, a massive fraud was discovered at
Kabul Bank, involving 114 fake stamps to be discovered, which were used to send document to
counterfeit companies. This caused for many other scandals to be discovered by the
government. These discoveries caused civilians to protest, saying that the government only
wants all power. This then caused more people to invest in black market just to defy the
government. Because of the majority of the black market industry being the buying and selling
of drugs and alcohol, the problem is not as obvious as it should be.
On July 3rd, 2005, the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms
was registered. As of this month, Afghanistan has yet to sign, or accept, this Protocol. The
problem is specifically section 12.c., which states that all countries will take action against the
dealing of these weapons. Allies such as Germany, China, Turkey, and India have signed it, but
others like Pakistan have not yet signed. This protocol has not been signed because, in doing
so, Afghanistan will be stating that they have most to total control over the situation of illegal
firearm manufacturing. To take control of the situation, we need to create a stronger law
enforcement agency, along with spending more time educating the population on the
numerous consequences related to illegal firearms. About 100 billion U.S. dollars are spent on
law enforcement for the purpose of fighting the war on drugs. The amount of money spent on
the war on illegal arms trafficking is only about three quarters as much. It is for this reason that
the law enforcement is poorly educated on this matter.
In conclusion, more money is needed to fight the war on illegal weapon and their parts, along
with more support from neighboring countries and their population. We advise that the UN
spends more time on this matter, and that all countries should be informed of the problem,
even if it isn’t in their area. Also, we seek support in this ongoing war to help raise the money
to come to a solution. If there are no “fundraisers” that can do the job, than other methods like
donations will help the cause. It is for these reasons that we believe that we should band
together and fight this war as a team.
Works Cited
"2013 Investment Climate Statement - Afghanistan." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department
of State, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.<http://www.state.gov/e/eb/rls/othr/ics/2013/205289.htm>.
"Afghani to Dollar - AFN to USD." - Afghan Afghani to American Dollar Exchange Rate. Fxrate.net, 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.<http://fx-rate.net/USD/AFN/>.
"Guns in Afghanistan - Firearms, Gun Law and Gun Control." Guns in Afghanistan - Firearms,
Gun Law and Gun Control. Ed. Philip Alpers. Sydney School of Public Health, 2014. Web. 3 Dec.
2014.<http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/afghanistan>.
"Ranking of Illegal Economic Activities." Havocscope RSS. Havocscope, 09 Apr. 2010. Web. 1
Dec. 2014.<http://www.havocscope.com/country-profile/>.
"Small Arms S.Asia." Small Arms SAsia. Smallarmsasia, 2011. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"UNODA - Small Arms and Light Weapons." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 15 Dec.
2014.<http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/salw/>.
"UNTC." UNTC. United Nations, 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.
<https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII1&chapter=18&lang=en>.
"Wasting Billions on Drug Law Enforcement." Wasting Billions on Drug Law Enforcement. Count The
Costs, 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.countthecosts.org/seven-costs/wasting-billions-druglaw-enforcement>.
Submitted by:
Colombia
In the past, nuclear technology has been used for warfare. More recently in
developed and developing countries, nuclear technology has been found in the wrong
hands and has not been used for peaceful uses. Such as in the Cold War where Russia
and the United States threatened to literally blow each other up with nuclear warheads. As
technology has evolved in the world it has been used for more peaceful things, too. For
example it has been used for medicines and energy. Colombia however doesn’t have very
much nuclear capability. Recently the Colombian military raided a FARC (Revolutionary
Armed Forces of Colombia) camp in Ecuador. 66 pounds of uranium were recovered as
well as two FARC laptops.
Colombia and Latin America have worked on a solution for this situation. Colombia
signed the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1967 and ratified it in 1972. The treaty has served as a
model for all future nuclear weapon free zone agreements. The treaty prohibits Latin
American states from acquiring, possessing, developing, testing or using nuclear weapons,
and prohibits other countries from storing and deploying nuclear weapons on their
territories. Reducing the risk of nuclear use by terrorists and nation-states requires a broad
set of complementary strategies, targeted at reducing state reliance on nuclear weapons,
stemming the demand for nuclear weapons and denying organizations or states access to
the essential nuclear materials, technologies and know-how.
Nuclear energy is currently one of the most significant issues in geopolitics and geoeconomics globally and often times bring with it military concerns, struggles among oilproducing and consuming countries and of course, and the pursuit of international political
power. In Ecuador the Colombian military has found a large amount of nuclear substance
that could have been harmful to the countries land, economy, or even public morality
towards the government. They have been in a treaty agreement and that should help ratify
any nuclear substances from Latin America. Today, more than ever, it is necessary to join
effort to advance irreversibly towards a world free of nuclear weapons. Latin America and
the Caribbean have done their job, now it is time for every nation to seek not only peace,
but general nuclear disarmament as well.
Work Cited
"Treaty of Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean." Www.nti.org. Agency
for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
<www.nti.org%2Ftreaties-and-regimes%2Ftreaty-prohibition-nuclear-weapons-latin-America-andcaribbean-lanwfz-tlateloco-treaty%2F>.
Submitted by:
Denmark
According to Globalissuses.org, 59% of all weapons are carried legally.
The other 41% carry arms illegally. Occurring all around the world, the illegal arms
trade is a stealthy, foxy business. An arm trafficking is the illegal movement of
prohibited weapons or ammunition. To carry a registered weapon, you must have a
license. As of this year, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was ratified by Denmark on the
second of April in 2014. Armscontrol.org said that it establishes common standards for
the international trade of conventional weapons and seeks to reduce the illicit arms
trade. They also said “The treaty aims to reduce human suffering caused by illegal and
irresponsible arms traders.” Article 2 states that the right to own, buy, sell or transfer all
means of armed resistance, including handguns, is denied to civilians by this section of
The Arms Trade Treaty. Both licit and illicit, the estimated total number of guns held in
Denmark is 650,000. The government is said to have 346,005 firearms. Police have
19,640 of the government firearms. Denmark ratified the Arm Trade Treaty this year,
stating that they don’t agree with the document. In 2008, Denmark’s total number of
gun-related deaths totaled up to 67. Only 2 of the deaths were unintentional.
Smugglers make big money from the trading of illegal arms. There is a process called
the “ant trade”, which means that smugglers convey only a few weapons at a time. The
annual total cost of all of the smuggling of guns and ammunition is 33, 128, and 879 in
2011. Denmark’s regulation on illegal arms is prohibitory, meaning that Denmark illegal
arms are kept under close watch.
We believe that to solve this worldwide crisis, Denmark should try to bring in
more security that would try to find the smugglers and arrest them by having stricter
illegal arms laws. Denmark should also try to monitor the amount of illegal arms being
exported out of the country and what country they are being imported into. For example,
if the exported number of arms suddenly increased, and then the number of imported
illegal arms increases in another country, then Denmark officials could trace those guns
back to their country.
The UN DISEC committee should monitor the illegal arms being transported
through their country. If the trading gets to be too much for the Danish government to
handle, they may have to call in reinforcements, such as the US, UK, Germany, Japan
or one of their other allies. Other actions may press Denmark to start to look at how they
see the arms trade, such as an increased number of weapons going through Denmark
and neighboring countries. Some of the countries may be Germany, Sweden, Norway,
or the UK. In conclusion, the illegal arms trade is a serious matter that everyone must
take part in to stop for the safety and security of civilians around the world.
Works cited:
"Disarmament & International Security / 1st Committee - 60th Session of the United Nations
General Assembly." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.un.org/ga/60/first/>.
"Guns in Denmark - Firearms, Gun Law and Gun Control." Guns in Denmark - Firearms,
Gun Law and Gun Control. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/denmark>.
Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/da.html>.
"Committees and Topics." Cleveland Council on World Affairs. CCWA, 2014. Web. 18 Dec.
2014. <http://www.ccwa.org/programs/model-united-nations/committees-and-topics/>.
"UNODA - About the Arms Trade." UN News Center. UN, 2014. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ArmsTrade/>.
Submitted by: Guatemala
Illegal arms trade is a huge problem. In most countries carrying arms requires a license. But,
there are some people who carry and use arms illegally. Occurring all around the world, the
illegal arms trade is an elusive and sly business. There are an estimated 875 million small arms
in circulation worldwide, produced by more than 1,000 companies from nearly 100 countries
(theconversation.com). According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, more
than three million small arms were exported in 2012. “More than half a million people die every
year as a result of armed violence. There is, on average, one victim worldwide every minute,
Ryan said in a statement at the Review Conference of the Programme of Action on Small Arms
and Light Weapons (undp.org).
As DISEC it is our job to keep people safe. As we have already said, illegal arms trade is a huge
safety threat. Seemingly every day, the news provides examples of the deadly consequences of
weapons falling into the hands of criminals, pirates, terrorist groups, rebels, and untrustworthy
governments. “Gun violence fuelled by illicit weapons destroys communities, economic stability
and the rule of law; it destabilizes legitimate governments and extinguishes any hope of
eliminating poverty for people living in conflict zones,” said Jordan Ryan, UNDP Assistant
Administrator, at the conference of UN Member States (undp.org).
To solve this conflict, the UN should try to make an agreement with the countries so that
stopping illegal arms trade is top priority. They should try to stop one problem at a time-like ant
trade. Ant trading is trading a small amount of weapons at a time to accumulate to a very large
amount (smallarmssurvey.org). To fix this problem, the UN can try to get countries to increase
the penalty for illegal arms trading and/or supporting. Also we plan to obliterate the problem by
the year 2025. The large penalty could be life in prison or a large fine.
Bibliography
"Preventing Illegal Flow of Guns Is Key to Reducing Poverty." UNDP. UNDP, 7 Sept. 2012.
Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/articles/2012/09/07/preventing-illegalflow-of-guns-is-key-to-reducing-poverty-/>.
"Illicit Trafficking." Small Arms Survey - . Small Arms Survey. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/weapons-and-markets/transfers/illicit-trafficking.html>.
"Illegal Small Arms Trade Requires a Global Response." The Conversation. The Conversation,
12 Feb. 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://theconversation.com/illegal-small-arms-trade-requiresa-global-response-22560>.
Submitted by: Haiti
Out of the 659 million weapons in the world only 59% are carried illegally. Out of the
$60,000,000 of arms trade 10-20% of it is illegal. A United Nation conference held in
July of 2001 concluded without a compromise. An arms trade treaty has been written
but only 32 states have ratified it out of the 50 that need to ratify it. The treaty keeps
weapons away from pirates, warlords, and gangs. The problem is that gangs are getting
weapons that they are not supposed to have.
In Haiti the right to own guns is not guaranteed by law. In Haiti they destroy surplus
weapons rather than return them to the secondary arms market to reduce the number of
guns in Haiti. Haitians has been getting their firearms mostly from the USA since
the 1980s. Haiti has signed the arms trade treaty so that means they don't support
illegal arms trade. Most guns imported in Haiti are imported legally. But the arms trade
treaty has not been enforced yet so it doesn’t affect anyone who has signed it. It isn't
enforced because not enough countries have ratified it.
Haiti feels that illegal arms trade is becoming a problem and it needs to be
stopped. If illegal arms trade stops there could be fewer arguments that would lead to a
war. Illegal arms trade also affects governments. Even though most guns in Haiti are
legal some are not legal and that affects their government because they have some
illegal firearms.
Submitted by: Iraq
School
School: Monticello Middle
Dwight D. Eisenhower once said,1 " Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every
rocket fired signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those
who are cold and are not clothed..." The buying and selling of weapons is not bad or good by
itself. It’s a problem when these sales start to take money away from the people who
could use it to help with their basic human need even if the sales are legal. From 1984
to 1988, The International Signal and Control Company (ISC) sold air-to-ground missiles to
the country of South Africa. They used the excuse that South Africa needed to be
protected from the Russia, but it was still illegal to do. There were no official contracts. South
Africa spent over 30 million more on other weapons it was not supposed to have. At that time,
most people in South Africa were not expected to live past the age of 50. Now that South
Africa has solved its problems between blacks and whites and its illegal arms trade, the
majority of people are expected to live past 50 years old for the first time in history!
The Haliburton Company, located in the United States, is another example of illegal arms
Trading. Right after the first Gulf War, they illegally sold oil pipes to Iraq which were used as
cannon parts to make a super weapon. Iraq has had many illegal arms trades.
It’s reported that 425,000 firearms were in the hands of civilians. Most of these firearms
were bought illegally! When Iraq was occupied by mainly United States troops, there were
constant battles that went on for years after the official war ended. People were using these
illegal arms to continue fighting. Once Iraq was allowed to govern itself, this was one of the first
issues it looked at. Iraq needed a stable government and this wasn’t helping.
Iraq has undergone a dramatic, rapid, and positive transformation and it is making progress
After decades of wars. All these problems led to Iraq making a new law on weapons.
Iraq has a unique mark on each firearm by law, so any weapons sold would be able
to be traced back to Iraq.
Iraq’s solution to the illegal arm trade was to send Iraqi Prime Minister1 Haider al-Abadi
to visit Iran where a lot of these illegal weapons were coming from. This is his first visit and he
hopes to get Iran’s help in stopping illegal weapons from getting into Iraq. Iran and Iraq are
now working together to avoid problems so armies like ISIS can’t attack and win easily. Iraq
is hoping that these kind of talks among countries can stop the trading of illegal arms. Let’s
have the United Nation create a conference on this so all the countries can discuss this
problem more.
Biliography :
1Usnews.com, Robert Schelesinger, September 30, 2011
http://www.cia.gov, the World Factbook, June 22, 2014
www.Aljazeera.com ,Reports:Iraq Signs Arms Dearl With Iran, February 25, 2014
www.un.org, Strong Collective Efforts Needed to Keep Small Arms, Light Weapons from
Proliferating, Meeting of States Hears, Noon Briefing, June 16, 2014
http://www.2.gwu.edu , The National Security Archive, Joyce Battle, February 25, 2003
www.en.m.wikipedia.org , Iraq Resolution, various authors, December 10, 2014
www.cnn.com , Obama Outlines ISIS Strategy: Airstrikes in Syria, More Forces, Tom Cohen,
September 10, 2014
www.eml.berkeley.com.edu , Detecting Illegal Arms Trade, Stefano Della Vigna, December 7,
2009
www.globalissues.org , Arms Trade – A Major Cause of Suffering, Anup Shah, June 30 ,2013
www.skeptical-science.com , UK Conman Found Guilty of Selling Fake Bomb Detectors to Iraq
for $40 Million, Dave Gamble, April 24, 2013
Submitted by: Islamic Republic of Iran
The illegal trading of arms is VERY different than arms trading. In legal arms trading, a nation’s
government allows a licensed official to buy or sell weapons on behalf of their government. The
purchases are almost always documented to let other governments know the type and quantity
of the weapon in the trade deal. In illegal arms trading, the weapons are smuggled into a country
without permission or knowledge of the government. This can lead to three basic problems:



Civil war
Terrorism
Government Destabilization
Thailand reported to have 10,000,000 arms in citizen hands according to Havoscope.com. It is
clear why on May 22, 2014, the military “reformed” its political structure. In other words, the
government was overthrown – the country of Thailand was destabilized!
Out of the top 20 most dangerous places to visit in the world, 18 of those countries have a destabilized
government mainly due to illegal arms trading. Terrorism and civil war are other symptoms of the
illegal arms trade.
Iran has 16 million live landmines, the second most in the world! This is due to the Iran/Iraq
war that took place from late 1980 to 1988. Others were put in during the Persian Gulf War to protect
its borders. But few remain compared to the number from the Iran/Iraq war. Beside the landmines in
the ground, no one knows the exact number of landmines in the hands of Iranian citizens. These could
still be sold on the black market today. That is a major problem because all these sales are illegal.
It is hard to fix a problem when you don’t know what you are dealing with. Beside landmines, AK47
assault rifles and anti-tank/ anti-aircraft weapons have found their way into ISIS hands. Even weapons
from the United States have been found on ISIS troops. Those that aren’t purchases are stolen. This
build-up of weapons along our border could lead to both political problems or war.
Iran is requesting the United Nations, specifically DISEC, to establish a foundation to remove
excess landmines in Iran so that these deadly weapons don’t fall into the hands of people who would
dig them up and sell them on the Black Market. We also ask the United Nations to step enforcement of
illegal arms trading in the Middle East. With your help, we can create a more a more stable world.
RESOURSES:
www.havocscope.com , 2014
http://www.businessinsider.com/iraqi-weapons-reportedly-ending-up-with-isis-2014-11 , US-Supplied
Weapons Are Already Ending Up In ISIS Hands, Michael B Kelley, November 24, 2014
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html , World fact book- Iran, CIA,
June 22, 2014, World Fact book- Iran, CIA, 2014
Submitted by:
Israel
Illegal arms trade poses a threat to civilians and to the
country. Easy availability of weapons and other “tools of violence”
lead to conflict. There is no clear right to bear arms under Israeli
law. The law defines a “firearm” as a barreled instrument adopted
to throw a bullet, projectile, shell, bomb or the like, capable of
killing a person, and includes any part of, accessory to
ammunition for such an instrument, including a container that
contains or may contain such material, excluding a container for
tear gas. To get a license, you have to have licensed training for
a specific firearm. The law permits licenses to be issued to the
leader of a community to protect the people and property of the
community, the owner or manager of an eligible business, an
employee designated by the Ministry of Defense, the producers of
a film or play, the holders of a license for guard or private
investigator services, and escorts for field trips or camping trips
for self defense. They also have to have a health declaration
approved by the family doctor. These people have to have the
proof of need.
The Ministry has reformed the law in the mid-1990’s, 1999,
and 2011 by restricting the right to bear arms to people that live or
work in a dangerous area. In 2011 they reformed the law so you
had to have proof of permanent residence, uninterrupted
presence in Israel for a period of 3 years, and have a basic
knowledge of Hebrew. Also, doctors, psychologists, mental
health officers, or social workers can file reports of any persons
that they think are dangerous. If someone commits a violent act
they could get a double penalty if a firearm was involved or if it is
the first crime, they could have their license revoked from the
standard three year period.
The regulations for the amount of arms you can obtain vary
by age and occupation. A person who has been in the army or
the IFD (Israeli Defense Force) can obtain a firearm at the age of
21 and is limited to one gun and 50 bullets. An average civilian is
allowed 1 gun and 50 bullets at the age of 27 years old. A person
who is not a civilian and does not have permanent residence is
allowed one gun and 45 bullets. A sportsman/woman is issued
one gun and bullets determined by the shooting association. A
huntsman/woman can have one gun and 700 bullets if issued by
the Ministry. Additional arms may also be issued. Common
additional arms are air, BB, sport, or memorabilia guns. These
additional guns can be licensed for special reasons. Any licensed
civilian needs to have their license with their gun if any police
officer would like to see it.
Israel has a very specific policy on guns and firearms, but
every resolution can be improved slightly. Israel’s policy can be
changed by limiting the bullets for a person that does not have
permanent residence for only 25 bullets because 45 bullets is too
many for someone who is not even a citizen. The bullets should
vary for what type of firearm someone has because different
types of firearms shoot bullets at different speeds. For instance, if
a hunter has a rifle, they would not need 700 bullets. Israel
should have border control so more illegal firearms do not enter
the country and rewards for revealing sources for the black
market.
Works Cited
Cadwell, Elizabeth. "The Great Lakes Invitational Conference
Association."The Great Lakes Invitational Conference
Association. Great Lakes Innovation Conference Association, n.d.
Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://www.glica.org/topics/show/57>
"CIA World Fact Book." CIA World Fact Book. Central Intelligence
Agency, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/>.
"Committees and Topics." Cleveland Council on World Affairs.
CCWA, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.ccwa.org/programs/model-unitednations/committees-and-topics/>.
"Disarmament & International Security / 1st Committee - 60th
Session of the United Nations General Assembly." UN News
Center. UN, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.un.org/ga/60/first/>.
"Firearms-Control Legislation and Policy: Israel." Library of
Congress Home. Library of Congress, 16 July 2014. Web. 11
Dec. 2014. <http://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearmscontrol/israel.php>.
Submitted by:
New Zealand
Illegal arms are becoming more widespread. Many people are getting killed or badly
injured, because small arms are smuggled and traded illegally, not being detected because
of their size and weight by officials, who have a lack of focus on their job. In June 2010
delegates of all United Nations (UN) states came together at the Biennial Meeting of States
in New York to contemplate the application of the 2001 Program of Action (POA) on the
illegal trade of small arms. The program was started in July 2001 to make sure the growing
illegal arms trade on small arms and light weapons was kept under control and to help
countries fight this problem. Although the talks keep moving forward some nations still have
trouble because the Program of Action continues to face obstacles for some countries, with
many things that are very hard to deal with, like being incapable of meeting the international
norm of marking and tracing the illegal small arms and light weapons. In New Zealand to
have a gun you must have a license unless somebody who owns a license has immediate
supervision over the person using the gun. Self defense is not a reason to get a firearm, the
law does not allow the use of firearms thinking that somebody is going to attack you. To
prove that you used a firearm in a protective way you must be honest if you or someone
else is in an immediate threat of being killed or seriously injured. A member of the police
can give somebody a license if they check out to be a fit and proper person to own a
firearm.
Even though people still get hurt there are resolutions that have been made to stop
the trade of illegal arms. One already created, called the Program of Action. Another one
coming is called the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which should create some common
standards for the international trade of conventional weapons and should reduce illegal
arms trade. It should also reduce human suffering caused by illegal and irresponsible arms
transfers, improve regional security and stability and to promote accountability by states
concerning transfers of conventional arms. The ATT is not an arms control treaty and will
not place restrictions on the types or amount of arms that can be bought, sold, or
possessed by states. It does not change the gun control laws or other firearm ownership
policies of a state. New Zealand signed the ATT on June, 3 2013 and ratified it on
September, 2 2014. In New Zealand since 1998 over five million people have died, over half
of New Zealands population. The Arms Trade Treaty will stop violence, that is why it is so
important.
Works Cited
Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
<https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html
"Committees and Topics." Cleveland Council on World Affairs. CCWA, 2014. Web. 03 Dec.
2014. http://www.ccwa.org/programs/model-united-nations/committees-and-topics/
"Fact Sheets & Briefs." The Arms Trade Treaty At a Glance. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/arms_trade_treaty>.
"Firearms-Control Legislation and Policy: New Zealand." Firearms-Control Legislation and
Policy: New Zealand. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014. <http://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearmscontrol/newzealand.php#skip_menu>.
"New Zealand Red Cross - New Zealand Ratifies Arms Trade Treaty." New Zealand Red
Cross - New Zealand Ratifies Arms Trade Treaty. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
<https://www.redcross.org.nz/what-we-do/in-new-zealand/stories/nz-regulation-ofweapons/>.
"The Illicit Trade Of Small Arms - Geopoliticalmonitor.com."Geopoliticalmonitorcom The
Illicit Trade Of Small Arms Comments. N.p., 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 18 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/the-illicit-trade-of-small-arms-4273/273/
"UN Office for Disarmament Affairs — Strengthening Peace and Security through
Disarmament." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
http://www.un.org/disarmament/
"Unregistered Guns Invite a Tragedy." The New Zealand Herald. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec.
2014. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10846698
"UNTC." UNTC. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
<https://treaties.un.org/pages/viewdetails.aspx?src=treaty&mtdsg_no=xxvi8&chapter=26&lang=en>.
Submitted by: Paraguay
School: University School
Of the 639 million arms in the world, only about 59 % are held legally (Globalissues.org). I
thought that I would start out with a stat to grasp your attention. This means that about three out of every
five weapons in the world are being held illegally. This horrific statistic needs to be changed right now.
These illegal trades have been going on all over the world and not a single one of our countries is left out
of this topic for a reason. It affects all of us! These dealers will keep supplying more and more guns to
whomever asks for them. The smugglers don’t care who they are selling to, or why, they just want money.
Most of these guns are being given to some of the most wanted people alive. We must stop this at once,
and at its source. We need to keep these trades from going on so our position doesn’t worsen. If we aren’t
strong and try to cure this problem in our modern world, then they will think we are weak and they will
keep trading. We need to go full force into this issue and stop the arms trades as soon as possible! This is
something that I hope we can all agree on. If as a group we cannot stop Illegal Arms trades from
happening, then I believed we have failed our job as the Disarmament and International Security Council
of the United Nations.
The salespeople are very sneaky about their trade as you would have to be trying to sell guns
illegally. They practice the “ant trade”, which means they only smuggle a few weapons at a time so they
end with a large stock of weapons that they can sell to whomever they want (smallarmssurvey.org).
According to globalissues.org, the majority of the guns circulating through this vast chain of trade are
small arms like hand guns, pistols, sub-machine guns, mortars, landmines, and small missiles. These guns
are small, easier too fire, and easy to conceal and smuggle, which makes them the primary choice for
dealers to sell. Thousands of innocent people die due to these illegal arms being sold to whoever needs
them. According to a Small Arms Survey in 2005, these types of guns account for an estimated amount of
sixty to ninety percent of the over one hundred thousand conflict deaths each year. For many terrorists,
this is the weapon of choice. About half of the almost one hundred and seventy five terrorist attacks last
year were committed with this type of weapon. Getting this type of weapon out of the Illegal Arms Trade
should be our number one priority. After these weapons are gone from the trade, then we can work on the
other half of the weapons that we are looking for. This is obviously going to be the type of gun traded the
most so we should want to eliminate it first to show the dealers that we aren’t joking around with this
Illegal Arms Trade.
We need to stop these trades from happening at once. According to Matt Schroeder who is the
manager of the FAS Arms Sales Monitoring Project, illegal arms trade contribute to the high crime rates
that we all have been suffering lately, and it also supplies terrorists with these weapons for whatever they
plan to do with them. Most of the trades are in small arms and light weapons. If we can find away to
correctly document the guns legally sold, then we can make sure that they are not resold illegally. We
could possibly do this by putting trackers inside the guns to know where they are at all times. If the guns
were being resold we could find out where it was being sold and bust the dealer before our problem
worsens.
Submitted by:
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Illegal arms trade has been a well-known problem around the world for a long time.
Although other countries are having more trouble with it than ours, illegal arms trade is also
an issue in South Korea. Illegal arms trade is extremely dangerous because powerful
weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists, criminals, or rebels. In South Korea, 27
people have been killed by citizens from guns (various reasons) in 2002. These events could
have been avoided if we had more of a grip on illegal gun sales. Around the world, deaths
resulting from war, armed homicides, and suicides add up to about 500,000 per year or 1,500
per day.
Because of armed conflict, over 26 million people have been forced to leave their
homes in order to avoid being involved and affected by armed conflict. It doesn't have to be
this way. Because of armed conflict, harmful societies like ISIS can get ahold of more
dangerous weapons and hurt more people. According to an unnamed Korean, there is a firm
law against distributing illegal guns to citizens. The Korean points out that there is not much
gun action in South Korea, other than hunting guns.
Gun laws tend to be more complicated than other types of possession laws, such as
drug laws. Not all guns are illegal in many countries. For instance, hunting guns are not
always prohibited. Most firearms in the US are illegal, but other countries are not as strict.
The US isn't infamous for many gun crimes, but there have been recent shootings that are
piling up. But the United States isn't the only victim of unruly gun use. During the Korean
War, guns were being shuffled around, back and forth. Believe it or not, most of South
Korea's firearms came from North Korea. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Ukraine has
been swamped in chaos ever since the fall of the Soviet Union and the plentiful riots.
Violence is sweeping over Ukraine like nobody's business, and Korea is being flooded with
bullets as well.
The UN is working hard to stop this worldwide chaos. They have started the Arms
Trade Treaty which "Establish the highest possible common international standards for
regulating or improving the regulation of the international trade in conventional arms;..."
(http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/). What South Korea wants to do is eliminate the guns
that crazy people a ring, instead of eliminating the crazy people themselves. They find this
easier. The South Koreans say that the people who own guns and use them for bad purposes
are people who are familiar with guns from their time in the war. It could be fixed by taking
away every gun a veteran owns once he/she retires. It may not help much, but it would be a
start.
Resources
"Illegal Small Arms Trade Requires a Global Response." The Conversation. N.p., n.d. Web.
19 Dec. 2014.
"10 Killer Facts: The Global Weapons Trade." Amnesty Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 19
"Ask a Korean!" : Gun Control in Korea. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014.
"Illegal Weapons Explained." Illegal Weapons Explained. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2014.
"Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)." Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series
50.3 (2013): 19647A-9647B. Web.
Submitted by:
Sierra Leone
Robert Neild noted "It has been estimated that there are now about 500 million small
arms and light weapons in circulation in the world, one for every twelve people. Gone long
ago is the time when we Europeans could subdue other continents because we had firearms
and the local peoples had not. In 1999 it was reported that an AK-47 assault rifle could be
bought in Uganda for the price of a chicken." (London: Anthem Press, 2002, p. 131.) Illegal
Arms Trade is defined as the illegal trafficking or smuggling of contraband weapons or
ammunition, and it occurs in every corner of the world. As reported by Havocscope global
black market information, illegal gun trafficking value is 1 million dollars, the profit for
straw purchaser is $500 per firearm, and there are 45 to 80 million weapons circulating in
South America. Libya has been named as the primary source of the illegal weapons trade
and fueling conflicts in at least 14 countries around the world. Arms’ trafficking causes civil
wars, regional conflicts, stocks the arsenals of terrorists and drug cartels, along with
contributing to violent crimes. There have been between 300,000 to half million people
around the world killed every year from small arms. At least 1,134 companies in 98 countries
worldwide are involved in some aspect of the production of small arms.
People in Sierra Leone and the government along with the UN are trying to address
the issue. One step toward peace and stability in sometimes taken by stopping the flow of
small arms. For the first time in the United Nation’s history, the issue of small arms was
finally a topic of conversation at a UN Security Council meeting in 1999. Where Kofi
Annan also noted the efforts of NGOs in this. In consonance with globalissues.com
unfortunately when the meeting was coming to a close the Human Rights Watch were
concluding that the meeting has “[fail] to produce a serious plan of action.” This is why we
then need to work along this issue. “Many delegates have tried to single out shadowy
gunrunners as the chief culprits, while neglecting the governmental role in supplying the
weapons used to commit atrocities.” Many other countries have also attempted to stop illegal
arms trade. The biggest problem that Africa has noticed is that most borders are open so it is
much easier to transport and trade illegal arms. The main focus is ECOWAS, which is a
compilation of various countries within the continent of Africa that have come together to
stop the proliferation of small arms.
There are many ways to help decrease small arms trade. Although there is not many
ways citizens can help this problem, unless they are apart of the UN or on the government. 1
in 10 people around the world processes small arms according to controlarms.org. So if we
follow these laws less people will have weapons therefore less people will be killed. The
ECOWAS and the EU will "explore ways, as appropriate, to more effectively address the
humanitarian and development impact of the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of
small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation, in particular in conflict or
post-conflict situations, including by developing, where appropriate, comprehensive armed
violence prevention programmers integrated into national development strategies, including
poverty reduction strategies" according to http://eu-un.europa.eu. The UN will be held
responsible as a group to help eliminate probability. The landmark Arms Trade Treaty
(ATT), regulating the international trade in conventional arms - from small arms to battle
tanks, combat aircraft and warships - will enter into force on 24 December 2014. States can
sign the treaty until it enters info force. 122 states have already signed the treaty and 154-323 General Assembly vote to adopt the treaty, says un.org.
Recourses
Shah, Anup. “Small Arms—they cause 90% of civilian casualties.” Global Issues. 21 Jan.
2006. Web. 08 Dec. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/78/small-arms-they-cause90-of-civilian-casualties>.
Fidler, Stephen. "Arms Trafficking." Havocscope RSS. Havocscope, n.d. Web. 08 Dec.
2014.
"Global Scourge from Illicit Trade in Small Arms Continues to 'Wreak Havoc', Says UN
Disarmament Head, as Meeting on 2001 Action Programme Opens | Meetings Coverage and
Press Releases." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.
"Welcome to Controlarms.org :: Control Arms Campaign." Welcome to Controlarms.org ::
Control Arms Campaign. Oxfam, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
"The Arms Trade Treaty - UN Office for Disarmament Affairs." UN News Center. UN, n.d.
Web. 08 Dec. 2014.
"ECOWAS-EU Joint Declaration on Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons
(SALW)." EU@UN -. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.-EU Joint Declaration on Proliferation
of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)." EU@UN -. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
Country: Ukraine
School: Roxboro Middle
Illegal arms trade has been a problem in the world for a long time. For Ukraine (along with many
other Middle Eastern countries) it mainly started after the Soviet Union broke, which left many
weapons unattended. These weapons fell into the black market and are now the cause of many
deaths around the world. Each day 1,500 people are killed by conflict and armed violence, this
totals to over 500,000 deaths per year. Most of these deaths are committed with illegal weapons
that fell into the black market. Although, not all illegal weapons were supplied by Russia; 74%
of the world’s weapons are produced by six countries: USA, UK, France, Russia, Germany, and
China. USA is by far the leader in this supply with over 34% of the world’s weapons coming
from them. By 2016 it is estimated that there will be 639 million firearms in the world, and only
59% legally held by civilians. Robert Neild of Cambridge University said, “It has been estimated
that there are now 500 million small arms and light weapons in circulation in the world, one for
every twelve people. Gone long ago is the time when we Europeans could subdue other
continents because we had firearms and the local peoples had not. In 1999 it was reported that an
AK-47 assault rifle could be bought in Uganda for the price of a chicken.”
(http://www.globalissues.org/article/78/small-arms-they-cause-90-of-civilian-casualties) And not
only that but it is also said there are more international laws regulating the trade of bananas than
weapons.
The United Nations thankfully has not ignored this continuous problem. From 1995 to 2013 the
UN has met 12 times to discuss an Arms Trade Treaty reducing illegal arms trade. Finally in
2013 they adopted an Arms Trade Treaty with a vote of 153-3, with 22 abstentions. Ban Ki
Moon once said, "The ATT [...] will be a powerful new tool in our efforts to prevent grave
human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law. And it will provide muchneeded momentum for other global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts."
(http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ArmsTrade/) Specifically this treaty was made for
three big reasons: to reduce the violence against millions of civilians in conflict-ridden regions,
to help create a conducive environment for the United Nations to carry out its mandates in the
areas of humanitarian assistance, and lastly to foster a safer environment for humanitarian actors
operating in volatile areas across the globe. Altogether this treaty makes for a safer world and
when countries actually follow this treaty, many lives will be saved.
To help end illicit arms trade the UN could put in place more arms trade treaties, especially more
effective ones. An arms trade treaty should protect lives and human rights but still should not
take away a country’s power. If possible the UN should get as many countries as they can to
agree to start gaining control of these illegal weapons to at least get them off of the black market.
Especially if the UN can get countries like Russia, USA, China, France, UK, etc. to help take the
weapons back. Then also if the UN can get countries like Sierra Leone, Libya, etc. to stop buying
the weapons and to get better control of their civilians buying and trading illicit weapons. If the
world works together on this under the UN's watchful eye then many lives from illicit arms trade
can be saved. In Ukraine 1999 there was no smuggling of illegal weapons and in 2001 Ukraine
was a signatory to the UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA). If more countries can
take the lead like this to reduce and hopefully end illicit arms trafficking, then soon the world
will overall be more peaceful and a better place.
Bibliography
1. Solash, Richard. "Explainer: What is The United Nations Arms Treaty?" Radio Free Europe
Radio Liberty, September 25, 2013. December 19, 2014. <http://www.rferl.org/content/un-armstrade-treaty-explainer/25117736.html>.
2. Williams, Ian. "The Arms Trade Treaty At A Glance". Arms Control Association, July 2013.
December 19, 2014. < http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/arms_trade_treaty>.
3. Shah, Anup. "Small Arms-They Cause 90% of Civilian Casualties". Global Issues, January 21,
2006. December 14, 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/78/small-arms-they-cause-90-ofcivilian-casualties>.
4. "Why Do We Need an Arms Trade Treaty?". Amnesty International, March 13, 2012.
December 19, 2014. <http://www.amnesty.org.au/armstrade/comments/28105>.
5. "10 Killer Facts: The Global Weapons Trade". Amnesty International, July 31, 2012.
December 19, 2014. <http://www.amnesty.org.au/armstrade/comments/28098>.
6. "The Arms Trade". United Nations. December 19, 2014. <
http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ArmsTrade/>.
7. Gilson, Dave. "Ukraine: Cashing in on Illegal Arms". Frontline World, 2011. December 19,
2014. <http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sierraleone/context.html>.
8. Alphers, Philip. "Guns In Ukraine". gunpolicy.org, October 1. December 19, 2014.
<http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/cp/ukraine>.
DISEC Topic B