We do not sell arms here if you are looking for one. We do not believe that any type of arms, whether big or small, heavy or light, will solve any problems or conflicts. Small arms became a topic of interest in Asian countries. People in this continent such as Cambodia, the Philippines, …resort to small arms to settle conflict such as burglar, dispute, etc. Is it really a problem-solving mechanism? Do we have alternatives?

'The level of global small arms violence is enormous and the scale of human suffering its causes is immense though poorly counted. It causes at least hundreds of thousands of deaths and more than one million injuries each year, as well as permanent physical and psychological damage, the destruction of families, lost productivity, and the diversion of resources from basic health services', reported IPPNW -- International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

Based on the Amnesty International's worldwide research over the past two years, it names 100 countries from all continents of the world where human rights abuses by government forces and political opponents using small arms have been documented. Of these, 30 are in Sub-Saharan Africa, 22 in the Americas, 17 in Asia, 10 in the Middle East and North Africa and 21 in Europe and the former Soviet Union.
http://web.amnesty.org/802568F7005C4453/0/FACE0756E3EAA8F580256A8500470BF4?Open

According to the UN document (a/conf.192/pc/33), small arms and light weapons are those which are manufactured to military specifications for use as lethal instruments of war. Small arms and light weapons are used by all armed forces, including internal security forces, for, inter alia, self-protection or self-defence, close- or short-rage combat, direct of indirect fire, and against tanks or aircraft at relatively short distances.

It is categorized as follows: small arms - revolvers and self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, sub-machine guns, assault rifles and light machine guns; light weapons - heavy machine guns, portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars of calibres of less than 100mm.

More information can be found at Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, New York, 9-20 July 2001 (A/CONF.192/15)
http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/CAB/smallarms/

Many United Nations resolutions, decisions statements and reports have noted that excessive and destabilizing accumulations and transfers of small arms and light weapons are closely related to the increased incident and intensity of conflicts and high levels of crime and violence.

The illicit trafficking and circulation of small arms and light weapons throughout the world is not only a major source of insecurity but also impedes socio-economic development.

It is therefore a legitimate and urgent concern for the international community to take measures to prevent and reduce illicit trafficking and excessive and destabilizing accumulations and transfers (of small arms and light weapons).

CHILD SOLDIERS: THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL COMES INTO FORCE

On 12 November 2001 New Zealand became the tenth state party to the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. The Protocol came into force on 12 February 2002. As of 8 February 2002, the Protocol had been signed by 94 states and ratified by 14.

Thousands of red hands, the logo of the 'Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers', were planted symbolically in the grounds of the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva to draw attention to more than 300,000 child soldiers still fighting in today's cruel armed conflicts and wars.

For more information and to join action, visit Amnesty International web site:
http://web.amnesty.org/web/content.nsf/pages/gbroptionalprotocol

Read 'Global Report on Child Soldiers 2001' This report focuses on the situation of child soldiers in more than 180 countries and is the result of a major study undertake between 1999 and 2001 by the Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers http://www.child-soldiers.org

The following are some suggestions identified by the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons to be more aware of the problem and how to act: (a/conf.192/pc/33)

At the national level:

• Check your national systems for regulating the manufacture of small arms and light weapons, their parts, and components, ammunition and explosives, and associated technologies and services.
• Check regulations and administrative procedures to control the export, import, transit and retransfers of arms and military goods and technologies.
• Check any insufficient control (e.g. border control, political will), licensing or authorization of the manufacture of such goods, and of stockpiles of arms kept by manufacturers and dealers.

At the regional level:

• Check whether any regional norms and framework for cooperation were built to address the problem of small arms and light weapons proliferation.

At the international level:

• Watch out for free ports worldwide that pose particular challenges for the international control of arms movements. Ineffective control in free ports include port operators who provide speedy clearance in order to attract trade and sometimes not regarding trans-shipments of goods as their prime responsibility to control.

Aiming for Prevention: International Medical Conference on Small Arms, Gun Violence and Injury
Helsinki, Finland, September 30, 2001
http://www.ippnw.org

Cambodia - Working Group for Weapons Reduction (WGWR)
http://www.wgwr.org

Canada - Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT)
http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/coat/

United Kingdom - Campaign Against Arms Trade for clean investment campaign
http://www.caat.org.uk/cleanInvestment2001.html

USA - urge your senators to curtail small arms trade
http://www.maryknoll.org/GLOBAL/ALERTS/alerts_now.htm

http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsTrade.asp

International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA)
http://www.iansa.org

Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/arms/

First of all, you should not have any small arms and light weapons of your own. Moreover, you should support other movement to stop the production and dissemination of the arms. If it is difficult to do so, maybe the prevention of the conflict, which leads to using arms as a means for solution, and building peace will be a better way… To lear more about these alternatives, visit the links below:

Local Capacities for Peace Project (LCPP)
formed in 1994 by Collaborative for Development Action (CDA) together with a group of international and indigenous NGOs to address concern of aid workers on possibility to give aid in ways that can help reduce tensions, mitigate violence, and provide the people affected by conflict with the space and opportunity - the breathing room - to disengage from violence and to build peace. For further information: http://www.cdainc.com

War Prevention Works
by Dylan Mathews, a compilation of 50 stories of local communities working to transform conflict. They are stories of ordinary people that are armed only with determination and courage who have been able to end or subdue violence where international and national interventions have failed. For more information or to order a copy http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.uk

EU Programme for the Prevention of Violence Conflicts
conflict prevention is at the heart of the European Union (EU). Some immediate steps have already been taken to put principles into practice, for example in Serbia, Macedonia and Caucasus. Relations with the UN have been intensified in conflict prevention, development and humanitarian action. Moreover, the EU must build mutual partnerships for prevention with the UN, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other international organisations as well as civil society. For further information: http://www.utrikes.regeringen.se

Swedish Mapping
a mapping of the work made by Swedish NGOs to prevent violent conflicts and build peace was initiated by Forum for Peace Service, a network of about 30 organisations. For further information: http://www.forumsyd.se

Women Waging Peace
is a global initiative of Harward's Kennedy School of Government that breaks new ground by identifying the essential role and contribution of women in preventing violent conflict, stopping war, and sustaining peace in fragile areas around the world. For further information: http://www.womenwagingpeace.net

International Peace Bureau (IPB)
is the world's oldest and most comprehensive international peace network. With 19 international and 141 national/local member organizations (and 120 individuals) in over 40 countries, it brings together people working for peace in many different sectors: not only pacifists but also women, youth, labor, religious, political and professional bodies. IPB was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910. http://www.ipb.org

The international campaign Women Building Peace: From the Village Council to the Negotiating Table
is working to place issues of women, peace and security firmly onto the international agenda. It was launched by International Alert in May 1999 with the support of over 200 women's organisations. http://www.international-alert.org/women/new3.html

The Hague Agenda for Peace and Justice for the 21st Century
has emerged from an intensive democratic process of consultation among the members of the Hague Appeal for Peace Organizing and Coordinating Committees, and the hundreds of organizations and individuals that have actively participated in the Hague Appeal process. The Agenda represents what these civil society organizations and citizens consider to be some of the most important challenges facing humankind as it embarks upon a new millennium. For more information: http://www.haguepeace.org

The Nonviolent Peaceforce Project
read 'A Force More Powerful' at
http://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/Get_ready/A_Force_More_Powerful_Study_Guide.htm

Accord: An International Review of Peace Initiatives
provides detailed narrative and rigorous analysis on specific war and peace processes, combining readability with practical relevance. It provides; a practical learning resource to enrich people's understanding of the potentialities and pitfalls of 'peacebuilding'; a primer for international readers unfamiliar with specific wars and peace processes; a reference tool containing conveniently packaged, comprehensive texts of peace agreements; a forum for interesting or contentious insights from those directly involved or affected by peace processes, particularly local civic organisations. For more information: http://www.c-r.org/accord/