Small Arms
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East Timor – A boy leans against a fence post holding a 9-millimetre weapon in Dili.
(UNICEF/HQ99-0998/Jim Holmes) |
It is estimated that Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)
kill hundreds of thousands of people every year. The United Nations is deeply concerned by the destabilizing effects of the widespread proliferation and illicit transfer of Small Arms and Light Weapons. Since 1995, special attention
has been devoted to the issue of Small Arms
and Light Weapons, which have been the weapons of choice in many recent conflicts. Already in September 2000 all the States Members of the Organization pledged, in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, to take concerted action to end illicit traffic in Small Arms and
Light Weapons, especially by making arms transfers more transparent and by supporting regional disarmament measures.
In 2001, the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects adopted a Programme of Action to Combat, Prevent and Eradicate the Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects (PoA) which was adopted and became the cornerstone of both the UN and the international community’s efforts to fight illicit SALW. The PoA sets a series of measures to be taken at the national, regional and global level in order to reduce and eliminate illicit trade in small arms and to enhance international cooperation. As a follow up to the 2001 Conference, the First Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the PoA was held from 7 to 11 July 2003 in New York.
SALW are inexpensive and so light to carry and easy to use that even a child of ten can wield them lethally. The widespread use and misuse of SALW in conflict has indirect but devastating impacts on civilians. SALW fuel conflicts, cause massive population displacement, and destabilize regions. Small arms proliferation can lead to lack of food security, and loss of access to healthcare, education, and other basic services in time of emergency. Their use and misuse obstructs humanitarian relief and development programmes, exacerbates gender-based violence, undermines peace initiatives and fosters a “culture of violence."
According to the 1997 Report of the Group of Governmental Experts on Small Arms, small arms include by definition revolvers, self-loading pistols, rifles, sub-machine-guns, assault rifles and light machine-guns. Examples of light weapons are heavy machine-guns, mortars, hand grenades and their launchers, portable anti-aircraft and anti tank guns and portable missile launchers. Both categories are comprised of weapons designed for use by armed forces, but by their nature are attractive to those involved in irregular warfare, terrorism and criminal activity. Their low cost makes them affordable, their size makes them easy to carry and conceal, and their ease of use keeps the need for training to a bare minimum.
One of the greatest challenges facing the international community is the reduction of the exceedingly high availability of Small Arms and Light Weapons in areas of conflict around the world. Researchers have stated that, of the 49 regional conflicts that have broken out since 1990, light weapons were the only arms used in 46 of those conflicts. As recent conflicts in Angola, Congo or Sierra Leone have shown, these easy-to-use weapons have made it much easier to turn children into soldiers and allow untrained individuals to join the combat. Their ready and widespread availability has greatly increased the risks of those staff delivering humanitarian assistance in war-affected areas.