October 23, 2007...2:08 pm
Parliamentarians from around the world support an ATT
By Sauro Scarpelli, Control Arms Campaigner.
Today we hosted the penultimate event this year in New York for the Control Arms campaign: ” The role of parliamentarians in supporting an ATT”. In the past year the campaign has done lots of work with MPs they have a crucial role in the promotion, adoption and implementation of a future global Arms Trade Treaty.
Parliaments have the authority to create and reform legislation and support and approve ratification of international agreements. As democratically elected representatives, parliamentarians represent their constituencies, are opinion formers and have access to the media and opportunities to create debate and stimulate public opinion. They can also play a very useful role in monitoring and scrutinizing implementation of a future treaty at national level.
Today’s event was chaired by Daisy Tourne, chair of the PF and Minister of Interior of Uruguay and 2 MPs from Albania and Mozambique spoke about the importance of the role played by civil societies in working closely with MPs in promoting the treaty and other disarmament issues.
Manuel Araujo, MP from Mozambique spoke about the situation of armedviolence in his country and how the issue of arms control has become more mainstream since last year a deposit of arms exploded in Maputo and 100 people died and since armed crime has increased drastically in the past years.
Ana Yancy from Arias Foundation in Costa Rica and I were the 2 NGOsspeakers and while Ana presented the principles that governs an ATT, I spoke about the parliamentary declaration Control Arms has launched last June and the need of support from MPs for the process for an ATT.
So far more than 500 MPs from over 80 countries have signed the Control Arms Parliamentary Declaration and we aim to have 5,000 signatures by October 2008 to bring the strong voice of MPs in support of a global and effective ATT to the UN General Assembly in September of next year.
Leave a Reply