Ammunition essential
Without ammunition, weapons are worthless. This is why restricting access to ammunition is central to preventing violence and murder. An Arms Trade Treaty must therefore regulate the sale of ammunition if the purpose of the Treaty is to be achieved, says Trine Hveem, development policy advisor for Norwegian Church Aid, who is currently in New York.
The report was written by Hilde Wallacher and Alexander Harang at the request of Norwegian Church Aid, ForUM and PRIO. The report argues the case for the inlusion of ammunition in an international, legally-binding agreement that aims to regulate the global trade in weapons.
It can be done
“Ammunition is already regulated through international, regional and national systems. This demonstrates that it is possible to include ammunition in the new Treaty, and it is an indicator that states consider ammunition to be something they need to control. For these reasons it is very difficult to understand the arguments put forward by states – such as the USA - that refuse to accept a Treaty that includes ammunition,” says Hilde Wallacher of PRIO, who co-authored the report.
More than 740,000 people every year lose their lives to armed violence. The majority of these live in poor countries. Increased control and regulation of the weapons trade can help prevent weapons and ammunition falling into the wrong hands, and reduce mortality rates.
Positive role
”Norway plays a positive role here within the UN, but should lead the way and tighten control of its own weapons and ammunition in line with commitments the current government has already made in the Soria Moria 2 declaration. In so doing, we can reduce the risk that ammunition will fall into the wong hands,” says Borghild Tønnessen-Krokan from ForUM, who is also a board member of the International Control Arms Coalition.
Download the report "Small but Lethal" here