Holy See urges for regulations to check illegal arms trade
(July 25, 2011) The trafficking of weapons has contributed to numerous situations
of human suffering, the Holy See has said, urging for global regulations to check
the illegal trade. In a statement for a preparatory meeting July 11-15 for next year’s
United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty the Holy See noted that "the illicit
trade of weapons and ammunition has led to human suffering, internal conflicts, civil
unrest, human rights violations, humanitarian crises, crime, violence and terror."
"Non-regulated and non-transparent arms trading and the absence of effective monitoring
systems for arms trading at the international level cause serious humanitarian consequences,
slow down integral human development, undermine the rule of law, increase conflicts
and instability around the globe, endanger peace-building processes in various countries
and spawn a culture of violence and impunity." The Holy See’s delegation called attention
to “the grave repercussions of illicit trade in arms on peace, development, human
rights and the humanitarian situation, especially the deep impact it leaves on women
and children." "These issues,” it said, “can be effectively solved only through the
common sharing of responsibilities by all members of the international community."
Hence, the urgency for the adoption of a legal instrument, with legally binding measures
on trade control for conventional weapons and munitions on the global, regional and
national levels.