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.