MP supports arms-trade treaty

A campaign to establish the first-ever global arms treaty is being backed by local MP Katy Clark.

Ms Clark has joined thousands of people from across the world in calling for an end to the unregulated trade of guns, bombs and bullets, and has added her name to a campaign run by the chairy Oxfam, which demands the creation of a ‘bulletproof’ Arms Trade Treaty.

Also signed-up to the Oxfam campaign is Scotsman David Grimason, whose son Alistair was two-years-old when he was killed by a gunman during a holiday to Turkey in 2003.

Speaking to the3towns, Katy Clark said, “The damage done by the current trade in weapons is clear for all to see.  The recent Arab uprisings have seen repressive governments turn their arms, some of which have been manufactured in the United Kingdom, on their own people.  This cannot be allowed to continue, and I would welcome a strong global arms treaty placing strict conditions on the sale of weapons worldwide.”

Across the world 2,000 people die each day from armed violence, with 26 million people currently displaced within their own countries by armed conflict.

The poorly regulated global trade in arms and ammunition fuels conflict, poverty and human rights abuses. Since 2006, the governments of 153 countries have been working on a global arms trade treaty and in July the United Nations will decide the terms.

Oxfam is part of the Control Arms campaign, an alliance aiming for a treaty to protect lives and livelihoods and to prevent arms being used for atrocities on civilians.

Two out of every three people killed by armed violence die in countries at peace; one in 10 people around the world possess small arms; two bullets are produced each year for every person on the planet.

Judith Robertson, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said, “The next few weeks and months are crucial in gathering support for a strong Arms Trade Treaty.

“Controlling the movement of weapons will save many lives and I welcome the support of Katy Clark.

“I urge other Scots to sign our online campaign to make sure the UK Government recognises the strength of feeling on this issue in Scotland – and acts upon it.”