Senior Military Officers back an Arms Trade Treaty

Speaking at an Amnesty International event at the United Nations in New York yesterday, senior military officers who have worked in some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones, and witnessed the resulting catastrophic humanitarian consequences, highlighted their support for an Arms Trade Treaty in the run up to the crucial vote at the end of next week.

Rt. Brigadier Mujahid Alam from Pakistan, who is from the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lt Colonel John Ochai from Nigeria, who is former Chief of Operations for the African Union Mission in Sudan, and Bruno Schiemsky, from Belgium, who is formerly of the UN Arms Embargo panel on Somalia, spoke to a packed room of delegates yesterday.

Rt. Brigadier Alam told the delegates: “ It is the illicit trade and trafficking of arms which is causing all the problems in Congo and causing all the casualties in the civilian population. All of the militias and illegal groups have arms. In the Democratic Republic of Congo we have a UN arms embargo, but it has proved totally ineffective. That is why an Arms Trade Treaty has become so important. An arms embargo by itself won’t deliver the goods. An ATT plus embargo would be much more effective.” 

After the event we spoke to Lt Colonel John Ochai about his experiences in Sudan, and why it is so important to him that the delegates votes 'yes' next week.

Related posts: 

• Landslide UN vote in favour of Arms Trade Treaty - 31 October 2008
• Parliamentarians' declaration presented to the UN - 23 October 2008
• 192 missions in 192 minutes - 21 October 2008
• The world is watching...through 20 foot glasses! - 18 October 2008
• 83 countries co-sponsor the resolution - 17 October 2008
• Control Arms at the UN - Why are we here? - 16 October 2008
• From rickshaws to giant sunglasses; Control Arms at the UN 2008 - 15 October 2008