Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 25
Poor regulatory mechanisms, looped policies and national fiscal interests in the arms trade are translating into human costs, fuelling conflicts in war-torn zones like the North East region of India. The United Nations’ General Assembly has been reminded of the urgency for an international arms trade treaty and greater humane accountability.
Scholar and peace activist from Manipur Binalakshmi Nepram in her speech delivered at the United Nations General Assembly, on July 16 in New York, highlighted the plight of peoples mired in conflicts fed by ‘guns from 13 countries’ into forgotten realms like India’s North East. “In my home region of Manipur alone, I find weapons from 13 countries fuelling a bloody conflict,” said the author of “Meckley” and “India and Arms Trade Treaty.”
“Several countries present in this room will have never heard of my state, Manipur. But the very fact that weapons produced in your countries have found their way to our towns and villages, are a valid reason to find out how they came and what can be done to prevent the flow of arms,” she told the UN assembly.
That an urgency to end the mayhem is the need of the hour, she said “throughout my childhood I saw weapons both of state and non-state actors taking control of our lives, our futures and I thought all this is a normal part of growing up.” She narrated how she lost her 12 year old niece in the violence; how her family was subjected to a death warrant and displaced for almost half a year due to the conflict.
“They are not able to be here at the United Nations to speak to you,” she reflected. “We have to think...to take decisions on ways forward for an arms trade treaty that will transform the lives of millions worldwide. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we have a responsibility to make the ATT happen so that no further human lives are lost,” the UN was told.
She said that national and domestic legislation such as in India cannot tackle the problem alone as, for instance, sophisticated arms used in terrorist acts and rights violations are not included and not subjected to controls. “An international Arms Trade Treaty is desperately needed, in order to ban all international arms transfers if there is a substantial risk that they will be used in violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, if they will be used to undermine poverty reduction or if they will be used to facilitate crime,” she said.
Binalakshmi reminded that all governments must take responsibility and concerted action to control the proliferation, possession, and misuse of arms, in line with international law. “The irresponsible use and transfer of arms is neither inevitable nor in the interests of states. An Arms Trade Treaty would make citizens around the world safer,” she told the UN. “The time for action is now,” she added.
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