UN: ‘Virtual stampede’ of states rush to join Arms Trade Treaty (will become law - 12/24/14)

[pampango]

A flurry of activity by UN member states to sign and ratify the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) before it enters into force next week is another clear sign of the overwhelming support for this historic move to rein in the irresponsible international arms trade, Amnesty International said.

Yesterday alone, Andorra, Israel and Zimbabwe signed the ATT while Lithuania and the Netherlands ratified. These five states join several others which signed and ratified the treaty earlier this month, bringing the total number of signatures to 128, of which 60 have ratified. South Africa is also expected to ratify the treaty at the UN imminently. States that have ratified will now become states parties to the treaty.

Five of the top 10 arms exporters – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – have already ratified the ATT. The USA, by far the largest arms producer and exporter, is among 68 countries that have signed but not yet ratified the treaty.

Other major arms producers like China, Canada and Russia have resisted signing or ratifying the ATT. North Korea, Iran and Syria are the only three states that voted against adopting the treaty at the UN General Assembly.

Amnesty International and its supporters have lobbied and campaigned relentlessly for an ATT since the mid-1990s. It will become binding international law on 24 December, after which it will require states to adhere to strict global rules on international arms transfers to stem the flow of conventional arms and munitions that fuel atrocities and abuse.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/un-virtual-stampede-states-rush-join-arms-trade-treaty-2014-12-19

It is good that the Obama administration signed the Arms Trade Treaty. Of course, getting it ratified through the Senate has proven difficult and will get even harder when the republicans take over. Particularly since critics have raised issues of national sovereignty and 2nd Amendment rights. "Another UN assault on national sovereignty and the right to bear arms" has been the frequent charge from the right and is unlikely to abate.

"The Arms Trade Treaty obligates member states to monitor arms exports and ensure that weapons don't cross existing arms embargoes or end up being used for human-rights abuses, including terrorism.

Criticism

Opposition to the ATT can be broken down into state opposition and civil society opposition. Over thirty states have objected to various parts of the ATT during negotiations, the majority of which held strong concerns about the implications for national sovereignty. According to armstreaty.org, countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Egypt, and Iran have objected to many more aspects of the ATT than has the United States.

From a civil society point of view, groups concerned about national sovereignty or individual rights to armed defense have been negative of the ATT. While not fundamentally opposed to an ATT, these groups are keenly sensitive to ensuring an ATT does not undermine national constitutional protections and individual rights. The most vocal and organized civil society groups opposing objectionable aspects to the ATT originated from the United States. These groups include the National Association for Gun Rights, the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights, the National Rifle Association (NRA), the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and The Heritage Foundation. The NRA and the Gun Owners of America say that the treaty is an attempt to circumvent the Second Amendment and similar guarantees in state constitutions in order to impose domestic gun regulations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_Trade_Treaty

The enforcement of international laws is always a problem, but it is better to have a good law and work on enforcement than to not have it at all.

[daleanime]

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