Deputy Chair of Disarmament Committee. Trafficked weapons

Transcription

1 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 1 FORUM: ISSUE: STUDENT OFFICER: POSITION: Disarmament Committee The prevention and eradication of the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons in the Middle East and Southeast Asia AhSong Cho Deputy Chair of Disarmament Committee Introduction Trafficked weapons Illicit trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) has been a leading concern throughout the world for long. Small arms include pistols, rifles, carbines, and light machine guns, while light weapons are comprised of Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, mobile anti-aircraft guns, et cetera. The violation of SALW trade regulations is already a major threat to the world, and the fact that SALW are relatively cheap and portable aggravates the situation even further. This not only leads to criminal acts, civil wars, and territorial conflicts, but also replenishes the armories of terrorists and drug suppliers. The issue of the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons commonly arises as a result of cultural diversity, post-colonial violence, and insufficient policing in regions. The need for small weapons has heightened the conflict in Southeast Asia and the Middle East where demand for weapons is the highest; piracy and illicit entrepreneurs have supplemented the drug trade as income. In Thailand, about 80% of whole illegal consignments pass through the nation. The

2 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 2 black markets in this country are located in major regions such as Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai. In these places, dealers have been secretly transporting illegal products from Cambodia, and there are many routes taken to smuggle the weapons. Being aware of the outcomes followed by this conflict, many organizations and nations are taking relevant actions in order to combat this problem. Recently, Cambodian police caught three nationals contacting five Thai companions while crossing the border. The police confiscated two grenade launchers, three grenades, three ignition devices and six mobile phones from the criminals, who all admitted that they obtained the weapons from Cambodia and attempted to travel along to Thailand. Key Terms Small arms Small arms refer to weapons utilized by individual members of armed groups. The most common types of small arms are pistols, rifles, and carbines. United Nations Program of Action (UN PoA) The main purpose of the UN PoA is to propose feasible solutions to the illegal trade. Light weapons Light weapons are defined as weapons intended for use by several members of armed groups. Some examples of light weapons are grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Illicit Illicit refers to a certain practice that is restricted by law, rules, or culture. Black market Black market refers to a trade conducted under unauthorized condition. Black market trade

3 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 3 History Syrian War The unauthorized exchanges of ammunitions ceaselessly occur, and the process is becoming more astute and complicated as time passes. The first time SALW were involved during the Syrian War, March 18, 2011, when the protesters destroyed a police head officer in Dara a. In response to this situation, policemen attacked back by firing tear gas at the rebels. Although there already were abundant small arms and light weapons in Syria even before the war broke out, the government stored approximately 2 million weapons via support of Russian government during the war. Unauthorized SALW have been reaching the rebel groups in Syria through nearby countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey. Some weapons were carried by former soldiers in Syria; there are about 10,000 defectors who quitted the army during the first six months of the war. These ammunitions are still circulating throughout the world, and some are imported to extremists such as al-qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). Tear gas used to threaten rebel groups Thai military official Alarmed by potential outcomes of the trade, the governments of Cambodia and Thailand held hands to inquire trafficked weapons. As a result, they found out that the smugglers from Cambodia and Thailand have been cooperating with each other in order to form balanced cycles of black market trade. Thailand s Police Commissioner General also joined in the investigation, and he predicted that the primary motivation of this action is likely to be the demand of weapons for coup d état in Myanmar. They found out that most of the weapons carried to Myanmar or Thailand originated from Cambodia. Rebel groups in many regions in Myanmar have continuously fought for peace against the government. As they were searching for further information relevant to the issue, they discovered a crashed van that contained large number of unauthorized weapons such as four machine guns, 29 assault rifles, 53 grenades, and more than 4,000 bullets. Soon after they found out that the owner of the vehicle was a Thai air force

4 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 4 leader, he was arrested due to smuggling weapons. After interviewing the military official, they concluded that the violated weapons were carried through a checkpoint located in Koh Kong province. Problems Raised Emergence of terrorism and revolt The constant proliferation of terrorist groups in Southeast Asia can be attributed to the illicit proliferation of SALWs. Since they are not easily noticed, it is extremely difficult for people to report or warn the act in advance. In this respect, terrorists can accomplish their goals without significant hindrance. Terrorism certainly kills many innocent lives, especially the vulnerable groups such as women and children. While terroristic raid is one clear example of result directly caused by the usage of small arms and light weapons, SALWs largely contribute to the increasing number of rebel groups, especially in Myanmar, Cambodia and the Philippines. To specify Mindanao, separatists in the Philippines had political conflicts with the government for years, and they admitted that their weapons were originated from foreign forces. Insecurity of human rights Impacts of small arms and light weapons are tremendous; their light weights and minuscule sizes are highly responsible for all outrageous consequences such as increasing number of people whose rights are violated. Far from being protected, children are gradually becoming open to the warfare as the world sees the modern weapon manufacture grow. Unlike weapons in previous centuries, the technology has leaped a gigantic step, and people have learned how to make lighter weapons for children to lift and utilize. Recently, child soldiers in Liberia and Sudan already have been exposed to the war, and most of them have become the victims of the war. Moreover, about fifty civilians have lost their lives as a result of the massacre in Chiapas by the government.

5 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 5 International Actions Disposing of the weapons United Nations Program of Action In 2001, the United Nations decided to address this issue of weapons violation. They accepted a Program of Action (UN PoA) to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. The UN PoA aims to alleviate conflict by suggesting practical solutions. These include confiscating and removing the smuggled weaponries, enforcing the controls of import and export, promoting awareness of the consequences that arise from illegal weapons, and aiding the affected nations in detecting the routes of the dealers. Thanks to the United Nations Program of Action, more than fifty countries have reinforced their laws regarding the unlawful exchange of weapons, and more than sixty countries have succeeded in collecting and destroying small weapons. Arms Trade Treaty The United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in March The ATT is a significant key to the settlement of the issue because it effectively controls widespread misuse of arms. This does not prohibit legitimate trades that are progressed in order to achieve national security. It intends to form an international security by permitting exchanges only under conditions where the procedures of the trade are revealed transparently. Australia firmly believes that the Arms Trade Treaty has the capability to assist nations that are exposed to danger. Since it has not been much long since the Arms Trade Treaty has been launched, the ATT has not made a noticeable progress yet, but it has a great potential of tackling the issue in the near future. The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia

6 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 6 The illegal arms trade is one of the most lucrative businesses in Cambodia. The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) has intended to retrieve unauthorized weapons in the country in order to resolve the issue. When Paris Peace Agreements gave UNTAC permission to control weapons, it collected more than 320,443 light arms and 80,729,175 ammunition from the groups that participated in wars in Cambodia. Although these are indeed considered as huge quantities, they are merely a small portion of entire arms. Key Players Khmer Rouge that made Vietnam a killing field Vietnam Vietnam is one of the countries where SALW exchanges happen most frequently in Southeast Asia. The demand for small arms in Vietnam rises as the nation s security weakens. The confiscation of weapons from Vietnamese trawlers around the South China Sea proves that there is a high possibility that Vietnamese arsenals are being plundered by soldiers and that weapons remaining from past issues are transported to other countries. The country is gradually becoming an area for transshipment for weapons from other nations such as China and Russia. The weapons are transferred to Vietnam through its porous northern boundaries. Then, they are carried to ports before they are loaded onto freights. This procedure is continuously repeated, and the last year s effort of UN peace-building mission did not alleviate the situation. Illegally traded Cambodian weapons come from the remaining hoard of the war against Vietnam and from Khmer Rouge, which had made Vietnam a killing field since the mid-1970s until the 1990s.

7 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 7 China Despite the fact that China s weapon laws are one of the strictest in the world, it s large territory allows illegal weapon trade to occur frequently. In 2014, there was an incident that took place in Guizhou province which left the world in a shock. It was reported that the authorities seized 10,500 unauthorized guns and 120,000 knives from the raid groups. Studies reveal that gun violence would not be as severe as that of the knives because they are generally easier to obtain and utilize. Researchers also have stated that China is likely to be a home to various types of unauthorized ammunitions which are continuously circulating throughout the world. Possible Solutions Financial supports for organizations From 2012 to 2013, experts concluded that the value of small arms imports to the Middle East increased by 84%. The illegal trade market is lucrative because the laws do not strictly prohibit the unauthorized trade among individuals or groups. One of the most prevalent factors that lead to this phenomenon is the opaqueness of the exchange. Graph that indicates significant increase of imports Few years ago, the United Nations have launched The United Nations Arm Trade Treaty (ATT) to combat this issue; this corporation ensures that the trades are processed only under transparent conditions. However, without sufficient funding and supports, the ATT would not be able to implement appropriate changes. Not many people are aware of The United Nations Arm Trade Treaty, since it has only been few years after this organization has been put into practice. Thus, the ATT must raise awareness of its existence by publicizing it via Social Network Services in order to gain adequate financial resources. Moreover, most of the global citizens tend to only focus on noticeable conflicts such as poverty and war crisis, and only a minority pay close attention to the tremendous threats posed by the issue of the SALW.

8 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 8 Therefore, more people should be informed about the danger of weapon trafficking to help the ATT successfully control the illegal trade. Enforcement of inspection The obtainability of small arms and light weapons has fueled the augmentation of the scale of black markets. Compared to other ammunitions and weapons, SALWs are much easier to port because they are relatively diminutive and light. As a result, terrorists are able to succeed their raids effortlessly, and even children in various countries such as Liberia and Sudan are coerced into entering the wars. In order to effectively prevent further development of this issue, organizations and nations should cooperate to find pertinent measures such as seizing and destroying unauthorized small arms and light weapons. In areas such as Cambodia and Thailand where the illegal trade of SALW is frequent, guards should make strict precautions to prevent further acts. It is important to confirm that all products are exchanged without harmful intentions; any suspicious dealers must go through close examination followed by proper measures. Map that indicates Cambodia-Thailand border Timeline 1975 End of the Vietnam War; peace dividend of small arms proliferation July 2001 The United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in SALW held in New York 2005 Adoption of the International Tracing Instrument to ensure that weapons are properly marked April countries signed the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in order to universalize stronger transfer controls 2012 to 2013 Value of small arm imports to Middle East increases by 84%

9 TIANMUN 2017 Disarmament Committee 9 March 2013 July 2017 Adoption of The United Nations Arm Trade Treaty Three Cambodian smugglers arrested while attempting to cross border Works Cited Small Arms Trade and Proliferation in East Asia: Southeast Asia and the Russian Far East. Research Gate. Bedeski, Robert. Web. 2 Sep < oliferation_in_east_asia_southeast_asia_and_the_russian_far_east> Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). Reaching Critical Will. N.p. Web. 4 Sep < small-armsand-light-weapons-salw> Light Arms Trading in SE Asia. RAND Corporation. Chalk, Peter. Web. 3 Sep < Cambodia, Thailand, Investigate Arms Smuggling. KHMER Times. Rathavong, Ven. Web. 23 June < Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and mine action (MA). NATO. N.p. Web. 22 May < Cambodians Nabbed for Weapons Smuggling. The Cambodia Daily. Roeun, Van. Web. 24 July < Conventional Weapons and Missiles. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. N.p. Web. N.d. < Human Cost of Illicit Flow of Small Arms, Light Weapons Stressed in Security Council Debate. Meetings Coverage& Press Releases. N.p. Web. N.d. < Consequences of Small Arms Claim Attention in First Committee, as African Nations Underscore Dangers of Terrorist Use. Meetings Coverage& Press Releases. N.p. Web. 13 October < Biggest Terror Threat is From Small Arms. Global Policy Forum. N.p. Web. 4 December < Small Arms, Large Problem: The International Threat of Small Arms Proliferation and Misuse. Arms Control Association. Schroedor, Matt and Rachel Stohl.

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