2016 JPHMUN 1 Disarmament and International Security: Arms Control Treaty JPHMUN 2016 Background Guide Throughout the last century, many different conflicts around the world have been exacerbated by the widespread trade legal and illegal - of arms and ammunition. These arms have been used in unlawful killings, torture, the commission of war crimes, and other horrendous acts (Amnesty International Canada, 2015). The illicit trade of arms has also been a growing problem at the international level, fueling ethnic and religion clashes, as well as supporting terrorist organizations. Committees such as the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) seek to control the trade of arms and ammunition in order to reduce the number of casualities in conflicts and to, hopefully, lessen the likelihood of these conflicts starting in the first place. The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) was established in 1982 on the recommendation of the General Assembly s Second Special Session on Disarmament (UNODA, 2016). For the next three decades, the name of the department and committee changed, from the Centre for Disarmament Affairs in 1992 under the Department of Political Affairs, to the Department for Disarmament Affairs in 1997, and finally to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in 2007 (UNODA, 2016). The UNODA fosters disarmament measures through dialogue, transparency and confidence-building on military matters, and encourages regional disarmament efforts through various mechanisms, including the United
2016 JPHMUN 2 Nations Register of Conventional Arms. It provides information on disarmament issues to member states, state parties to multilateral agreements, intergovernmental organizations and institutions, departments and agencies of the United Nations system, research and educational institutions, civil society, non-governmental organizations, media, and the general public (UNODA, 2016). UNODA promotes: nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, the strengthening of disarmament regimes in respect to weapons of mass destruction (including chemical and biological weapons), and disarmament efforts in the area of conventional weapons, (especially land mines and small arms, which are the weapons of choice in contemporary conflict). Finally, the office supports the development and implementation of practical disarmament measures after conflict (UNODA, 2016). The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is defined as a treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships and works to prevent the diversion of arms and ammunition (UNODA, 2016). It is a treaty that promises to end the illegal trade of arms and ammunitions as well as begin to keep records of states exportation and importation of arms and ammunitions. The hope is that by keeping track of the sale of weapons, they will be harder to divert. States, such as Russia, have kept secret their records of exporting arms and ammunitions to other countries, which raises the question of to whom are they exporting their arms? (Al Jazeera, 2015).By holding larger states accountable for their arms sales, the treaty might block or discourage them from exporting their own arms and ammunitions to other countries and organizations. The fewer weapons available, the less deadly violence there will be between rebels, protestors, and government forces. The ATT was open for signatories to begin signing in June 2013 and came into force in December 2014 (The Arms Trade Treaty, 2016). One of the important aspects of the ATT recognizes state sovereignty
2016 JPHMUN 3 and seeks to help states find a suitable way to control the transfer of arms on both an international and domestic level (United Nations, 2013). However, many states and nongovernment organizations, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the United States, continue to resist the treaty. The NRA claims that the treaty endangers the American right to bear arms (Louis Charbonneau, 2016). An example of a state that has been negatively impacted by the lack of control and rules in respect to the movement of arms and ammunition is the fragile state of Syria. Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed by a civil war. What had started out as simple protests as part of the Arab Spring turned into a sectarian war between the government and organized resistance groups, including those designated by the West as terrorist groups, most notably the Islamic State (IS). Civilians in Syria are fleeing their homes to escape the violence. The three major forces, the government and pro-government forces of President Bashar al-assad, rebel groups such as the al-nursa Front, and the Islamic State, have received most of their arms and ammunitions through trade with other states and illicit arms trading organizations. The situation in Syria demonstrates that not only does the black market trading of arms need to be stopped, but states must also be charged with keeping records so that the international community has a clear understanding of the role states are playing in the violent conflicts that wrack international society. Russia is the second largest exporter of arms in the world, most of which are exported to Syria to support the Assad government in its fight against opposition forces (Amnesty International Canada, 2015). Last March, a Russian government newspaper reported an interview with President Assad that contradicted Moscow s claim to have signed contracts with Assad before the revolt began in 2011 (Al Jazeera, 2015). According to the Rossiyskaya Gazeta,
2016 JPHMUN 4 Assad stated that there were agreements signed before the crisis and others that have been signed during the crisis and were currently being carried out (Al Jazeera, 2015). Russian's trade deals with Syria have given the Syrian government forces the tools they need to attempt to subdue the rebel forces. The Syrian civil war has caused the deaths of over 220,000 people, displaced 7.6 million people within Syria, and created 4 million refugees (MercyCorps, 2015). Unless further action is taken to control the number of arms and ammunition entering Syria then the number of casualties and displacements will only rise. The rebels consist of many factions, who are supported by many different states and organizations. For example, the al-nusra Front, the largest rebel faction in Syria, has pledged allegiance to al-qaeda (BBC, 2015A). The al-nusra Front, as well as other rebel groups, are also supported by Saudi Arabia, which seeks to overthrow the Assad regime (BBC, 2015B). With so many different players and factions on the rebel side of the crisis, there are many opportunities for black market arms dealers to sell and for other states, such as Saudi Arabia, to export their own arms and ammunition. The control of arms and ammunition is an important consideration, given all of the different actors on both of the pro-government and rebel forces. Without the ATT, the number of arms and ammunition in Syria will only grow and cause more civil unrest and lethal violence in an already unstable state. The Islamic State is the final major player in the Syrian Civil War crisis. The IS seeks to create an Islamic state, as its name suggests. It is fighting the Syrian government, but it is also at odds with the other rebel groups. The Islamic State gathers its own ammunition through illicit markets and by seizing the supplies and weapons of other surrounding forces. The exact type and number of weapons that the Islamic State holds in its arsenal are unknown. This makes it more
2016 JPHMUN 5 dangerous as an organization. Part of the Arms Trade Treaty is to stop this type of black market trade to end the possibility of terrorist organizations purchasing arms and ammunition. There is a pressing need for the international control of arms and ammunition. The ATT is a first step in the direction of control and regulation of the arms trade. Already the ATT has support of major states, such as the Japan, Germany, and Brazil. However, it does not have the support of other states, such as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and India. (The Arms Trade Treaty, 2016). Other countries have also yet to sign the treaty, such as Canada and the United States. By creating a treaty that that majority of states can agree on, and forming a committee able to enforce these rules, the two major goals of the ATT will be enhanced. There are also many challenges ahead for treaties like the ATT, due to the opposition of NGOs like the National Rifle Association (NRA). In order to come to a better understanding of their common goals, states and NGOs will have to work together to create a clear and precise treaty that keeps both parties interests in mind. To conclude, the Arms Trade Treaty is currently the most ambitious international attempt to control the movement of arms and ammunition from state to state as well as the illicit trade of arms and ammunition. The Syrian Civil War serves as a good lesson for why treaties for controlling the movement of arms are beneficial to the international community. All states have a role to play in these treaties. By improving the ATT and seeking the advice of opposing organizations, a treaty that all parties are willing to agree to can be created and upheld.
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