Livewire – Amnesty International blogging for human rights

By Colby Goodman, Amnesty International’s Control Arms Campaign

October 7, 2009 – On a day the New York Times exposed more details about Guinean security forces recent use of weapons against thousands of peaceful protestors, Amnesty International participated in what turned out to be an electrified briefing at the United Nations (UN) about preventing the use of arms for serious human rights violations and the need for an Arms Trade Treaty.

Normally, UN briefings on arms control issues are often theoretical and poorly attended.  Government delegates are also often sidetracked by their Blackberrys and conversations.  Not yesterday.  More than a 100 representatives from governments attended the briefing and were often fixed on the presenters’ words.

Perhaps it was an unusually blunt description by Brigadier-General Mujahid Alam, who is part of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), about government responsibility in arms diversions to fighting forces with egregious human rights violations in DRC.  Or it was Assistant Police Commissioner Novelette Grant’s frank and passionate overview of the high instance of gun violence in her home country Jamaica.

I also think many people, including myself, were thinking about Guinea.  This wasn’t some theoretical discussion about the misuse of arms for serious human rights violations.  According to the New York Times, of three women trying to flee gunfire during the protest, one woman was hit with the butt of a rifle by a soldier, requiring stitches.  Multiple others were raped by soldiers.

After an unusually loud applause at the end of the briefing and as the government representatives started using their Blackberrys again, I hoped they continued to reflect on Guinea and what the presenters said.  I know I will.