Dear Reaching Critical Will friends and advisors:
For many of us, August means it's time to start thinking about the General Assembly and the First Committee. Below you will find all the information you'll need to follow the action and/or get involved. There are also many other events to be aware of, including week long actions to promote the development of an Arms Trade Treaty and to keep space for peace. At the same time, international armed conflict continues around the world, providing a bleak background against which advocates for disarmament and demilitarization conduct their work. We can't ever forget how timely, important, and pressing this work really is. Reaching Critical Will remains the best place to keep up to date on the General Assembly and relevant actions: www.reachingcriticalwill.org.
In peace,
Ray Acheson, Project Associate
1) Disarmament at the General Assembly
General Assembly General Debate: 23 September–1 October 2008
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is consensus-building body, where issues of international peace and security are collectively discussed among all UN member states. Its regular session convenes in September of each year. For two weeks, heads of state, foreign ministers, or other high-level representatives have the opportunity to address the entire international community with their concerns, priorities, and opinions about a variety of topics.
During the first segment of the UNGA, the General Debate, Reaching Critical Will complies all references to disarmament, peace, and security and posts them online by country and topic. The statements from the General Debate will give us an idea of the issues upon which governments will be focusing during the UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security, which begins on 6 October.
The Disarmament Index will be available in near-real time during the General Debate on the RCW website:
By country: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com08/disarmindex.html
By topic: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com08/disarmindextopic.html
Fact sheet on the General Assembly
To find out more about the General Assembly, check out Reaching Critical Will's two-page fact sheet that explains what the General Assembly is, why its important for disarmament, and how you can make an impact.http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/resources/factsheets/ga.pdf
2) Keeping up with the First Committee
UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security: 6 October–4 November 2008
The General Assembly's work on disarmament is conducted through one of its main committees, the First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. The First Committee provides space for each state to discuss their positions on disarmament-related matters, to build consensus on the issues or highlight divergences, and to table and adopt non-binding resolutions. Of course, the First Committee often fails to make good use of its potential, but it provides one of the best opportunities for outreach, education, and advocacy efforts on disarmament and non-proliferation issues.
For more information on the First Committee 2008, see http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com08.html.
There are many opportunities for NGOs to get involved with the First Committee:
First Committee Monitor
Since 2000, Reaching Critical Will has coordinated a group of NGOs sharing the monitoring and reporting responsibilities in an attempt to make the work of the First Committee more transparent and useful for people not directly involved in the small New York disarmament community. We edit a weekly newsletter, the First Committee Monitor, covering the broad range of issues discussed by the First Committee. The Monitor is distributed to all delegates of the First Committee, and is available on our site and through a free email-based subscription service in both PDF and HTML. It has been hailed by diplomats, UN staffers, and activists as one of the most useful resources produced during the General Assembly.
First Committee Monitor: http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/FCM.html
If your group would like to participate in this important collaboration, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. contact the Project Associate today. In the upcoming weeks, we will be holding a meeting to coordinate the various responsibilities required for such an effort.
If you are interested in following events at the First Committee, subscribe to the First Committee Monitor today by sending an email toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line "subscribe First Committee Monitor". Please indicate whether you would like the PDF or HTML version.
Side Events
Side events are an excellent way to educate each other, delegations, and members of the Secretariat on a broad range of disarmament and security issues. NGO side events are becoming increasingly popular with both diplomats and civil society. If you are planning a side event, meeting, or strategy session during the First Committee and would like to hold it in the UN, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A calendar of events is available at http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/political/1com/1com08/calendar.html - please note that dates, times, and locations are tentative and subject to change. Please check back regularly for updates.
If you have already booked your event through other means, please let RCW know so that we can add your event to the calendar, which is the number one resource for all those looking for updates on the First Committee.
What else can civil society do around the First Committee?
Media Outreach: While decisions taken on matters of disarmament and non-proliferation are some of the most critical issues to the world, there remains a lack of adequate coverage of these issues by the mainstream media. Many mainstream media agencies are subsidiaries of military corporations. These agencies are never going to give positive media coverage to groups and messages that challenge their power. Notice the correspondents in the print, radio, and TV media covering nuclear or foreign policy matters. Build a data base of media contacts and keep a select group of journalists, or your entire list, informed of your activities and analysis of events and developments in this field.
Create your own media: newsletters, radio shows, video documentaries, email lists, webpages. To find out how to get involved with local independent media near you, see: www.indymedia.org.
Organize an event at home: With the First Committee in session, it is a prime teachable moment to continue your own education, outreach and advocacy efforts at home. To find out what disarmament NGOs are working in your area, check our NGO contact database.
Reach out to your representatives: Contact your representatives in New York and in your capital. Fax or email them letters urging them to support disarmament-focused resolutions. Offer them resources for more information and demand a response. For more information on writing a letter, see http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/action/tips.html.
Organize a meeting with your representatives; listen to their opinion on nuclear issues and share yours. Find out who represents you at our database of governmental decision-makers, http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/resources/govcontacts/govindex.html.
3) Control Arms Week of Action
13–19 September 2008
This year human rights campaigners are celebrating 60 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. International human rights law must be at the centre of an effective Arms Trade Treaty, so the Control Arms campaign is linking the Universal Declaration with our call for a resolution in the UN General Assembly, starting with the First Committee in October 2008.
Goal of the Week of Action (13-19 September)
Our goal is a strong resolution at the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October. This resolution should reflect support for our 'Golden Rule' that an ATT must prohibit arms transfers if they are likely to be used to commit serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law, or undermine sustainable development.
Campaign objectives to obtain this goal
A. Signatures from parliamentarians for the Parliamentarian's Declaration for an ATT:
www.controlarms.org/en/about-us/parliamentarians-declaration
B. Increased public pressure on the unsupportive governments using case studies illustrating their irresponsible arms supplies in the upcoming Amnesty International report 'Blood at the Crossroads'.
C. Media coverage through the new 'World is Watching' campaign, to remind supporting governments that they must continue to support an effective ATT. (see section 5)
Update from the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE)
The GGE on an ATT has held two sessions so far – in February and May 2008 – and the third session of the GGE is currently being held between 28 July and 8 August 2008. The meetings are confidential and the purpose is to examine the feasibility, scope and draft parameters of an ATT. There are 28 government experts on the GGE, listed at
http://disarmament2.un.org/cab/ATT/composition_of_the_GE.html
The GGE is expected to produce a report and decides matters by consensus. The Control Arms team has learned that detailed papers are being circulated amongst the experts and that there is a lively discussion proceeding on many points.
Possible outcomes from the GGE include:
· No report
· Chair's report – The reflection of the proceedings and discussions from, the Chair, Ambassador Moritán (Argentina). This would not be officially endorsed by the GGE
· Majority/Minority report – Would contain the views expressed by both groups in the GGE on substantive issues.
· Consensus report – A report on which all of the GGE members agreed with everything in the report. Such an outcome would probably only refer to procedural matters and would not contain anything substantive.
It is likely that the GGE report would be issued in August or early September so that the delegates at the First Committee in October have time to read the report.
Strategy for the UNGA First Committee
To influence this next stage of the ATT process, the Control Arms campaign needs to do 2 things:
(i) Use our powerful campaigning voice and advocacy tactics in the Control Arms campaign to push for an effective ATT in as short a timeframe as possible and for a comprehensive scope and parameters which include the Golden Rule on international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL), placing these as high up the political agenda as possible.
(ii) Campaign for at least an Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) in 2009 – with a successful majority outcome this process could then be followed by Preparatory Committees (PrepComs) in 2010 and 2011, and by Treaty Negotiations beginning in 2012.
Before the First Committee in October, the Control Arms campaign needs to build up maximum pressure on governments to ensure their active support for an ATT resolution. That is why we need the Control Arms Week of Action to be a resounding success in mid September. It is likely that many of the 153 governments that supported the 2006 resolution will continue their support, but how many will partly depend on the success of the NGO Control Arms campaign advocacy.
Campaign materials
(a) World is Watching materials
Through the 'World is Watching' concept, Control Arms wants to generate a sense that people all over the world are monitoring the work that their governments are doing on the ATT. We will be producing sunglasses branded with this slogan, so that campaigners can take photographs of events with participants wearing these sunglasses. The best photos will be displayed at the First Committee in October, to demonstrate that the world is watching the discussions in New York. Posters, stickers and action cards in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese are available to download and print at:
www.iansa.org/campaigns_events/WoA2008/World-is-Watching.htm
The World is Watching action card is focussed on approaching parliamentarians to increase the number of signatures for the ATT Declaration (see next section). The card has two functions: (1) distribute the cards to the general public and gather the details of potential supporters to be approached later and (2) collect the cards to be sent to MPs and increase the number of signatures collected.
(b) Parliamentarian's Declaration
The Control Arms campaign has been promoting a Parliamentary Declaration in support of an ATT with the aim of collecting 3,000 signatures from MPs to be presented at the First Committee in October. The ATT Week of Action in September will be an opportunity to give a final push to the collection of the signatures through:
· Distribution and promotion of the World is Watching material.
· World is Watching events at national Parliaments.
· Promotion of the parliamentary web action at www.controlarms.org.
· Media work with supportive parliamentarians.
· Promotion of a document highlighting quotes from parliamentarians that have already signed up to the declaration.
Please use World is Watching campaign material to approach parliamentarians and collect signatures. Then please send the names to Bruce Millar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." style="color: rgb(142, 95, 189); text-decoration: none; ">bruce.millar[at]iansa.org.
(c) 'Blood at the Crossroads' report
The forthcoming Amnesty International report – 'Blood at the Crossroads: Making the Case for an Arms Trade Treaty' – provides detailed case studies showing that with globalisation of the conventional arms trade, the world has reached a crossroads. Governments must now decide how to effectively control that trade in order to protect the rights of their people. The case studies look at irresponsible arms transfers to Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Côte D'Ivoire, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. The report is expected to be online in September.
(d) Other materials
A new Control Arms leaflet, a capacity building video, a TV documentary on the campaign, and other materials will be available during August and September. For more information, please check www.controlarms.org regularly!
Further information
Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
www.everyhumanhasrights.org/
How the Chinese/Zimbabwe arms shipment makes the case for an ATT
www.iansa.org/un/att.htm
How to apply Human Rights Standards to arms transfers decisions (Amnesty International)
www.iansa.org/un/att.htm
Arms transfer decisions: Applying international humanitarian law criteria (International Committe of the Red Cross)
www.iansa.org/un/att.htm
Request for feedback and plans
The success of the ATT Week of Action will depend on the participation of network members and how effectively we can synchronise and coordinate our activities. Please let us know how you will be able to participate in the Week of Action, including any plans you may have. Please send your feedback to Bruce Millar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
4) Keep Space for Peace Week
4–12 October 2008
Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and Europe for Peace are co-sponsoring this year's Keep Space for Peace Week, an international week of local protest events to stop the weaponization of outer space.
Each year, the official Keep Space for Peace Week poster features a different part of the world that is struggling against deployment of US Star Wars systems. Last year it featured US Star Wars systems in England and the Czech Republic. This year, the poster features South Korean activism against "missile defense" deployments which are destabilizing the Asian-Pacific region.
Poster: http://mpjen.org/uploads/docs/keepspaceforpeace2008poster1.pdf
Flyer: http://www.space4peace.org/actions/GN%20Flyer%20KS4Peace%20Week%202008%20w%20coupon%20final.pdf
Please contact Bruce Gagnon (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the Global Network with information about any local events you or your organization is planning so that he can maintain an updated list of events around the world, which he will share with the media. The co-sponsors also urge any graphic artists to feel free to adapt the Keep Space for Peace Week poster to your particular local needs.
5) WILPF Statement on the situation in Georgia
15 August 2008
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) deplores the violent conflict in Georgia, and welcomes the ceasefire agreement negotiated by the European Union. In all negotiations we urge that parties respect United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
The international community and international organizations have neglected to support the civilian rebuilding of Georgia after the hostilities in early 1990. These current hostilities have destroyed infrastructure needed for people to survive. There are hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people in the region already, and this conflict has and will continue to displace even more.
Instead the continued sale of military goods and technologies in the region is causing people to raise their arms and not their voices. WILPF calls for an immediate halt to all arms transfers in the region. According to the Stockholm Peace Research Institute, Georgia ranks within the top ten spenders per capita on the military. (SIPRI Yearbook 2007, Table 8A.4., page 317) The ongoing military buildup inflames local tensions and encourages military responses as opposed to dialogue.
According to Human Rights Watch, there is a great likelihood that cluster munitions have been used in this conflict. The use of these indiscriminate weapons will increase the number of casualties if and when displaced people return. WILPF urges that an independent UN assessment be made of the area, and that the Georgians and Russians take full responsibility for cleaning up any explosive remnants of war.
The Georgian population is suffering from the ongoing geopolitical struggle in the Caucuses region. Therefore, WILPF recognizes that resource control, especially of the British Petroleum oil pipeline that runs between the Black Sea and Caspian oil fields, is a possible underlying cause of the current conflict, and that negotiations for a peace agreement must include settlement agreements regarding the future of the pipeline.
WILPF recognizes the countless women's organizations in the region, including women from Abkhazia, Georgia, Ossetia, and Russia have been working to educate the public on the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and the Beijing Platform for Action. WILPF calls on the governments of Georgia and Russia to include these groups as full and equal participants in the negotiations on a long term sustainable peace plan.
