International Action Network on Small Arms
IANSA describes key issues in its work as including public health, women and guns, child soldiers, and trade controls. It also describes a range of regional issues around the world, including drug violence in South American countries.
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[edit] United Nations Activities
IANSA was involved in lobbying the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms which produced an agreed programme of action.[2] A UN Review Conference ended in July 2006 [2] without further agreement.
IANSA, part of the Control Arms Campaign, promotes an international treaty regulating the conventional arms trade. A resolution to begin work on this Arms Trade Treaty was approved by the UN General Assembly in 2006.
The US National Rifle Association has accused IANSA of using the treaty as the first step in a ban on private gun ownership in the United States,[3] and also of making it easier for the world's dictatorships to oppress their own citizens.[4] The Gun Owners of America lobbying organisation has been equally vocal in its criticism of IANSA.
[edit] Gun Control Activities
IANSA is an umbrella network to which almost all national and regional gun control groups belong[5] — it is estimated to represent over 800 gun control organizations in 120 countries[6]. IANSA opposes the use of firearms for self-defense[5]. It advocates prohibiting the private possession of many kinds of small arms, including semi-automatic rifles and handguns[5][7]. It advocates that private citizens undergo a licensing process before they can possess any remaining firearms, and that legally possessed firearms be stored unloaded and away from ammunition.[7]
[edit] National Activities
[edit] Brazil
- Main article: Gun politics in Brazil
IANSA membership in Brazil includes the groups Instituto Sou da Paz and Viva Rio which campaigned for a complete ban on civilian gun sales in Brazil. The ban was subject to a national referendum in 2005. A week before the vote, IANSA coordinated an "international day of support" for the Brazilian ban, with demonstrations taking place in Britain, Italy, South Africa, and other countries. IANSA urged support of the ban to "reinforce the movement in favor of gun control in other Latin American countries riddled with armed violence, and back the efforts to control private gun ownership at [an] international level."[6]
The referendum saw the idea quashed by more than two thirds of the voters.[6][8]
[edit] Canada
- Main article: Gun politics in Canada
The IANSA network includes Canadian gun control organizations such as the Coalition for Gun Control[9]
The Coalition for Gun Control is composed of various unions and NGOs, including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the YWCA, Canadian Federation of University Women, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, the December 6th Foundation, Project Ploughshares, Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Auto Workers, National Union of Public and General Employees, Big City Mayors, and others[10].
Recently, IANSA lobbied against Bill C-391, which proposed to end the requirement for registration of ordinary rifles and shotguns while leaving the licensing provisions in the Firearms Act untouched [11][12].
[edit] United States of America
- Main article: Gun politics in the United States
IANSA membership in the United States includes gun control organizations such as the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence, Legal Community Against Violence and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence[9].
[edit] Funding
IANSA’s work has been supported by funders including the Governments of UK, Belgium, Sweden and Norway, as well as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Compton Foundation, Ploughshares Fund, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Open Society Institute created by George Soros, Samuel Rubin Foundation and Christian Aid.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ DPI NGO Section
- ↑ UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, July 2001 accessed at [1] September 6, 2006
- ↑ H.R. 3436/S. 1488 The “Second Amendment Protection Act of 2005: Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms From infringement by the United Nations. 7/26/2006 National Rifle Association, Institute for Legislative Action
- ↑ Uganda: We're from the government, and we're here to help you. David B. Kopel & Paul Gallant & Joanne D. Eisen 12/20/2007 National Rifle Association, Institute for Legislative Action
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kopel, David B.; Paul Gallant & Joanne D. Eisen. "The Human Right of Self-Defense" (pdf). BYU Journal of Public Law (Provo, Utah, USA: Brigham Young University) 22 (1): 43–178.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Morton, David (2006-07-05). "Gunning For the World". Foreign Policy.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "IANSA position paper: National regulation of small arms" (pdf). IANSA. 2006.
- ↑ "Brazilians reject gun sales ban". BBC News. 2005-10-24.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "IANSA: Members: North America". IANSA.
- ↑ Cukier and Sidel, 2005 The Global Gun Epidemic. Figure 9.1 Segmentation of the Coalition for Gun Control (reprinted from IANSA Strategic Plan)
- ↑ "IANSA participants in Canada are working to: * defend the new gun registration law from attempts to overturn it" http://www.iansa.org/regions/namerica/namerica.htm
- ↑ Bill C-391 at the Canadian Parliament website
