Email Louise Rimmer (IANSA Communications Officer) for the contact details for the organisers of these events.
Burundi
Bonne Generation Burundi will meet with parliamentarians as part of a week-long set of activities including radio programmes and collection of signatures for the Million Faces petition for an Arms Trade Treaty. A report of activities will be delivered to the Ministry of Public Security and Justice.
The Youth for Security Club held a press conference to launch the WoA and followed up with a youth workshop and a People's Consultation on an ATT. Célestin Miburo from the Youth Association for the Promotion of Human Rights was interviewed on Friday on African Public Radio (RPA).
Dagropass organised WoA activities at health centres in Zina and in Nyamitanga, in the Cibitoke province. Several public events were conducted to raise awareness of gun violence and the ATT in Bujumbura and throughout the Bubanza and Cibitoke provinces, including a workshop at the Cibitoke High School on 11 and 12 June. Media outreach during the Week of Action included a press conference, interviews with Bubanza journalists and two radio broadcasts on Isanganiro and Bonesha FM.
Cameroon
Youth and Students' Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP) and the national disarmament network (CANSA) launched the WoA last week in Nsimeyong, Yaounde. Eugine Ngalim from CAMYOSFOP and CANSA made a presentation at the event that focused on small arms, war toys and violent films.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
WoA activities in the DRC started with the launch of the IANSA survey on the price of the AK-47 in 12 African countries. The release was followed by a press conference the following day which focused on the role of small arms in the recent murder of journalist Serge Maheshe. AVREO, the organisation that coordinated these events, also called on parliamentarians to support the global campaign for an ATT. Other activities planned by RECAAL, the national disarmament network, include TV programmes and interviews of the president of the Defence and Security Committee.
On 16 June the women’s group Réseau d’Organisations des Droits Humains et d’Education Civique d’Inspiration Chrétienne (a Christian human rights, education and research centre) organised a debate in Kinshasa. Flory Kayemba from RECAAL presented the WoA objectives and participants discussed arms control measures, the proposed ATT and UN arms embargoes. Several people described their personal experience and knowledge of the illegal arms trade around Kinshasa. Flory was interviewed by CBS and the interview was broadcast the following day. Coverage of the WoA in DRC can be found on AllAfrica.com.
Côte D'Ivoire
The WoA was launched in Cote D’Ivoire by the Group for a Just Society. The ceremony was held at the Palais de la Culture in Treichville and was attended by a representative of the Minister for Justice, along with members of parliament, civil society representatives and students.
The Gambia
The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding's (WANEP) activities have included the unveiling of billboards on major highways, calling for the prevention of small arms proliferation in West Africa. Early in the week WANEP Gambia met government officials and CECI/Oxfam representatives to discuss strategies for small arms control. The meeting agreed to extend a pilot project on small arms to other parts of the country. Other activities during the week included an hour-long program on Brikama Community Radio and an article in 'The Observer'
Ghana
The Week of Action started extremely well in Ghana. Information about the Week of Action (WoA) was sent to the Deputy Minister of Interior, who chairs the National Commission on Small Arms. On Monday Radio Joy FM interviewed the Minister, who described what Ghana is doing to stop gun violence. Following the interview with the Minister, Joy FM interviewed Emmanuel Sowatey of the African Security Dialogue and Research (ASDR) centre and Valerie Yankey, from the UN Institute for Disarmament Research. Emmanuel and Valerie promoted the activities of the Ghana Action Network on Small Arms (GHANSA) and regional and international civil society networks (WAANSA and IANSA). Valerie also spoke about Ghana’s new responsibilities as chair of the African Union and the need for the government to send its views on an ATT to the UN Secretary-General. The story is posted online at MyJoy. Emmanuel has also been interviewed about the WoA by Gold FM, Adom FM and Unique FM; several of the interviews were syndicated to several other radio stations and broadcast on Metro TV.
Guinea
354 firearms were burned in Conakry last week by military and public officials. Experts say some of the weapons had been circulating through Guinea, Senegal, Gambia and Guinea Bissau for 60 years.
Kenya
On Wednesday the Director of the Security Research and Information Centre (SRIC), Jan Kamenju, featured on KTN and Citizen TV news. On Thursday Camlus Omogo was interviewed on Metro FM, where he promoted the national action network's (KANSA) "Stop Gun Matutu" activity. KANSA hired a matutu (minibus taxi) as a mobile campaign workshop. The Stop Gun Matutu provided free transport to passengers, who were given Control Arms flyers, stickers and posters during their ride.
Lesotho
The Transformation Resource Centre will hold a press conference to discuss the proposed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Liberia
The Liberian Action Network on Small Arms (LANSA) organised a parade on 11 June involving youths and students from Monrovia and surrounding areas. During the parade CEDE collected signatures for a petition on the ATT that will be delivered to the Government of Liberia. The petition urges the Government to make a submission to the UN Secretary-General by the final deadline of 20 June, and says the Government should play a leading role in the campaign for an ATT. On Tuesday, a public presentation on the ATT was held at the Monrovia City Hall. Liberia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation and Economic Integration, Minister Conmany Wesseh (a longtime member of IANSA), addressed the gathering.
Malawi
Amnesty International (AI) Mali helped to organise a radio program on Monday to discuss gun violence and the WoA. Members of the public were encouraged to phone in with questions. On Tuesday members of AI's youth group visited a local arms manufacturer to discuss the WoA.
Mali
Youth in Kati (just outside of Bamako) attended a hip-hop concert on Wednesday. The event was organised by Amnesty International Mali and the theme was "Youth of Mali say NO to arms". The rap group Tata Pound performed and a presentation on Control Arms was also part of the concert. Performers were interviewed about their commitment to preventing arms proliferation and banners were hung around the town to advertise the event.
A second hip-hop concert was held in Bamako on Thursday following the success of an earlier concert in Kati. The event began with a presentation on the Control Arms campaign and the famous Mali rap group Tata Pound wowed an eager audience for the second time during this week. AI Mali organised the concerts.
Mozambique
On Monday FOMICRES and the WoA were publicised on two radio stations in Mozambique, including a national broadcaster. The Director of FOMICRES has also been invited to discuss the Government’s submission on an ATT.
IANSA member FOMICRES organised a People's Consultation on an ATT in the Costa do Sol settlement in Maputo on Wednesday. This is one of several community consultations that will contribute to Mozambique's final People's Consultation report. A preliminary report was presented to the Government to assist in preparing its official submission to the UN Secretary-General. Members of FOMICRES were interviewed about the consultations and the WoA on Radio Mozambique, FM 92.30 and local radio stations in Chimoio and Inhambane.
Namibia
Pauline Dempers from Breaking the Wall of Silence has been interviewed by the Damara/Nama service as part of a talkback radio program. Two articles about the WoA have also been published in The Namibian, titled "Let's get with the program on guns, urges NGO group" and "Getting Gun Control In Our Sights"
Niger
The national disarmament network in Niger launched the WoA with a media conference in Diado Sékou. The message of the conference was 'the world unites for an Arms Trade Treaty'.
Nigeria
In Abuja on 15 June, the Global Week of Action was promoted by the band Great Sensational at their concert for peace in the Niger Delta region. Mimidoo Achakpa of the Women's Right to Education Program gave the band members IANSA pins to wear.
Mimidoo giving IANSA pins to the band members (above) and the Liberian Minister
for Defence (below).
It was an exciting day for Mimidoo - earlier at the ECOWAS summit she had the honour of meeting President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf of Liberia, Africa's first elected female head of state. (President Johnson-Sirleaf also wore an IANSA pin.)
Conmany Wesseh (Deputy Foreign Minister of Liberia), Valerie Yankey-Wayne, and Mimidoo Achakpa (Nigeria Action Network on Small Arms) were all interviewed about the Week of Action on the Kaakaki morning tv show last week. Kaakaki is a news-based talk show focusing on Africa and world issues relevant to Africans. The program is on African Independent Television which is broadcast in Africa, the United States and Canada.
Rwanda
Safer Rwanda will organise a workshop on small arms in the country's northern Musanze District. Members of the National Focal Point on Small Arms will attend, as will the local media.
Senegal
The national Control Arms coalition will have radio adverts every day promoting the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Sierra Leone
On Friday Abu Bakarr Sheriff from the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small arms (SLANSA) and Memunatu Barrie of iEARN were on an hour-long talk show on Radio Kallion in Freetown. They spoke about the need for increased public awareness of the threats posed by small arms. A media report on IANSA's AK-47 price survey has been published on Allafrica.com. Abu Bakarr Sheriff of the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms is quoted on the importance of the WoA in mobilising civil society and governments to stop gun violence. Abu Bakarr Sheriff was also interviewed on UN Radio's Breakfast Show on Friday. Other iEarn activities during the WoA included distribution of campaign materials, debates, formal discussions, a music recording and radio shows. A video of iEearn activities is posted on YouTube.
South Africa
Guni Govindjee, Executive member of Ceasefire
IANSA members in South Africa held a media briefing on Wednesday. A national newspaper journalist interviewed Joseph Dube (IANSA Africa Coordinator), Claire da Silva (legal adviser to the ATT Steering Committee) and Makoma Lekalakala (WoA Coordinator for South Africa).
On Thursday 25 representatives of churches, social movements and non governmental organisations discussed the Arms Trade Treaty during a consultation meeting organised by Control Arms. Guni Govindjee from Ceasefire made a presentation about the impact of the arms trade on sustainable development. Joseph Dube (the IANSA Africa Coordinator) briefed the group on the campaign for an ATT and the documentary ''War no More'' was shown. Also during the week, Gun Free South Africa sent a briefing paper to around 200 Members of Parliament about the WoA.
On Saturday around 100 activists gathered at the Johannesburg war memorial to remember those who have died from gun violence. Reverend Peter Witbooi from the Methodist Church was the keynote speaker. Members of community organisations gave testimonies about the impact of illegal guns on their lives and communities. Participants endorsed the move towards an Arms Trade Treaty and said more resources used to buy arms should be used instead to alleviate poverty. Flowers were laid at the cenotaph as a symbol of resistance to guns amid the call that the world needs more peace gardens, not cenotaphs. The memorial rally was attended by members of the Ceasefire Campaign, Gun Free South Africa, and other civil society organisations.
Tanzania
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania attended the People’s Consultation on an Arms Trade Treaty in Dodoma, the nation's capital. Director of the Hurepi-Trust, Mr Peter McOmalla, briefed the President on the Control Arms campaign for an Arms Trade Treaty. The President also met with activists, human rights lawyers and other government officials taking part in the consulation.
In addition to Tanzania's national consultation, several other events were held during April and May in Arusha, Mwanzi and Musoma-Shirati Sota. These were well covered by local and national media, including radio and print media coverage and a television story on the national consultation.
IANSA members Hurepi-Trust and CEPEDE coordinated the consultations with support from other Tanzanian NGOs. The Tanzanian Government is expected to lodge its views on an Arms Trade Treaty with the UN Secretary-General later this month.
Read the pictorial report of Tanzania's People's Consultation
Read The Citizen article on Tanzania's People's Consultation
Read government submissions that have been sent to the UN Secretary-General
Uganda
Richard Mugisha of the Uganda Action Network on Small Arms (UANSA) was a guest on a radio talk show on WBS FM on Friday. He discussed the Global Week of Action and the impact of small arms in Uganda.
The Uganda Action Network on Small Arms (UANSA) worked with Terra Renaissance, UNDP and Saferworld throughout the Week of Action to raise awareness of gun violence and the ATT process. On 15 June the Inspector General of Police, Boniface Ebiu, attended a meeting with civil society and UNDP representatives. The UANSA Coordinator, Richard Mugisha, conducted two radio interviews during the week (with CBS FM and FM Radio One).
West Africa
The President of the Economic Community of West African Status (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, has pledged West Africa's support for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and formally endorsed the Week of Action (WoA) in Abuja, Nigeria. He made the statements at a press conference organised by IANSA members yesterday and reiterated them today at the ECOWAS Heads of State meeting. The WAANSA media release on the ECOWAS President's statements is available in English and in French on IANSA West Africa Page.
The leaders of 15 West African nations have pledged their support for a strong and effective, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty. A paragraph on the ATT is included in the outcome document of the annual summit of Heads of State in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which took place in Abuja (Nigeria) on 15 June. The leaders also promised that all ECOWAS states would submit their views on the ATT to the UN Secretary General. The commitment in the Summit outcome document was a direct result of advocacy by IANSA members and staff. The outcome document is available in English and in French on the IANSA West Africa page.
|
