Churches call for decisive action against small arms
-27/06/06
Church leaders from a v
Churches call for decisive action against small arms
-27/06/06
Church leaders from a variety of Anglican and Free Church traditions have joined together to call on the United Nations and the UK government to take seriously the need for concerted action on the supply and sale of small arms in a violent and divided world.
The plea was reinforced yesterday in a letter to The Guardian newspaper, ahead of the upcoming UN conference in New York on small arms and light weapons.
The review meeting, which will look back to commitments made through the United Nations in 2001, is being encouraged in its efforts by aid, church and development agencies ñ and by specialist groups like the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, which was founded in 1974.
However the vociferous United States ëgun lobbyí, led by the National Rifle Association, has been working hard to discredit attempts to restrict the flow of small arms, claiming that it is a ìblow against freedomî.
The church leaders, who include Anglican bishops from England, Scotland and Ireland, are pressing for an international arms trade treaty at the UN in October 2006.
Other backers of the call are evangelical ëhouse churchí pioneer Gerald Coates, Morag Mylne from the Church of Scotland and Richard Bush of Quaker Peace and Social Witness.
The Anglican Archbishop of Wales and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church are also signatories.
Christians across the world are lobbying for meaningful restrictions on the supply and sale of small arms and other destructive weapons. Canadian churches have been especially active. Catholic bishops have spoken out ñ and the World Council of Churchesí Decade to Overcome Violence has been a major spur.
In the UK the Campaign Against Arms Trade includes a network particularly for work within the Christian community, among others.
The full text of the church leadersí letter is as follows:
ìAs the UN prepares to meet for its world conference on small arms and light weapons in New York, we call on the government to lend its full weight to achieving a set of strong criteria for all states to use when deciding whether or not to allow arms sales. We further call on the government to continue to press for an international arms trade treaty at the UN in October.
ìUp to 1,000 people are killed every day by armed violence. However, there are currently tighter regulations on sales of stamps and dinosaur bones than there are on the sale of weapons.
ìThe impact of the widespread misuse and proliferation of arms is devastating communities around the world and here in the UK. This conference offers the best opportunity for world governments to come to an agreement on regulating the international sale of weapons. If the opportunity is missed, arms risk remaining unregulated for years to come.
ìUntil now, the UK government and in particular the Foreign Office has shown strong leadership on this issue in the international arena. We urge Margaret Beckett and her team to continue to be courageous at this vital time.î
Signed by:
Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales
Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, Bishop of Sheffield
Rt Rev John Pritchard, Bishop of Jarrow
Rt Rev Richard Frith, Bishop of Hull
Rt Rev Alan Clayton Smith, Bishop of Shrewsbury
Rt Rev Michael Hooper, Bishop of Ludlow
Rt Rev Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol
Rt Rev Dr Idris Jones, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt Rev Stephen Platten, Bishop of Wakefield
Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester
Rt Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark
Morag Mylne, Convener, Church and Society, Church of Scotland
Rt Rev John Packer, Bishop of Ripon and Leeds
Rt Rev Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford
Rt Rev Dr Kenneth Stephenson, Bishop of Portsmouth
Rt Rev George Cassidy, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham
Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St. Albans
Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
Gerald Coates, Christian author and Broadcaster
Richard Bush, Assistant clerk, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
[Also on Ekklesia: Kids tell Bush and Blair to tackle small arms; UN urged by Vatican to examine arms trade; Churches urged to renew action for peace and healing; Government urged to revive ethical foreign policy; C of E accused of hypocrisy over links to arms company; WCC meets with weapons inspector Hans Blix; Church in Haiti keeps hope alive amid violence and poverty]
Churches call for decisive action against small arms
-27/06/06
Church leaders from a variety of Anglican and Free Church traditions have joined together to call on the United Nations and the UK government to take seriously the need for concerted action on the supply and sale of small arms in a violent and divided world.
The plea was reinforced yesterday in a letter to The Guardian newspaper, ahead of the upcoming UN conference in New York on small arms and light weapons.
The review meeting, which will look back to commitments made through the United Nations in 2001, is being encouraged in its efforts by aid, church and development agencies ñ and by specialist groups like the UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade, which was founded in 1974.
However the vociferous United States ëgun lobbyí, led by the National Rifle Association, has been working hard to discredit attempts to restrict the flow of small arms, claiming that it is a ìblow against freedomî.
The church leaders, who include Anglican bishops from England, Scotland and Ireland, are pressing for an international arms trade treaty at the UN in October 2006.
Other backers of the call are evangelical ëhouse churchí pioneer Gerald Coates, Morag Mylne from the Church of Scotland and Richard Bush of Quaker Peace and Social Witness.
The Anglican Archbishop of Wales and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church are also signatories.
Christians across the world are lobbying for meaningful restrictions on the supply and sale of small arms and other destructive weapons. Canadian churches have been especially active. Catholic bishops have spoken out ñ and the World Council of Churchesí Decade to Overcome Violence has been a major spur.
In the UK the Campaign Against Arms Trade includes a network particularly for work within the Christian community, among others.
The full text of the church leadersí letter is as follows:
ìAs the UN prepares to meet for its world conference on small arms and light weapons in New York, we call on the government to lend its full weight to achieving a set of strong criteria for all states to use when deciding whether or not to allow arms sales. We further call on the government to continue to press for an international arms trade treaty at the UN in October.
ìUp to 1,000 people are killed every day by armed violence. However, there are currently tighter regulations on sales of stamps and dinosaur bones than there are on the sale of weapons.
ìThe impact of the widespread misuse and proliferation of arms is devastating communities around the world and here in the UK. This conference offers the best opportunity for world governments to come to an agreement on regulating the international sale of weapons. If the opportunity is missed, arms risk remaining unregulated for years to come.
ìUntil now, the UK government and in particular the Foreign Office has shown strong leadership on this issue in the international arena. We urge Margaret Beckett and her team to continue to be courageous at this vital time.î
Signed by:
Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales
Rt Rev Jack Nicholls, Bishop of Sheffield
Rt Rev John Pritchard, Bishop of Jarrow
Rt Rev Richard Frith, Bishop of Hull
Rt Rev Alan Clayton Smith, Bishop of Shrewsbury
Rt Rev Michael Hooper, Bishop of Ludlow
Rt Rev Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol
Rt Rev Dr Idris Jones, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt Rev Stephen Platten, Bishop of Wakefield
Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester
Rt Rev Tom Butler, Bishop of Southwark
Morag Mylne, Convener, Church and Society, Church of Scotland
Rt Rev John Packer, Bishop of Ripon and Leeds
Rt Rev Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford
Rt Rev Dr Kenneth Stephenson, Bishop of Portsmouth
Rt Rev George Cassidy, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham
Rt Rev Christopher Herbert, Bishop of St. Albans
Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London
Gerald Coates, Christian author and Broadcaster
Richard Bush, Assistant clerk, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
[Also on Ekklesia: Kids tell Bush and Blair to tackle small arms; UN urged by Vatican to examine arms trade; Churches urged to renew action for peace and healing; Government urged to revive ethical foreign policy; C of E accused of hypocrisy over links to arms company; WCC meets with weapons inspector Hans Blix; Church in Haiti keeps hope alive amid violence and poverty]