TRAFFICKING CUM TRADE

THE GLOBAL ARMS BUISNESS...

“I have seen how easy it is for nuclear contamination to occur, and how hard it is to clean it up…. Do nations possess nuclear, chemical and biological weapons because of fear of attack from some other nation, or is it mainly because without them the stronger cannot otherwise exploit the weaker?”
These words of Dr. Andreas Toupadakis( former Research Scientist of Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories ) truly reveal the jeopardy of international security. Trafficking, trade, globalization, and corruption whatever the means, the sale of arms around the globe has lubricated, making them almost ubiquitous.
Procuring arms has become a child’s play. Now other than a Harry potter book, $15 can also fetch an AK-47. No cash? Don’t worry; we have an M-16 available in lieu for 6 cows (offer valid for residents of Somalia, Ethopia and Kenya).Technology has also catalysed the sail of arms. Cell phones and the Internet allow people to easily conduct business around the world. Even small rebel groups in remote areas can buy weapons from people in Europe, Asia or the Americas. The black market, which facilitates illicit trade, contributes 80% to arms trafficking.
Nations that feel threatened increase arms purchase and spending to improve their defensive capabilities, consequently neighbouring countries often feel the need to keep up,” just in case”.
Many nations around the world today possess, or have the means to procure, weapons of mass destruction. They may be nuclear, chemical, biological or other types of weapons.
Global trends reveal that developing nations are the top recipients although the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, Russia, France, United Kingdom and China), together with Germany and Italy account for over 80% of the arms sold between 2000 and 2007.
As the more powerful countries show less commitment to reducing their own arms substantially and continue to pursue their own “national interests”. The consequence of this lies in the killing of at least 500,000 people across the world, each year. Of the four million war-related deaths in the 1990s, 90 percent were civilians and over 80 percent were women and children, mostly due to the misuse of small arms and light weapons.
Arms are but a cornerstone of suffering and poverty. Concrete and joint efforts made by the UN and other nations should aim at efficient disarmament of potentially harmful and destructive groups.
In the words of Andre Gide,” It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace.”