Topic: Illicit Trade in Small Arms
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Maya Deshmukh
School: Cranbrook Kingswood
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All South Africa position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
In a 2005 small arms survey it was reported that each year, around sixty to ninety percent of all conflict deaths result from the illicit trade of small arms. Illegally acquired small arms are also used in terrorist attacks. These small arms can be extremely dangerous because of the many laws that protect them, and they are easy to buy. Because of their easy storage and maintenance, they are easily hidden. Because of the easy access to small arms, and their easy usage, small children can also posses and utilize them, adding to the casualties resulting daily from the use of illegally acquired small arms. Small arms can be traded in a number of ways, such as being stowed away and transported across country borders. A large percentage of the illicitly traded small arms and light weapons stem straight from governmental supply, many countries’ have tried to discontinue the circulation of illegally acquired weapons to no avail. This is primarily because the supply of the weapons stem from legally acquired governmental stock. At a 2006 United Nations conference, the secretary-general approached the issue saying that the way to deal with the illicit trade of small arms is regulation and destruction of illegal arms from their possessors such as corrupt officials, drug traffickers, and other criminals.
In 1998, statistics showed that about 30,220 legally acquired government arms were lost in South Africa. These statistics show that a main source for small arms is actually from government stock. South Africa believes that the way to handle this issue is to broaden the focus to include the creation and storage of illicit weapons along with the trade of them. However, due to the importance of regulation of government supply of weapons, this is also a key issue. Along with focusing on the creation of weapons illegally, it should also be taken into notice that a large supply of illegal weapons are stolen, licensed government arms. South Africa’s goal is to regulate the creation of government arms and destroy all extra and unused arms to stop theft from legal supply.
