G8 nations 'undermining peace'

2005-06-22 12:01

Thomas Wagner

London - Arms exports from Group of Eight nations such as Britain and the United States to poor, conflict-ridden countries are fuelling poverty and human rights abuses there, Amnesty International and Oxfam said on Wednesday.

As foreign ministers from the G8 industrialised countries prepared to meet in London on Thursday and Friday, Amnesty and Oxfam urged them to end the problem by adopting a proposed international arms trade treaty.

Amnesty and Oxfam said if such a treaty was made international and legally binding it could establish universal standards regarding arms exports and end up saving lives.

"Each year hundreds of thousands of people are killed, tortured, raped and displaced through the misuse of arms," said Amnesty Secretary General Irene Khan.

"How can G8 commitments to end poverty and injustice be taken seriously if some of the very same governments are undermining peace and stability by deliberately approving arms transfers to repressive regimes, regions of extreme conflict or countries who can ill afford them?" she said in a statement.

Gross human rights abuses

Amnesty, Oxfam and another human rights group - the International Action Network on Small Arms - said their new report shows that G8 countries are still supplying military equipment, weapons and munitions to destinations such as Sudan, Myanmar (Burma), the Republic of Congo, Colombia and the Philippines, where they contribute to gross violations of human rights.

"This research shows that, as well as the G8 being responsible for more than 80% of the world's arms exports, they persist in selling weapons that oppress the world's poorest and more vulnerable people.

- AP