Remember the next time you are told there are no resources (funds) for schools, health care etc; quote the amounts spent on arms.

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Speeches and Articles:

"Eastern DRC: What Should the International Community be doing?"
Karl Miller blows off steam after attending a disappointing meeting at the LSE in London 18 March 2009. The illustrious speakers were Clair Short, General Olusegun Obasanjo, James Putzer and David Leonard.
" The International community has the Responsibility to protect the women & children of the DRC according to 1840 and the general population according to international law." "I wish the Obama administration would appoint an envoy for women's and Children's security, that prosecutes 1840 in conflict areas; especially in the DRC." "I think sometimes armies forget their purpose in society and do not provide sufficient benefits for the resources they consume."

World Security, Global Governance and the Role of UN For a just, peaceful and sustainable world
A talk given by Vijay Mehta at the conference of World Disarmament Campaign ‘Global Security: New challenges’ 29th October 2007 House of Lords, London
"We need governments and institutions which are transparent, democratic, accountable and can work together with NGOs and civil society. With all its weaknesses and need for reform, the UN is one of the best world institution which has the clout, legitimacy and caliber to solve problems effectively on a world stage. All of these are problems that no one country, however powerful, can solve on its own and which are the shared responsibility of humankind."

Climate Change: How it impacts us all
Vijay Mehta Reports on the 60th Annual DP/NGO Conference United Nations, New York, 5 -7 September 2007 "governments recognize that war is damaging to the climate"

Bursting at the Seams
Alison Williams' notes from Broadcast of  Reith Lecture 1 given by Jeffrey Sachs,   Royal Society, London – 11 April 2007 "Necessary to examine attitudes to peace – thinking it a utopian impossibility was "a dangerous, defeatist belief" , the view that war is inevitable – that we are gripped by uncontrollable forces – and that is not true. Our problems are manmade and can be solved by man. And man can be a big as he wants… Man’s reason and spirit have often solved the seemingly impossible – we should base our hopes on the gradual evolution of human institutions – this is not utopian – we need a series of concrete actions and effective arguments which are in the interests of all concerned – genuine peace must be the product of many countries: there is no single, simple key – it is dynamic, not static: peace is a process, a way of solving problems"

 Survival in the Anthropocene
Alison Williams' notes from Broadcast of  Reith Lecture 2 given by Jeffrey Sachs, Peking University Beijing – 18 April 2007 "the Anthropocene began 200 years ago – the period when human activity overtook parts of the vast natural cycles on the planet in ways that derange the cycles and threaten us in the years ahead"

 The Great Convergence
Alison Williams' notes from Broadcast of  Reith Lecture 3 given by Jeffrey Sachs,  Columbia University, New York – 25 April 2007.  "Jeffrey Sachs was on his home ground for this lecture, with politicians, academics, students and "ordinary New Yorkers" in the audience. The United States at the zenith of its economic power is facing colossal changes as the giants of Asia prepare to take their turn on the world’s stage. "

Obituary – Jim Addington
Vijay Mehta, Author and Vice Chair Action for UN Renewal pays tribute to  Action for UN Renewal's founder and Chair Jim Addington

Carne Ross at Portcullis House (Westminster) on 20^th February 2007
Jim Addington reports on Carne Ross's talk on ‘How the United Nations Security Council makes bad decisions’; subtitled ‘What it is like to be in the Security Council and affected by it’.

Praise Gun Control – And Go For The Ammunition
By Dr Richard Lawson.  "Therefore it is the contention of this short paper that the many agencies with an interest in preventing the suffering and death that follows the use of small arms should concentrate on controlling the ammunition, not the arms"

Nuclear Deterrence and Logic

Dr Richard Lawson examines the nuclear deterrence argument. "In principle, if the consequences of the failure of a system would be infinitely destructive to a civilisation, it is reasonable for that civilisation to use that system if and only if the probability of its failure are zero."

Governments show overwhelming support for Arms Treaty
Control Arms Media Release 26 June 2007 - "Campaigners around the world are celebrating a significant victory after more than 80 governments participated in the UN consultation process on an Arms Trade Treaty. " http://www.controlarms.org/

TALKING POINTS – END OF UN SG DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS ON AN Arms Trade Treaty

Key messages and talking points on the consultation process for the Arms Trade Treaty from www.iansa.org

World Environment Day 2007: A Call to World Public Opinion
From UBUNTU Forum Ad Hoc Secretariat. We encourage you to visit our web page and, if you agree the proposed statement, also to support it through our usual process: http://www.ubuntu.upc.edu/index.php

The Great Convergence - Reith Lecture 3, Columbia University, New York - 25 April 2007 by Jeffrey Sachs
A report by Alison Williams. "Jeffrey Sachs was on his home ground for this lecture, with politicians, academics, students and "ordinary New Yorkers" in the audience. The United States at the zenith of its economic power is facing colossal changes as the giants of Asia prepare to take their turn on the world’s stage. "

Farewell to Arms?
The Peace Museum, Bradford, UK has created a smallish permanent exhibition called Farewell to Arms? within the Royal Armouries in Leeds

UK WILPF Newsletter  January 2007

Arms Trade Treaty People’s Consultation Bulletin
From Control Arms campaign International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) www.iansa.org
"50 People’s Consultations are currently planned to take place around the world over the coming months. These will support the global effort to ensure that governments make strong and useful recommendations on the Arms Trade Treaty to the UN Secretary-General. The People’s Consultations will present the views of people who are affected by armed violence and others who are concerned about bringing the arms trade under control and ask their governments to take these into account"

Disarmament for Development: Interlinking the 3D’s – Disarmament, Development and Democracy
by Vijay Mehta. A discussion paper for 2006 World Disarmament Campaign Annual Conference 'Warfare or Welfare? Disarmament for development & global security in the 21st century' Wesley’s Chapel, London 18 November 2006

‘Trident Replacement? What do the Faith Communities of Great Britain say?’
by Vijay Mehta. A Hindu faith perspective. A talk given at the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, (CCND) meeting, 10.30 – 3.30 pm, Saturday, 17th February 2007 The Chapel, Methodist Central Hall,  Westminster, UK

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
A Personal Proposal by Rev. Malcolm Hill

Vancouver leads quest for peace
A report of the World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada, 23-28th of June, 2006 By Vijay Mehta
In one of the largest peace gatherings over three thousand international delegates from 97 countries attended the World Peace Forum in the beautiful, green and clean city of Vancouver.

THE DANGER OF ARMS TRADE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND BUILDING CIVIL SOCIETY
25 June 2006, World Peace Forum ,Vancouver, Canada. Henry Angus 210, University of British Columbia
"The workshop examines global threats posed by the spread of small arms, light weapons and weapons of mass destruction- nuclear, biological and chemical. We will discuss old and new dangers posed by arms trade and its effect on the global economy, and point out action plans for prevention of the dangers posed by the arms trade and thereby pave the way for a peaceful civil society" Vijay Mehta

UN Institutional Reform. How can we make the Security Council more representative and work towards abolishing the veto? A discussion paper for the panel on UN reforms World Peace Forum Vancouver, Canada.25 June 2006,  By Vijay Mehta
"The future of the UN lies in it as a major contributor of people and ideas. UN should mobilize international civil society and global public opinion to carry forward a vision for a just and fairer world. Its strength is evident from the fact that when the United Nations passes a resolution, it is seen as speaking for humanity as a whole, thus giving it unique legitimacy and support for an action to be taken by a country. 191 member states should embark on a reform agenda for security council which will make UN accountable, transparent and democratic decision making body, an organisation fit for facing challenges and threats of 21st Century successfully."

Ending War and Building a Just, Peaceful and Sustainable World. MAKING WAR HISTORY. Working for the Deligitimisation of War. World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada. 25 June 2006.
The workshop examines how we can develop the vision of a peaceful and just world based on international law and equality among nations. How the United Nations and civil society can interact to eliminate wars and promote a culture of peace and a tolerant society. What are the practical guidelines, non-violent strategies and steps to advance this goal? Vijay Mehta

Peace belongs to us all! Establishing peace through teaching peace: The Role of Education in Establishing Peace and Preparing for the Real Life Obstacles and Opportunities. Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) in association with World Disarmament Campaign (WDC) Public meeting. The House of Lords, London, Monday, 19th June 2006. By Vijay Mehta
"A culture of peace will be achieved when citizens of the world understand global problems; have the skills to resolve conflicts constructively; know and live by international standards of human rights, gender and racial equality; appreciate cultural diversity; and respect the integrity of the Earth. Such learning can not be achieved without intentional, sustained and systematic education for peace"

Global military spending and aid figures for 2005
 Email from Quaker Peace & Social Witness.
 "The figures show once again that it is not a shortage of resources preventing the richer nations from addressing climate change and poverty, which, apart from being problems deserving attention in their own right, are probably the greatest contributors to future insecurity and conflict"

Should Britain be building new nuclear weapons?
What are its implications and what is the peace movement’s strategy ? A discussion paper on replacement of Trident nuclear weapon system. Public meeting: 1 June 2006, 7.30pm UNA (United Nations Association) Streatham and Clapham United Reformed Church Hall, Streatham High Road, London SW16 6XH Speaker Vijay Mehta.
"Can you imagine what the government could spend £25 billion on? It can make our health and education system much better or help reverse worst effects of climate change or meet United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aid target of 0.7% of GNP every year for next 6 years."

I Fail to Understand and Seek to Understand
Two more poems by Seguya.

The Price of Peace- Bread or Bombs Reducing weapons for giving peace a chance,
A talk given by Vijay Mehta at Kings College Social Forum, Strand, London 5th of May, 2006
"The argument of Bread or Bombs is a perversion of resources and logic. Governments spend billions on war instead of spending on desperately needed housing, health, education, and jobs for the poorest people of the world. In economics, the bombs versus bread model is the classic example of the production possibility frontier. It models the relationship between a nation's investment in defence and civilian goods. A nation has to choose between two options when spending its finite resources. It can buy either bombs or bread, or a combination of both. This can be seen as an analogy for choices between military and civilian spending in more complex economies."

Armaments Resolution at the 2006 UNA-UK Conference.
This UNA Conference demands that after a century of delay the British Government puts the reduction of arms and the ending of the pernicious system of arms sales at the top of its agenda.

Towards the peaceful use of national resources in the 21st Century.
Alison Williams report on ARC meeting February 27th in the House of Lords.
"Richard Jolly, Co-Director, UN Intellectual History Project focused directly on Human Security, seeing it as "a frame for rethinking arms reduction and development." "

Economics and Disarmament
Outline of talk given by Prof. J Paul Dunne of Economists for Peace and Security UK On Monday 27th February, 2006 6-8.00pm, at the House of Lords, Committee Room 4. ARC held a public meeting, titled ‘Towards the peaceful use of national resources in the 21st Century How can we achieve this? And what is the role of campaign groups and civil society?”
Evidence are getting:

• Increasing recognition of the problems of post conflict reconstructions
• Increasing recognition of the role economic factors play in conflict (Collier)
• Increasing recognition of importance economic and human security
• Increasing recognition of importance of planning and transparency

Revitalising Global Governance and Democracy.
For a just, peaceful and sustainable world. The conference of The New School of Athens Entitled: "Beyond the Millennium Declaration: Embracing Democracy and Good Governance" 9-11 March 2006, Global Governance Group, Athens, Greece. Discussion Paper Session 4: Are Present Global Institutions Still Relevant? By Vijay Mehta
"Global governance is about multilateralist solutions to today’s threats and challenges. It is about international cooperation and stability. It is about holistic approaches to interrelated world problems along with fusion of idealism and practicality. Creating effective global governance is a vision which society can cultivate by tolerance, liberty, justice, equity, and non-violence. The principles on which Global Governance must be based are: transparency, accountability, and respect for democratic values."

Developing policies to use the EU’s power to promote peace and disarmament. A suggested WDC/ARC CO-OPERATION Campaign. FRANK JACKSON. WDC Co-Chair March 2006
"The result is that the world is awash with more weapons of all kinds than ever in history, and of greater destructive power than ever in history, even without considering the doomsday scenario of nuclear holocaust. Part of the mindset noted above is the argument the "weapons do not make war, people do", which is used to oppose any practical moves towards disarmament."

Wars, Arms Reduction and Tackling Poverty. 
How can we reduce violence and build a just and peaceful world. by Vijay Mehta
A joint Arms Reduction Coalition (ARC) & Oxfam workshop at the conference on Global campaigning in 2006: How do we follow ‘Make Poverty History’ ? Saturday, 21st January 2006 Birmingham Midland Institute Margaret Street, B3 3BS ,UK
"It should not be a surprise then, that poverty continues to breed conflict. Of the 13 million deaths due to arm conflict in the last ten years, 9 million occurred in sub-Sahara Africa, where the poorest of the poor live."

I am too poor to go to war…
A thought-provoking piece from a former UNESCO advisor to UNICEF. By David Inkey, the UN poet

Overwhelming majority of UN member states support the reallocation of military spending.
ARC NGO Liaison Officer Fidel Asante reflects on the 2005 UN First committee discussions on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development.
"Yet, cause for optimism can be found in projects coordinated through the UN High Level Steering Group on the RDD enabling UN agencies to work together on projects incoporating RDD, as well as the discussions around the funding a proposed Humanitarian Standing Fund, which would enable aid agencies to immediately draw specifically for humanitarian relief."

ARC Public Meeting asserts need for awareness of role of conflict in underdevelopment
ARC NGO Liaison Officer Fidel Asante reports on ARCs 2005 White Band Day 3 Meeting.
"Long time peace campaigner, Bruce Kent chaired the meeting and speakers invited were : Sheila Triggs and Katherine Ronderos of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), James O'Nions of Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), Explo Nani-Kofi of African Liberation Support Campaign, (ALISC), Oliver Cummings of Saferworld, Karl Miller of ARC and Laura Cheeseman of International Network on Small Arms (IANSA). "

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE and If I had A Choice
Poem by Seguya Pius
"In loving another, man has only loved himself"

OTHERS FREEDOM; THE ONLY GUARANTEE TO YOUR FREEDOM
Poem by Seguya Pius
"Freedom goes beyond being free from foreign domination "

A report of the International Conference on "BERTHA SUTTNER IDEAS IN PRESENT TIME". Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Prague. 12-13 November 2005 by Vijay Mehta

Ending War and Building a Just, Peaceful and Sustainable World
The role of the United Nations and civil society in strengthening disarmament, international peace and security. A talk given at the International Conference on "BERTHA SUTTNER IDEAS IN PRESENT TIME". Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Prague. 12-13 November 2005 by Vijay Mehta

HIROSHIMA REMEMBERED. Saturday 6 August 2005. Tavistock Square, London, WC1. By Vijay Mehta
"Have we learnt any lessons from history -- it seems not."

United Nations: Searching a New Road Map for peace and security in the 21st Century
 Comments on the high-level panel report for UN reforms on international peace and security, and the achievements/failures of the global UN summit. A talk given at the CND Annual Conference Workshop on UN Reform  University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London, on Saturday, 15 October 2005

Some Personal Comments on the US Proposals for UN Reform 22 June 2005
Karl Miller offloads some of his thoughts on  "a Statement by Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations, On U.S. Proposals for UN Reform, In the General Assembly,". "Fine words America. Lets hope you negotiate in good faith and not just for national interests. One of my concerns is that the US always seems to do better than most others through these international institutions, or just ignores decisions it does not like or  like in the Conference on Disarmament's (CD) refuses to even agree an agenda (or play ball). This summit may give the world and the American peoples some hope. Peoples from all over the world most of whose ancestors crossed the waters to the brave new world that now has greatest military power that ever existed. The hope of the world lies with the actions of the American Peoples (as represented by its Government); a collection of all races from all corners of the globe. Lets hope that they will listen to, take on board and agree with many of the points raised by the representatives of states from all the other corners of the globe."

Introduction to the Book Launch
Author Vijay Mehta's speech at the London Launch of his book "The United Nations and Its Future in the 21st Century", Friends House, London, 19 July 2005 . "The United Nations is at once the symbol of humanity’s collective aspirations for a better life in a safer world for all, and a forum for negotiating the terms of converting these collective aspirations into a common program of action. Realising these goals is ever more significant at a time when the UN is facing pressures to reorganise itself."

An Apology - It was 9.2 Million Dead in Africa in the Last 10 Years
Karl Miller apologises for underestimating the number of people killed due to conflicts over recent years.  "Out of the 13 million deaths in large-scale conflicts from 1994 to 2003, over 12 million were in sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia and Southern Asia. Not surprisingly, these regions are also home to three quarters of the world's 37 million refugees and displaced persons and the areas where the number of hungry people is growing. In two of these regions - sub-Saharan Africa and Western Asia - poverty is also on the rise." He also reports on some of the major suppliers of arms to Africa."Weapons flows to Africa come from a variety of different sources - licit and illicit - and through a wide variety of different means."

Development in Africa – shaking the curse of poverty, hunger and disease
By Vijay Mehta. A discussion Paper on debt cancellation, more aid, fairer trade  and good governance. For Make Poverty History March, Edinburgh, Scotland, 2 July 2005. "In the words of Nelson Mandela: "Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times, that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.... Out of 13 million deaths in large-scale conflicts from 1994 to 2003, over 12 million were in sub-Sahara Africa, Western Asia and Southern Asia."

Reviving Nuclear Disarmament: A Vision or a Reality A Report on the 1st week of the Seventh Review Conference of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, 2-27 May, 2005 . By Vijay Mehta www.vmpeace.org "We should take heed of the words, Robert McNamara, former US Secretary of State, recently said in the article Apocalypse Soon (Foreign Policy) that he believes the United States must no longer rely on nuclear weapons as a foreign-policy tool. To do so is ‘immoral, illegal, and dreadfully dangerous."

Seminar on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: A Treaty in trouble
Report of the NGO Committee for Disarmament and World Council of Churches, Geneva 11-12 April 2005 by Vijay Mehta.
"At the time of signing the Treaty, in the 1960s, many NNWS saw the advantages for the development of peaceful energy- the benefits of which have never materialised. However, now it is relatively easy for countries to acquire and apply the technology to make nuclear weapons. He also noted that compliance of the NPT and the implementation of the 13 Practical Steps, which were signed by all State Parties in the 2000 NPT Review Conference, are non-existent."
 

Understanding the military influence on science and technology
Research Project July 2003-June 2004. Contact: Chris Langley
Aim To carry out a broad assessment of how scientific research and development is influenced by military interests, and to recommend the changes needed so that this research and development better contributes to peace, social justice and environmental sustainability. The project will produce and disseminate a concise, accessible report on these issues, relevant to peace and disarmament workers, decision-makers, scientists and the public. It is expected that the report will be available in early autumn 2004. 

Quotes on the UN and Armaments
Updated to include many more quotations, such as:
 "Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest points consistent with domestic safety"
Point 4 of President Woodrow Wilson's 'Peace Programme', which he insisted, form the basis of the 1918 post-war Armistice.

"All states have the duty to promote the achievement of general and complete disarmament under effective international control and to utilise the resources released by effective disarmament measures for the economic and social development of countries, allocating a substantial portion of such resources as additional means for the development needs of developing countries"
Article 15 of of the Charter of the Economic Rights and Duties of States (UN Economic and Social Council Charter)

"You know, I hope that at the meetings in the UN there is going to be a sense of both distress and of coming together to say, Listen, guys, we know what to do; if we really believe still what we believed in 2000, we have got to readjust things.
We spend a thousand billion dollars a year on military expenditure--a thousand billion dollars a year on military expenditure--and we spend maybe $50 to $60 billion a year on development. Anything more nonsensical, you cannot imagine. And we spend $300 billion a year on protecting trade in one form or another, either by subsidies or tariffs, which inhibits the growth of developing countries.
Well, you have to be nuts to think that that's going to solve the problem. It's not that we lack resources, it's that we lack commitment. And it is my hope that before it's too late, people will understand that they have got to do something."
Foom Press Briefing With James D. Wolfensohn, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005

Aray Interview on ARC CDs - 4 Oct 04
Read an interview with Aray about the three CDs (ARC Peace Quotes, ARC: The UN and Africa and Nurturing ARC Instrumentals) with new specifically composed World music (World Dialogue Sounds). These form part of the Nurturing ARC Series. A collection of some music, speeches and other writings concerning the ARC.

UK General Election Pack 2005
Ask your parliamentary candidate questions about where they stand on the following issues in the forthcoming election in May 2005.

Killing for Christ
The Destructive Power of Faith By WILLIAM A. COOK

Top Ten War Profiteers of 2004
Contractors: Above the law. By Center for Corporate Responsibility. You know it's bad when Halliburton is #7

Why we value Gandhi?
A Hindu Perspective by Vijay Mehta vijay@anglo-sphere.com of The Gandhi Foundation A talk given at the 2005 Annual Multi- Faith Service (Kingsley Hall, London). "Recall in the face of the poorest and most helpless person whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him, will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to control over his life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj, self-rule, for the hungry and also spiritually starved of our countrymen?"

Reforms of the UN
A discussion paper on ‘Report of the UN High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change , A talk given at Tower Hamlets CND, London - 3 February 2005  - Vijay Mehta  vijay@anglo-sphere.com "The report is perhaps the most far-reaching official review of the UN’s role, in particular in the fields of peace and security, since 1945 and the signing the UN Charter"

From Article 26 to an institutional link between disarmament and development
A look at ARCs' future prospects by ARC UN/NGO Liaison Officer Fidel Asante. 'We should recall Article 26 of the Charter of the United Nations, which envisages a an international system based on the "least diversion for armaments of the worlds human and economic resources".'

Which Way for Disarmament?
A holistic approach to peace. A talk given at the Socialist Party Headquarters (Clapham, London). Vijay Mehta vijay@anglo-sphere.com "A holistic approach towards peace and human security depend on a reallocation of the world's resources so that billions of people who never see more than $1 or $2 a day are not held hostage to unconscionable poverty. Peace and Human security depend on universal adherence to and respect for human rights, including economic, social, and cultural rights as well as civil and political.

Health: The basis for peace
Fidel Asante looks at the relationship between peace, health and unity. "Peace then, must result from the continual balancing of mutually antagonistic forces or factions whom having been reconciled can become a single force with a united aim. "

A Peace Message from Norway 

Arms Reduction: a prerequisite for fruitful relationships among people. Subtitle: Stop the Arms to Stop the War. Karl Miller asserts that arms reduction (and control) is a prerequisite for fruitful relationships among people and Stopping Wars. "Because of the large amount of resources being spent on arms; we will continue to have many wars and many deaths due to arms. .... I Think that the US will periodically go to war. The military have to justify their vast expenditure on arms. ... People wallowing in poverty and despair will take up the arms the rich have used essential resources to make; and engage in violent conflicts to try to alleviate their sufferings and meet their needs. ... The buggy makers mentality. I recall a story related to me by a lecturer. During the late 1800’s one of the wealthiest men in the world died. He and his family had made enormous wealth from the horse and cart trade. In his will he stated that none of the family’s wealth should be invested in the (then new) motor car but remain invested in horse based modes of transport. It was beyond his comprehension that the car could overtake the horse based modes of transport. It like those 200 years ago who could not conceive of the abolition of slavery, or those 100 years ago could not conceive of women having the vote,..."

THE DANGER OF ARMS TRADE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND BUILDING CIVIL SOCIETY A talk given at Sheffield, Campaign Against Arms Trade, on 30 September 2004 by Vijay Mehta, examines global threats posed by spread of small arms, light weapons and weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, biological and chemical. He discusses old and new dangers posed by arms trade and its effect on the global economy, and in conclusion the way forward we will point out action plans for prevention of the dangers posed by the arms trade and thereby pave the way for a peaceful civil society. "It would seem ironic that the world spends more on things to destroy each other (military) and to destroy ourselves (drugs, alcohol and cigarettes) than on anything else."

  Report of the NGO Committee for Disarmament's demonstration, meetings with the Ambassadors of British and French missions, progress on Mayors of Peace Initiative, Geneva – 5 August 2004,
Vijay Mehta, Reports " civil society takes action against nuclear weapons. ... A resolution by the European Parliament on the European Union's role in the NPT review process expressed "its support for the international Mayors' campaign - initiated by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - on nuclear disarmament." 

  African Union - Gender Equality in Africa
Join the campaign, sign the petition for ratification of AU Protocol on Women's rights in Africa now!

ARC Patrons Biographies
Our Patrons include Dennis Haliday, Bruce Kent, Lord Archer of Sandwell, Alice Mahon MP, Federico Mayor Zaragoza.

Mercenaries Letter
Karl Miller urges the UK government to urgently take effective actions to control the threats posed by mercenaries with regards to  Equatorial Guinea Mercenaries Coup affair involving UK people such as Sir Mark Thatcher and Simon Mann.

Blood Run Done; Cease Now Peace Poem
Errol Baptiste's dub poem supporting the call for a whole year cease fire.

  Arms Reduction and Tackling Terror Subtitle: The will of the many has been overcome by the might of the few.
Karl Miller,  looks at How will diverting resources from weapons to humanitarian and non-military purposes help to tackle terrorism.
ARC calls for a 'Blood Run Done; Cease now Peace' year.  "Terror is caused by lots of things. Perhaps we should have different words Terrorist = illegal, TerrorAst = all causers; TerrorUst = legal causes. ... So fight against terror is good; but sadly the phrase is just a euphemism for the US fight against certain Terrorists and is often used to quell any dissent or opposition. ... What's the sense in spending vast amount of resources to tackle one form of terror (and on a solution that has failed to provide peace or security); when the major forms of terror go unaddressed. The terror of the 4 million dead in Africa in the last 6 years; the terror of more Americans dying of gun violence in the USA than all US soldiers killed in all wars in the 20^th century; the terror of the half a million killed each year by small arms; the terror of a third of the world living in abject poverty. .... At the end of the day; I have no problem with the US building a fortress to protect itself against "new and existing threats,". However if they are using resources taken from the rest of the world, impoverishing the peoples of other lands, and prosecuting resource grabbing wars to feather their nest; I have to object (not too loudly mind you; because I want to live).". Text of speech extract of which delivered at Conway Hall 7 June 2004.

Letter to Religious Groups
Fidel Asante,  asks "So can legislation alone arouse in man that will to protect and provide the 'right to life’ as it is and might be? For some gradual shift in his awareness of himself and his relation to others cannot be forced upon him by letter of law alone. Those acts and sentiments that define and guide our common humanity cannot simply be embodied in institutional law to become active. We would have destroyed ourselves a long time ago if we relied on such a structure of order.  More likely it is that we know Life to be that unique value which is spoken in all languages and misunderstood in none."

  Amnesty's ARC
Karl Miller,  look at the role of Academia in arms research ("I think academia should consider debating how much of its resources are spent on thinking up and researching things to kill people, while teaching the next generation.") and suggests a role for Amnesty in ARC's campaign ("By setting the standards on how Governments should treat ARC's supporters; by monitoring and reporting Governments abuses of ARC's supporters both before and after the ARC treaty has been ratified."). Text of speech extract of which delivered to Sheffield University's Amnesty Group, 23 October 03. 

Persuading America
Persuading America is perhaps one of the greatest weaknesses in whole Arms Reduction campaign. "Like slaves to power and profit, who heedless of their own significance seek to waste the world's resources on weapons to destroy the earth and its peoples." The USA has most to gain but is one of hardest to persuade. Here are a few considerations from Karl Miller.

A Few Words of Faith
A few verses from the bible. Please suggest more from the bible and other religious texts.

Where Is The Justice?
Poem by Fidel Asante.

Network for Peace
Profile of NfP  an organisation based network.

Soldiers in the Laboratory
A groundbreaking new report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR), detailing the pervasive military presence within science and technology in the UK, was launched at Parliament on 19th January.

Life: The Resourceful Resource
Fidel Asante looks at life a resource.  "Life is eminently more resourceful than man and his ideas, and existed before his appearance and will exist long after his disappearance". "Life, to some, is dependent on sunlight, to others, upon darkness; and so the wise economy of nature adapts to each existing condition" 

NPT Dossier
Vijay Mehta compiles an extensive dossier for PrepCom Review Conference  2004 - 2005. Ban The Bomb or Risk Self – Destruction. Can United Nations and International Community Meet The Challenge?

Sharing: The first step to security
Fidel Asante implores us " to share we will find that our brothers and sisters of the globe also share with us a deep desire to create lasting security amongst ourselves and for future generations."   "One of the saddest facts of human history has been the continuing use of weaponry as way to resolve differences amongst ourselves, jeopardising not only the necessary interaction of diverse groups but also the social and cultural fabric necessary for the stable existence of collectives-most of all the family unit."

The War Business - Everything About it is Appalling
Douglas Mattern,  president of the Association of World Citizens (AWC), looks at the arms trade and suggests "we pull down the curtain on the "architects of destruction" and put the war business permanently out-of-business".

Save The United Nations
Douglas Mattern looks at saving the UN from some US challenges. "The imperative change in the third generation UN must be the ability to resolve conflicts between nations and peoples through the framework of world law".

The UN is in Crisis over Africa
Karl Miller affirms that the UN is in crisis because of the 4 million people killed in Africa due to conflicts in the last 4 years. He pleads for effective actions to be taken and makes some suggestions to stop the slaughter. "4 millions dead in the last 4 years. That's like the whole of the population of black people in England, Jamaica and some of the Caribbean Islands dead in the last 4 years. That’s like the whole of South London, or Yorkshire, or Yokohama, or Los Angles, or Sydney, or Ireland, or Central African Republic or Uruguay dead in the last 4 years."
"His-story will focus on the recent Iraq war. But Human-story will remember the 4 million dead in Africa in the last 4 years. It will remember those who fate has put in positions of power and leadership, who instead of helping the African peoples have overseen and even facilitated the mass carnage. Some bury their heads in the sand, some dismiss it as not their problem, some spout near empty rhetoric, some throw their hands up in exasperation, some exploit the situation to amass wealth, some focus on other more politically advantageous issues. While the blood of the African Peoples run and run and the cries of their sufferings go unheeded by some impotent and or intransigent leaders. The UN is indeed in crisis over Africa. A crisis of leadership, morality and integrity."

ARC at the Respect Festival
Karl Miller reports on ARC at the Respect Festival  - Millennium Dome Greenwich 19 July 2003.

Why you should respect and support ARC
Long speech written by Karl Miller for but not delivered to the Respect Festival July 2003.

The Observation Of International Law Is Essential for Maintaining Peace In A Sustainable World
Fidel Asante looks at what can we do to ensure the Observation Of International Law.

Who will benefit from ARC?.
Karl Miller looks at some of those who will benefit from ARC.

How you can help to advance ARC
Karl Miller looks at some ways you can support ARC.

Example Calculations of Diverting Financial resources from Arms

More Quotes added to our Quotes on the UN and Armaments page

Finnish Conscientious Objectors
Email from David Heller For Mother Earth / Case Hermaja.

Arms unto the nations.
In its largest export market, Israel plays by very different rules than in any other sector. From Dave Rolstone.

ARC Arms Statistics Links  

The World is waging PEACE - an amazing speech
Report of lecture given by Dr. Robert Muller, former assistant secretary general of the United Nations.
Has anyone read many of his 4000 Ideas and Dreams For A Better World?

Is World Without Arms Possible?
Talk by Martin Hogbin National / Event Co-ordinator of Campaign Against Arms trade

UNITE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
STOP WAR AND TERRORISM
A Talk Given At European Peace Conference In Prague On 21^st—23^rd March 2003 By VIJAY MEHTA

A Report of the European Peace Conference in Prague on 21st---23rd March 2003 by Vijay Mehta

Voting Against Peace & Disarmament
Nick Kollerstrom charts votes at the  UN against Peace and Disarmament March 2003 

New World Order & United Nations
A talk given at London Region CND AGM by Vijay Mehta March 2003

Some Ideas on Iraq
Karl Miller shares some thoughts on Iraq March 2003

IMMANUEL KANT, PERPETUAL PEACE: A PHILOSOPHICAL SKETCH (1795)
Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch by Immanuel Kant 1795  Supplied by Francis K Krause  11th September 2002

A nightmare scenario - The whole World like Israel v Palestine.
Karl Miller's nightmare of arms reducing the world to rubble. December 2002

Report of Formal Launch Meeting  7th May 2002, in the House of Commons, Room 9, London, UK
 Launch of Action For UN Renewal's "ARMS REDUCTION CAMPAIGN"
- By VIJAY MEHTA Vice Chair - Action For UN Renewal July 2001

Why NGO’s should support Action For UN Renewal’s "Implement Article 26" Proposal
- By Karl Miller Secretary - Action For UN Renewal July 2001

Why Young People Should Support the Arms Reduction Coalition
- By Karl Miller Secretary - Action For UN Renewal. 
Update of above presented to Warwick University MUN (Model United Nations)  3 November 2001.