NEW DELHI: "The arms trade was one of the first to globalise and yet there are still more regulations in international trade on music than on arms.

One of the consequences is that weapons often move from the legal trade to the illegal trade.

In fact, 80 per cent of the world's illegal weapons start off as legal weapons," said a paper released by the civil society organisation Oxfam.

The paper urged India to support the proposed global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), expected to be tabled for discussion at the U.N. General Assembly next month. The idea for the treaty developed from proposals by 18 Nobel Peace Prize winners from over a dozen countries.

Out of control

Describing the international arms trade as out of control, the paper said 1,000 persons — 12 in India — died every day due to armed violence and many more were maimed. Though India traditionally supported initiatives to control arms, recent years had seen a departure from its earlier emphasis on disarmament.

Last year, it became the world's tenth largest military spender.

The ATT would prohibit states from authorising arms transfers where there was a clear risk of the weapons being used in violation of the U.N. charter or to commit serious abuses of human rights, genocide or crimes against humanity. This was in line with India's Constitution and values aimed at holding back dictators and armed militants who cared little for human life.

The paper said it was all the more necessary for India to back the proposed treaty because it was part of a region flooded with arms. India was home to four crore firearms and the known countries of origin of illicit arms uncovered in the North-East included the United States, Russia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia, China and the United Kingdom.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu