Letter: Time for action on the arms trade

This week marks the start of crucial discussions at the UN on whether or not to start work on a treaty that would stop weapons ending up in the hands of abusers, and that would tighten controls on the huge number of weapons flooding our planet (China warns US over plan for $6.5bn arms sale to Taiwan, October 8). Such a treaty is desperately needed. Every day 1,000 people die as a result of armed violence. And 639m small arms are in circulation around the world. The absence of any comprehensive legally binding international controls over the arms trade seriously exacerbates such abuses. The trade union movements stand in solidarity with victims of armed violence. Irresponsible arms sales not only multiply human suffering, but also negatively affect our own national security and that of our allies... [read full story]